Anxiety at School, Opinions?

I am a sophomore in college, for my freshmen year I was on paxil and I did not have any anxiety about being myself and talking.
I signed up for public speaking this spring semester thinking I would still be on my pills ...but I recently got off them and my anxiety is bag x2 worse.

Is this a good idea or should I just choose some other class?

I do not start my spring semester until next week.

I am just worried I will be a complete mess or might it be beneficial for my social anxiety?


thnx

I'm not trying to discourage you from taking public speaking, but I also am awful not only with the crowd, but people in general. I took public speaking just last semester and no one spoke well from beginning to end--even our instructor sucked at speaking in front of the class. We all had to do five speeches. I skipped 3/5 speeches, and still ended up with a C. I was the worst speaker of the entire class, my body shook, I sweat, and I quivered in my voice as I fumbled upon the most simple sentences. I could tell my instructor didn't want me to go through the horror again, so I imagined he passed me out of sympathy.
However, if I were to redo it, I would. I would do it on medication, and I would want an instructor that actually wanted to help my learning process on something I severely fear. I don't know the level of your anxiety, but I would advise you to take a different class until you are able to take public speaking while on medication, as you will benefit far more than you would without the meds. I hope this helped.

Public speaking is so useful in this day and age that I encourage you to stick with the class but explain to the teacher that you have social anxiety and might prefer to give him your speeches after or before school so that only he is watching.

I got through public speaking with an A and speaking isn't that bad for me, although I inadvertently display all the signs: my hands shake, my body is tense, I begin sweating. I never realized how obvious it was until I gave a presentation last semester and as I returned to my seat, my friend held up his hands and began shaking them. I look at it as something to go ahead and get over with, so I always prepare the night before and go first, that way no one can say, "Hers was better than hers," you know? I like to set the bar to calm some of the anxiety brought on from worrying about what others think.

I do encourage you to do your speeches with medication until you've got a handle on things, however. Don't just try to jump into it.