All posts by Christina Hillner, Staff Writer

News

The Fear of Public Speaking

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The number one fear in America, according to the Washington Post in October 2014, is the fear of public speaking.

It is a highly common fear for most people, and many feel alone.

Students watch celebrities, politicians or business leaders speak on television or in public, and they seem to be so at ease and calm. Some may wonder, are great public speakers made, or are they just born that way?

It may be true that some individuals are born with this gift — the vast majority of effective speakers have been trained by themselves or by others to be so. They have received formal media training or they have delivered many speeches that over time they’ve learned what works for them and it becomes routine.

College students are preparing for the future, which includes interviews with potential employers, a field in business or marketing or a position as a teacher.

At some point everyone will have to face public speaking whether it be a class or for a future occupation. Here are some tips to develop into a great public speaker.

An audience wants to listen to a speaker who is interesting, relaxed and comfortable. Everyone has routine conversations every day and people do not have any problems with being themselves. Yet too often, when they stands up to give a speech, something changes.

The anxiety settles in, palms sweaty, hands shaking, heart racing and thoughts of doubt creep into the mind. There is too much focus on the public and their reaction to what the speaker is saying at the expense of the actual speaking.

To develop as an effective public speaker, he or she must do the opposite. Focus on the words that you will be speaking and let go of the “public” audience listening. Think of it as a conversation between you and the audience.

If someone can carries on a casual conversation with one or two people, they can give a great speech. Whether their audience consists of two people or two hundred, and whether they’re talking about the latest internet sensation, or what they did today during class, they should be themselves.

Students should talk directly to people, make brief eye contact and make a connection with them. If the thought of looking at a member of the audience is too nerve wracking, it is helpful to scan just above their heads.

There is no direct eye contact and to the audience it appears to them that the speaker is making contact with them. Another tip is to find an object in the background whether it be a clock or a sign, find focus in that, and speak.

Effective body language can support the message and project a strong image of the speaker. Audiences pay more attention to a speaker whose body language is energetic with positive gestures. The most effective movements are ones that reflect the presenter’s personal investment in the speech.

Speakers should use their hands. They couldn’t keep them on their hips, in their pockets, or folded across their chest. Those positions could tell the audience, that the speaker is closed off and uncomfortable. The use of hands can help to emphasize a point, express emotion, release tension and help to engage with the audience.

Some of the most accomplished public speakers will make a mistake at some point. Always keep in mind that they’ll notice more than anyone in the audience. The most important action a speaker can do after making a mistake is to keep going.

Speakers should not stop and unless the mistake was truly devastating, speakers should never apologize to the audience for a minor slip or being nervous. Unless they are reading the speech while they are talking, the audience won’t know if their was a word left out, a page was skipped or if the wrong name was said or mispronounced.

For the most part, the audience will not have a copy of the speech, but if the scenario is presented in the future, continue on with speech as if a mistake never occurred.

A mistake can actually work for some speakers because it can allow for the speaker to connect with the audience. People don’t want to hear from someone who is “perfect.” An audience will relate much more easily to someone who is real and themselves.

Winners in sports, academics or politics all have a common resolute vision — they practice visualization to achieve their goals. Athletes close their eyes and imagine themselves scoring that goal, hitting that home run or breaking that record. Mathletes envision themselves finding the answers quickly and correctly. Politicians picture themselves as the next senator, mayor, or town selectman.

The same is true in public speaking. The best way to fight anxiety and to become a more composed speaker is to practice in their heads. Visualizing the speech consistently will make it a routine. The mind will become used to the idea of speaking in public, and pretty soon any feelings of anxiety can be conquered.
The goal in developing to be a great public speaker is not to be a perfect public speaker. There is no such thing. An important aspect of giving a speech is to be an effective public speaker. Like riding a bike, or hitting a baseball, it takes practice. Too often communication is taken for granted..

But when a person’s success is directly linked to how well they perform in front a group, it’s important to give the task the same attention as if they were a professional athlete. Remember, even world champion athletes practice every day.

Whatever the topic is, audiences react best when speakers personalize their diction. People like to hear about other people’s experiences whether it be achievements, failures and everyday humorous stories that make up their lives.

Whenever possible, tell stories. Include a personal-interest component in public speaking. Not only will it make your listeners warm up to the speaker and gain their attention, but it will also really help at putting the speaker at ease. It’s easier to incorporate something personal or relative to the speech that the speaker has knowledge on. Thoughts flow into words, presenting a confident speaker, which can form a great presentation.

