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LIFE IS A JOURNEY 311
Life Is a Journey
1 There’s an old saying: “Life is a journey, not a destination.” That’s certainly been true for
me. My journey back to school has been long and winding, full of twists and turns. I often think
to myself, what am I doing here? Let me try to answer that in a way that will give you a glimpse
into my life.
2 I started college right after high school, but it turned out that I wasn’t really ready. I
lacked focus and I spent more time with friends than I did studying. So I decided to take some
time off and return to school in a couple years.
3 Now, eight years later, I’m finally back in school. Mostly, I worked in retail—selling
shoes, selling electronics. I even tried selling cars for a while. Some of the jobs were okay, some
not so much. But along the way I learned responsibility, and I developed a strong work ethic. I
also realized that to have a rewarding career, I needed to go back to school. That’s one reason I’m
here today.
4 Another reason is because of who’s waiting for me when I get home—my wife and
312 INTRODUCTORY SPEECHES FOR ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Life Is a Journey
Commentary
Nontraditional students, often defined as students over the age of 24 who return to school after a lengthy
absence, constitute a significant portion of the undergraduate student population (some estimates put the
number at well over one million). In this speech, a nontraditional student introduces himself to his class-
mates by using his nontraditional status as an organizing theme. A video of the speech is available online
and on the DVD of student speeches that accompanies this edition of The Art of Public Speaking. Here is
a synopsis of the speech.
Specific Purpose: To introduce myself to the audience by explaining my journey to the college classroom.
Central Idea: My journey back to college has shaped my outlook on life.
Method of Organization: Topical
Introduction: The introduction consists of the first paragraph. The speaker begins by quoting a familiar
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