YOU JUST NEED TO
SPEAK UP
“ Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you” says the richest, selfmade, first black woman billionaire in the history. She is no one else but USA’ s highest-paid television entertainer, Oprah Winfrey.
What made me love her was her natural empathy, robust humor, and curiosity which encouraged the audience to listen to her and how she won the limelight on stage. But what was so special about her was that no matter what obstacle came her way, she always turned every trial into a triumph.
It’ s true that life never gives you a bed of roses but rather uncertainties and obstacles that drown you in an ocean of tears. It was the same with her life. Oprah got her first television job in Tennessee, while she was still in college. After being transferred to Maryland where she failed as a news co-anchor and reporter, she had to face many obstructions, poverty, abuse and relationship problems. But she was brave enough to fight against them and get her new job in a show called‘ People are Talking’. From that point onwards her life changed and she became one of the popular public speakers, gaining the love and attention from her audience worldwide.
Before going further, do you know what made her be what she is now? In her own words she said to“ Be thankful for what you have. You’ ll end up having more.
“ What needs to be done is building the bridge of success from the bricks people throw at you”
If you concentrate on what you don’ t have, you will never ever have enough”. We all are experts in complaining of what we don’ t have, but what needs to be done is building the bridge of success from the bricks people throw at you to put you down, and cherish what you have.
Entering a state university was one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced and that life wasn’ t easy at all. To be honest, there were times when life was too hard, and I had no way to deal with it. But I found my way to express all my thoughts, dreams, desires, and what I love about, here in the Gavel Club. The Gavel Club isn’ t a place where you can just express your thoughts, but a place you can develop your effective communication and public speaking skills.
I was lucky enough to be one of the few people who spoke on a Table Topic session on the very first educational meeting of our year. I had a wonderful, memorable evening that day. One of the best things about the Gavel Club is that everybody is willing to listen to you and nobody laughs at what you say, but instead are very supportive. It’ s all about learning while inspiring each other. So here in the Gavel Club, I got the chance to speak-up, and let the other people feel what I feel, and that’ s the most amazing thing you could ever feel in this world. To sense that there are people who are willing to listen to you when you speak, eagerly waiting to change the world, just like you!
Speaking of the Best Speaker contest, it’ s the most important event in the Gavel calendar, where all the undergraduates from the state universities all over the country are given the opportunity to speak their hearts out. This is the core event where we get to interact with a number of talented contestants and Gaveliers, to inspire others and to be inspired. We not only learn but we make memories.
If I put all my words in a nutshell, life is not at all easy for anyone, but we can enjoy life by cherishing all the little things that come our way. Oprah was passionate about making the audience feel her words. You can be passionate about putting your thoughts on a paper, or something more wonderful than that. But no matter what you do, always remember that if you want the world to see through your eyes and to let them see what you marvel about, you first need to Speak-Up! Because as Oprah Winfrey said“ The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”
Gavelier DILKI FERDINANDO
Faculty of Commerce and Management
BEST SPEAKER MAGAZINE 2017 27