It is always important to have a form of contact or interaction with the audience. A twist that can help to take some of the fear out of public speaking, is to shift the focus off of oneself as the speaker and move that focus toward the audience.
The objective in most speeches is not to benefit the speaker, but for the audience to benefit and take something away from the speech.

An audience can leave the speech with concepts through teaching, motivation or entertainment. As a speaker, they should think of the purpose behind the preparation and presentation. Ask the question before presenting, how can one help audience members achieve their goals, learn about a certain topic or discover something new?

One thing they may learn along the way in developing to become a comfortable public speaker is when it comes to talking in front of a crowd, less is more. Try to make the presentation a little bit shorter than anticipated. With proper preparation and taking some of this advice, as the presentation progresses, they won’t realize how quickly the time will pass as they are speaking.

It is best to leave listeners wishing they had spoken for just a few more minutes than squirming in their seats waiting for the speech to finally end. NECC offers a course on public speaking, which will teach effective construction and delivery of various types of speeches. The course concentrates on informative, persuasive, and impromptu speeches and with other types as well.

Features

Meet Travis Barrett

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For many high school graduates, living away from home for college is a fresh start, or a free pass from parents. Many college freshman meet new friends, join different clubs, sports teams and make connections that will last a lifetime. For NECC Journalism and Communication student Travis Barrett, it took going off to college to realize what he wanted to strive for in the future.

Twenty-one year old Barrett is a resident of Haverhill, Mass. and is a graduate of Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School. He was accepted and attended Framingham State University for two years as a business major. He found there was a certain depth to the business world. Although as he continued his education in business, it wasn’t all it seemed to be.

“I learned there was a lot of manipulation and opinions. I did not like that aspect of it at all,” said Barrett.
As time went on he withdrew himself from Framingham State to attend NECC as a General Studies major. He did not like being a business major, and did not know what he wanted to do as a career in the future.

Many students in their first years of college have no clue as to what they want to do in the future. It is highly common with the pressures of finding a job after earning a degree. Many fear what the future may bring– living up to adult responsibilities like paying bills and living independently is intimidating to some.

“I should have went to community college first. I wasn’t quite ready for the four year plan,” said Barrett.
He doesn’t regret any of the time spent at Framingham State. It helped shape and motivate him toward a future he wanted.

“I wouldn’t take back the time spent at Framingham because of the friendships I made there. We’re still friends today,” said Barrett.

Barrett has been with NECC for three semester now including the Spring of 2015. He was a General Studies major for his first semester at NECC, to get grounded and figure out his interests.

While attending NECC, he works at Dunkin Donuts. He balances work and classes, like most community college students.
“One day I was working drive-thru, and a customer said I had an awesome voice and that it would be great for radio, which was really cool,” said Barrett.

A simple compliment from a customer helped inspire Barrett to really think about what he’d enjoy doing in the future.
“I watch and listen to a lot of music and sports radio. The idea kind of morphed into one. I wouldn’t mind sitting around 2 or 3 guys debating, talking and throwing opinions back and forth. I do that everyday,” said Barrett.
It took Barrett one semester to decided getting into sports radio was the right fit for him. Going into the Fall semester of 2014, Barrett switched his major to Journalism and Communication.

He also enrolled in the fairly new co-operational internship program at NECC. Barrett applied to CBS Radio to work with 98.5 The Sports Hub for the Felger and Mazz show with the help of Amy Callahan and Ashley Braggar who help run the program.

News

Why students choose community college

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Students face a lot of pressure to make decisions about their future after high school. 

Among those choices is whether to go straight to a four-year college or university, or start with a two-year community college.

Students believe that attending community college is not the same as attending a four-year school. 

There is a significant difference between the two, but in the end students receive an education.

NECC is a catalyst for freshly graduated high schoolers, a step in receiving a new degree, and a finishing point for some. 

Some students believe that if they don’t go to a four-year college or university, then they will not be able to get a better job in the future.

“I used to think that if I didn’t go to a four-year school, then I wouldn’t compare with people that did go to them. I figured if I were consistent at a school instead of transferring, a possible job prospect would want me more, but it’s not true,” said NECC Student Olivia Lucey.

Within six years, about 62 percent of students who transferred from a two-year school in 2005 and 2006 graduated with a four-year degree. 

In addition 8 percent were still working toward a degree, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center’s annual Signature      Report.

Students also believe that people frown on them for attending community college. 

Today’s economy is making people turn around to see how smart community college students are. They are taking courses, to prepare for the next step.

“I started off in the fall of 2013 at NECC, and I am now attending the University of New Hampshire. I still take a math course at NECC to save money. So I have couple extra bucks in my pocket,” said Lucey.

