Introduce Yourself
Six wonderful weeks ago, I went back to school. I started the City Media Academy, a media school run by City 105.1 FM, your number 1 lifestyle station. I always wanted to be an on-air personality (OAP), so when the opportunity came to learn more about the in and out of the radio industry at a discounted price, I was on the fence. Equal parts excitement and trepidation.
Half of me was wanted to learn more, while the other half didn't want to do it, because to be honest I hate school. I am an average student at worst. I don't really try. I just skate by. I can be very lazy and nonchalant, even about the things I care about. It is one of my many character flaws, we are working on it. This is a problem for another article.
Being back in school, or at least a school-like environment was very scary for me. So many fears and doubts dodged me, questions ping ponged in my mind. What if I fail? What if all that money was for nothing?
Over the last six weeks, I constantly met new people and always had to introduce myself. There is something you should know about me, I hate introducing myself. I am bad at it. I know you think everyone is bad at it but I am really terrible at it. It is why most of my bios are empty. I really don't know what to say. Is “My name is Fayokemi and I am broke” appropriate?
When anyone asks you to introduce yourself, what they are simply asking is who are you? What they are really saying is in not more than 100 words tell me who you are and what you stand for, but with less words.
The first day, after we all introduced ourselves, I knew I was not ready for this introduction thing. I gave an okay introduction. My name is Fayokemi and I blah blah blah. I forgot what I said. Or did I? The next day I expected the introductions so I was better prepared. I had a mental checklist of things that my introduction need; my name, what I do and what I want from the program. I managed to get by but I wasn't happy with it. So like I always do, I wrote a list. I had everything ready. I was ready to conquer the game. I attached my list below.
The next time I was asked to introduce myself, I referenced my list and because problem no dey finish! I encountered a new problem. I introduced myself as a content writer. Which I am! However, I didn't have my writing published on any platform, except my work in progress book on Wattpad. For a weird reason, I didn't want to direct her there. I hadn't even started posting my work anywhere except there. I felt like I was lying, selling myself as something I am not.
That feeling was the shove I needed to get off the mountain of doubt and finally post my first article here. I planned on posting my articles, it was on my new year resolution scripted in November '22. But I had been second-guessing it for a long time. Overthinking it. However, that moment showed me how important it was to be able to back up what you claim to be.
Six weeks are almost over and I still stumble when I am asked to introduce myself. I will be sharing a few tips I picked up to help you out, and save you the stress I went through.
1. Your first name comes first. Yes, you read that right, your first name, not your surname, comes first. I blame all those forms that requested my surname first for messing with me. I quickly realised that my first name comes first.
2. Be confident. Invoke as much confidence as you can into your introduction. Much sure you smile.
3. Give details but not too many details. Don't just say your name and that's all. Unless you are asked for your name alone.
4. Know who you are. This tip is not something that can be incorporated easily. You won't suddenly know yourself, but it is very important. As I earlier said an introduction is a demand to make yourself known. You can't make yourself known if you are not sure of who you are.
Obviously I didn't learn a lot, because that's all the tips I have for you. I hope it helped because that first introduction matters.
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