Describe a club or class that you joined

A few years ago, I joined a public speaking club at my university. I'd always been quite shy, especially when I had to present in front of a group, and a friend suggested I sign up to challenge myself. I was nervous about it, but I decided it was time to step out of my comfort zone.

The club met on a weekly basis, on Thursday evenings, in a classroom on the second floor of the humanities building. There were about twenty members, ranging from first-year students to postgraduates. Every session began with short, impromptu speeches on random topics, like 'the best invention of the century' or 'a day without the internet', and then a few members delivered longer prepared talks. After each speech, others gave feedback on things like eye contact, voice and structure. In my first few weeks, I barely managed a minute, with my hands shaking, but everyone was supportive and nobody laughed.

I gained a great deal from the club. Obviously, my public speaking improved enormously, and by the end of the year I'd given a ten-minute talk to an audience of over a hundred people. More importantly, it boosted my confidence in general. I now find it much easier to speak up in meetings and job interviews. I also met a group of like-minded people, some of whom are now among my closest friends. Looking back, signing up was one of the best decisions I made at university.