“My loan situation in the future won’t be severe. That was my focus,” said General Studies major Maddi Wilson. 

“I enjoy community college. I transferred from Stetson University in Deland, Fla. to NECC, said Communication major Nick Mazzone.

Since attending NECC, Mazzone has interned at the Matty In The Morning Show on Kiss 108,  and now works with 100.7 WZLX beacuse of the NECC internship program.

“I fell in love with radio working at Kiss 108, which made me look for a job. 100.7 WZLX from  CBS Radio was the first tocontact me, and hired me on the spot,” said Mazzone.

Mazzone is the perfect example of a student who left a university, to attend a community college, and still be just as successful.

Also, NECC offers a newly founded internship program for journalism, communication, business, and computer  information science majors.

“If I never left Stetson University, I would have never attended NECC. I also would never had a chance to intern in one of the best radio markets in the country,” said Mazzone.

There is a determination in community college students, that is surfacing.

“My grades are much better from high school,” said Wilson.

Students academically challenge themselves to prepare for the following years when going to transfer.

 They want to prove, that even though they are in attendance at a community college,  it does not set them apart from a student attending a four-year college or university.

NECC offers a wide variety of majors, which is a perfect start for students who plan on transferring to four-year schools.

“It is good preparation. I wasn’t the best in high school, but I have a better focus now,” said Lucey.

NECC also has numerous clubs, organizations, and events happening just like any other college.

“The Haverhill Campus gives off the college vibe. The only thing is driving and dorming. It’s not a big deal,” said Lucey.

There is always something happening on the NECC Haverhill campus. 

As you turn into the front driveway, there is a lit up sign advertising upcoming events. 

When walking through the hallways between classes, there are numerous displays of flyers, and pictures of clubs, sports, schedules, and events.

In the central area of The Spurk Building there are usually clubs or organizations promoting themselves, and trying to socialize with the student body to get the word out, or to have students join.

“I like walking out of The Spurk and seeing people studying, listening to music, chatting, playing catch, or just sitting cliche under a tree. Even though it’s a community college, it doesn’t hold to it’s name. It’s a campus to me,” said Lucey.

Attending a community college is not a bad choice. It can save money, and may even be less stressful. 

Some students want to get right out there and have the “college experience.”  It’s not it is all cracked up to be. 

The simple things like missing home cooked meals, friends, family, their own pillow, bed, the couch, their own bathroom, driving, and not having to wear flip flops in the shower.

 They all add up, and some students may not be ready for that.

Some students will commute to school because they prefer having the ammenities of living at home.

 Whether it is attending a four-year college or university, or attending a community college.

Community college resolves that by being a commuting school. 

They have the freedom to go home after classes, and possibly work part time. 

 Students need to prioritize and think about how they want to go about their education after high school. 

Community colleges such as NECC offer similar course, they host events, have clubs, sports teams, and organizations. 

They have most amenities that a four-year college has, but they don’t have the title of being a four-year college.

Lawrence

Scooptopia opens in Lawrence

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This is a wide shot of Scooptopia and the owner.
Scooptopia has a barn theme and serves many frozen treats. | NECC Observer

 As you walk in through Entrance K at NECC’s campus at Riverwalk, just down the hall is the newly opened Scooptopia. Greeted by bright colors and an outdoorsy theme, Scooptopia offers a variety of ice creams, gelato, and sorbetto all homemade!

Owners’ Karen Small and her husband Frank opened Scooptopia in 2011 where it originated in Downtown Java Joe’s at Methuen Square in Methuen, Mass. 

They had a one year lease in Downtown Java Joe’s, and left when the lease was up and the shop then became Gemma’s Cafe.

Since they left, Karen and Frank never stopped looking for a place to reopen their business. 

“We never left the business, we just had no place to go. We had all of our equipment, and were just keeping our options open,” says Karen.

Karen came upon the space where the Coffee Cann used to be. It was a decent size area, and had the amenities that could fit their equipment.

“I saw the space, talked to my husband, then contacted The Riverwalk to lease the space,” says Small.

Right away Karen and her husband got to work, and construction went underway in January. 

“My husband sketched out what we wanted. A farm theme with green grass,” says Small.

They hired an architect who helped to find a tin roof and reclaimed wood. They put it together and it turned out the way Karen and Frank wanted it to be. 

When first walking into Scooptopia the customer is greeted by the counter in the form of a barn with the tin roof stretching outward,  and with  wood above. 

Surrounding the walls is wood, and to the left is what appears to be a barn window. To the right is a mural of an ice cream sundae floating down a chocolate river with mint chocolate chip grasses. 

