Maybe it started when I was six years old and when my relatives would come over I used to “perform” speech skits for them on my parents’ requests. Or maybe it was when I used to practice speaking in front of the mirror when I was just around eight years old. Or perhaps it started when I found out I have an immense amount of love for the English language at 12 years of age. Or maybe it was when I realized I wanted to help everyone around me by sharing life lessons I had learned, and more so I was encouraged to do so by my friends when I was only a 16 year-old naïve girl. It is challenging for me to pinpoint the exact moment I fell in love with speaking. Looking back at my journey in life so far, it would be sporadic to find an occasion where I must have left an opportunity for showcasing my articulation skills unattended.
Speaking to me has become a way of life, and sometimes I think I live for it. I live for the adrenaline rush that sends shivers down my spine when I walk up to the stage and view the vast mass in front of me. I live for the moments when I let my words work their magic and create a spellbound effect- mesmerizing every listener in the room with each sound that comes out of my mouth and evanesces into thin air. I live for the sounds of clapping which match with the beatings of my heart. I live for the praises which soothe down my racing heart and my nervous jitters, like a cold autumn wind providing relief to a sweaty runner.
Speaking is my solace, and I am it’s seeker. And yet it is a matter of irony that I only found out about KU-SOM Toastmasters Club nearly a year after it had been started and running, literally right over the roof I was staying. But you know what they say, better late than never. So, I took no time in registering as a member as soon as the President of KU-SOM Toastmasters Club approached me. And boy, has it been a great journey?!
Every week I get a platform to voice my thoughts in front of a mass of invested and interested crowd. Every week I get to come and meet wonderfully talented people who always teach me new things and help me become a better version of myself. Every week I live my dream through spoken words and fascinating stories, valuable lessons and lifelong memories, and laughter and tears. I have learned so much in such a short time here. I have also made countless memories to be cherished for many years to come.
Joining toastmasters was a very rushed decision on my part. But I can say confidently that it was undoubtedly one of the best decisions I have made in life so far. After all, to me, life is all about learning and growing, and Toastmasters lets you do just that and so much more.
Priya Chapagain, Associate VP Membership at KU-SOM Toastmasters Club