Rapid heartbeat and shaky fingertips

Deep breaths, relaxed shoulders, eyes up.
Remember what you are going to say. Rehearse in your mind. Breathe. Release the tension in your jaw. Your right hand is squeezing your other too hard. Just calm down.

Why can’t my heart feel as confident as my brain does?

My team had the opportunity to pitch to R/GA for the Uber brief they gave to us at the beginning of this term. Not really knowing each other before this term, our team came together like lost puzzle pieces that somehow fit together to make a lovely painting and I am proud of the ideas that we presented. Although I am used to presenting and I love criticism on my work, I still had a rapid heartbeat and shaky fingertips when we made our pitch.

However, that doesn’t discourage me.

When I think about my freshman self, she would have been too petrified to even attempt this opportunity. And now, I embraced it. Yes, I was intimidated and stressed beyond belief but I did it. I am constantly growing and evolving. One day I’ll look back at little senior Amelia and think “Huh, I wonder how she would think of me now.”

Amelia Inouye // 5/9/2017