Above the barn is blue paint to represent the sky, and green tile to represent grass. A cheerful and happy atmosphere.

“We wanted to bring the outside indoors, and it was lots of fun designing and putting it all together,” says Small.

Scooptopia finally opened in the beginning of summer in June. The hours of operation as of right now are Monday through Friday noon to 8 p.m.

“In the future, we hope to expand to the weekend, but as of right now we are holding steady,” says Small.

Scooptopia offers many different flavors of ice creams, sorbetto, and gelatos. The flavors are always changing month to month to keep it fresh, but will always have the basics such as chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. 

There are also specials during the months. This October, Scooptopia is offering Caramel Apple,Candy Corn, Pumpkin Whoopie Pie, Sweet Potato Marshmallow, and possibly Roasted Garlic.

“We are working on a Surprise Trick-O-Treat Bag flavor. It will be everything you would normally get in a trick-o-treat bag such as Hershey’s, Kit Kat, M&M’s, Milky Way, and so on. It is just finding the right flavors with it not being too much,” explains Small.

Scooptopia gets their ingredients locally, and internationally. 

“We get our whoopie pies, and fruits from Mann’s Orchard, for the sorbetto and our whoopie pie flavor. The rest of our gelato material is imported from Italy,” says Small.

Many people do not know the difference between the three frozen treats. Ice cream is made with cream, unlike gelato which is made with milk. 

Some people believe that sorbet, and sorbetto are the same thing, but they are not. Sorbet is made with milk, and sorbetto is fat free and dairy free, made with water and fruit. The menu offers gluten free treats which are marked by a pink star next to the name of the flavor.

The prices are reasonable for students, staff, and outside patrons who come in. A small gelato priced at $3.50 and a small ice cream, or sorbetto priced at $4.25. With reasonable quantities, they offer a small sample spoon to try out their different flavors.

“I want this shop to be different. I want to stand out, that’s why I’m always trying to make new different flavors such as Roasted Garlic, Biscotti, and Dill Pickle.  It’s a unique process, but it is a lot of trial and error,” says Small.

Reopening Scooptopia, has been a fun process for Karen and Frank. It took lots of effort, but they’re now being rewarded for the hard work.

“I love owning the shop, seeing the customers, and catering to their needs,” says Small. 

Scooptopia is located in the Riverwalk at Entrance K down a short hallway.

Features

NECC student Olivia Lucey takes on NECC and UNH

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NECC student Olivia Lucey is crouched on a hardwood floor holding her two large breed dogs, Buddy and Maisy.
Photo by Christina Hillner. Olivia Lucey with her two dogs, Buddy (left) and Maisy (right).

Classes are back in session at both NECC campuses, and student Olivia Lucey will be attending not only NECC, but the University of New Hampshire as well.

This is Lucey’s second semester at NECC; she also completed a semester in the fall of 2013. UNH will be Lucey’s third college: she transferred the credits she received last fall and took her studies to the University of New England for the spring 2014 semester.

“I started off as a General Studies major at NECC, only wanting to get my core classes done so I can save some money, and focus on Animal Behavior at UNE,” said Lucey.

Lucey has been interested in animal behaviors since she was very young. She’s has had three dogs in her lifetime: a female Cocker Spaniel named Clover, a male mutt named Buddy and a female lab named Maisey.

Buddy was adopted into her family because the previous owner could no longer care for him. He joined Clover for a couple years until she passed on in 2011 due to kidney failure.

“For the last couple months of her life, we had to give her IV fluids to help her,” said Olivia’s mother, Maryanne.

Soon after Clover passed, Maisy was introduced to the family as a puppy.

“I’ve seen a lot happen over the years with my dogs. Whether it was the way they acted lazy, energetic, or what has happened with them medically, It has helped steer me toward my goal of becoming a seeing eye dog trainer and veterinarian technician,” said Lucey.

After Lucey’s fall semester in 2014, she attended UNE for the spring semester only.

“I chose UNE for the program they had, which was well known for animal behavior. It is one of six colleges that I know of in the United States that has an excellent program-major,” Lucey explained.

During the summer, Lucey reconsidered what she wanted to do for the fall 2014 semester.

“It took a lot of thought, but in the end I withdrew from UNE. It was my dream college since high school, but it turns out I had other plans in mind instead,” said Lucey.

Throughout the summer, Lucey had been gathering all of the necessary material needed to transfer her credits from UNE to NECC and UNH this semester. Lucey is taking one class at NECC and three at UNH at the Thompson School of Applied Animal Science.

“I have to take the one class at NECC because it is just one class I need to get out of the way,” said Lucey.

She will be a commuter student at UNH this semester because she’s not a full time student there, and it was a last minute decision.

“I plan on attending UNH as a full time student in the spring of 2015. If all goes well, I will hopefully stay there,” says Lucey.

It will be difficult to manage this upcoming semester, because of the commute. 

Lucey resides in Methuen, Mass. which is approximately an hour from UNH in Durham, N.H. and 15 minutes from the NECC Haverhill campus.

“I live close to the highway, which is beneficial, and I may stay with my aunt in Hampton, N.H. some nights. I know the travel will become too much, and it is pointless to go home some days because of the times and the classes I am taking,” says Lucey.

Lucey also volunteers at the Service Dog Project in Ipswich, Mass. and has a babysitting job near home.

“It will be very interesting to see how this semester plays out. I have a lot on my plate, and it comes down to time management. I have to play my cards right, because this semester is no easy walk,” said Lucey.

Lucey’s major at UNH will be Small Animal Care. She is currently trying to tie the pieces together to have the outcome she wants, which is to be a trainer and work with guide dogs, with the additional specialty of being a veterinarian technician.

News

Wilson talks about choosing two year or four year college and universities

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When students reach their senior year of high school, the pressure to choose a college to further their education can be a very stressful time. Psychology major Maddi Wilson of Salem, N.H. is one of many students who was in this predicament.

Wilson previously attended Campbell High School in Litchfield, N.H. and graduated with honors. She was looking into four-year universities such as The University of New Hampshire, Southern New Hampshire University, and Plymouth State University. Though after extensive back and forth decisions whether to stay home and commute, or go away for school she made her decision to attend NECC.

“I felt it would be better off if I stayed home for the first two years of college, and so far it has worked out very well for me,” says Wilson.

She stays in Salem, N.H. on weekdays with her grandparents so she can commute back. Then on the weekends, she goes home to Litchfield where her parents and brother are.

Wilson is a psychology major who has already mapped out exactly how she wants to complete her time here at NECC.

“I wanted to get my core classes completed first, save money, and then further my education at a four-year university,” says Wilson.

Choosing psychology as her major was an easy choice. Wilson enjoys learning about specific illnesses and mental diseases that can affect a person.

“I find the mental predicament some people are in fascinating. I want to work where I can really help people. I want to make a difference,” says Wilson.

While Wilson spends most of her weekdays studying for classes and exams, the rest of the time is spent at her part time job, or working out at the gym.

“I work at Guess at the Merrimack Outlets in Merrimack, N.H. It takes up most of my weeknights and weekends. I try to fit some gym time in there too, I like to keep in shape,” says Wilson.

Some people may not know that Wilson is also an avid concertgoer. She attends small concerts mainly for alternative bands at venues such as the Paradise Rock Club, or The House of Blues in Boston.

“My biggest concert I’ve been to was Ed Sheeran in New York City, NY at Madison Square Garden. Words cannot describe the experience I had, and the atmosphere I was in. He is my go-to artist when it comes to studying, too,” says Wilson.

Like most students who choose to stay home their first years of college, she balances a part time job, school work, and tries to fit in a social life.

“When I first made the choice to stay home, I was really happy. Then, I got worried that I wasn’t going to make new friends, or really have that college experience,” says Wilson.

As far as her social life goes, she sees friends who come home for the weekend, and visits one of her best friends up at the University of New England.

A year later finishing up her first full year of college, Wilson is more than satisfied with where she is.

“Definitely the best life choice I’ve made so far. I am living at home having home cooked meals, saving money by not being away, I’ve made some great new friends, and I’m making money by working. It’s been a win win situation all the way around,” says Wilson.

She continues talking about the difficulty and hardships that most seniors today go through when it comes down to choosing colleges.

“Some parents, and teachers do not understand the pressure that most of us are put through,” says Wilson.

Student athletes are especially pressured. Some are accepted to multiple colleges, with possible scholarship offers. When it comes to the decision on what they want to choose, it can be very stressful. Parents have to give their input, friends give their opinions, and coaches also want a say in the matter.

“I was a student athlete in high school. I was a cheerleader, and played softball. I know I was not going to go to college for either, but I saw what some athletes went through,” says Wilson.

“If I could give advise to anyone going through this, I would definitely tell them to put all opinions aside and go with what you feel is right. No matter how much people may disapprove, or turn their nose up, it is best to go with the gut feeling that you know is right.”

Right now, Wilson has one year left at NECC. She is planning on taking  10 classes over the course of two semesters in the fall of 2014 and spring of 2015.