IIT Toastmasters Newsletter II 2023

THE

April 2023 | Quarterly Newsletter

IIT TOASTMASTERS CLUB

TOAST

JOURNEY SO FAR

TOASTMASTER OF THE QUARTER

CLUB ACHIEVEMENTS

Hear from members on their journey to success!

Diadri Weerasekara

'Dedicating her heart to the club'

Raising the bar to new heights

IIT TOASTMASTERS CLUB PRESENTS,

THE

TOAST A Toast is not just a mere expression of good wishes or a simple raising of a glass, but a powerful and impactful way

to

honour,

celebrate,

and

recognize

the

achievements and milestones of individuals, teams, and communities.

In Toastmasters, we learn to infuse our toasts with sincerity, humour, and heart, creating a connection that transcends words and touches the soul. So, let's raise our glasses high and cheers to the power of toasting!

IIT Toastmasters Club | 3835845 | Area 02 | Division C | District 82 We meet alternatively on Fridays from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM and on Saturdays from 2.30 PM to 5.00 PM. Meeting Venue: IIT School of Computing, GP Square, 10, Trelawney Place, Colombo 04, Sri Lanka.

FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS TO STAY UPDATED

@iittoastmasters CLICK ME

WHAT IS TOASTMASTERS?

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators, and leaders.

INTERNATONAL CENSUS

INTERNATIONAL MISSION

280K+

We empower individuals to become more

MEMBERS

effective

communicators

and

leaders.

144

CORE VALUES

COUNTRIES

Integrity

14.7K

Respect Service Excellence

CLUBS

CLUB MISSION

PATHWAYS LEARNING

We provide a supportive and positive

The Pathways learning experience is an

learning experience in which members

interactive

are

program like no other.

empowered

to

develop

and

flexible

education

communication and leadership skills,

It was created to help you strengthen

resulting in greater self-confidence and

your communication and leadership

personal growth.

skills as you grow toward personal and professional success

iittoastmasters Informatics Institute of Technology (IIT)

15 17 19 21

TOASTMASTER OF THE QUARTER CLUB AND MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS CLUB GALLERY TRADEGY OF THE MEN IN BLACK EAT YOUR HOURS BEFORE THEY EAT YOU! BE KINDER SETTING THE RHYTHM FOR YOUR NEXT SPEECH HEAR IT FROM THE MEMBERS

CONTENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

TABLE OF

6 7 9 10 12 14

MESSAGE FROM THE AREA DIRECTOR

MESSAGE FROM OUR AREA DIRECTOR Amidst chaos all around us, with uncertainty lurking around in a politically and economically unstable country, as Toastmasters we were able to look forward with hope in our eyes as the Toastmasters movement has always helped us to cope up with many a thing. For some, it was the only source available to maintain one’s sanity and continue to move forward with hope.

Though we were pushed to meet online and connect virtually, our best efforts were put in to ensure that virtual meet-ups were as enjoyable and educative as the physical ones were. I believe IIT Toastmasters Club has managed to keep the momentum running and maintain the same energy that we would experience at a physical meeting. The first meet-up with the members was a truly memorable one, as I witnessed the saying of Ralph Smedley, “We learn best in moments of enjoyment.” being experienced in practice.

The Executive Committee, led by President TM Asiri Ekanayake, has delivered quality and fun-filled Educational Meetings to its members continuously. Their efforts in maintaining the standards throughout are commendable. Amidst facing the challenge of member retention due to external factors, they were able to overcome this challenge successfully, due to the commitment in presenting the members with a quality club meeting and enriching their Toastmasters experience. Themed meetings, Joint meetings, and Outdoor meetings are a few of the many endeavours they have embarked upon to achieve the level of excellence the club currently demonstrates.

As the comes to a close, I look back on the Journey of the IIT Toastmasters Club with great satisfaction and pride. I wish to convey my heartfelt gratitude to the Executive Committee and its members for ensuring that the IIT Toastmasters club perform extremely well while striking a balance between, fun, education, and camaraderie at every meeting. I believe and wish you will continue to strive for excellence and keep the momentum until the end of your tenure and IIT will end the year with many accolades and titles under its club’s name.

They say, “Nothing much happens without a dream. For something really great to happen, it takes a really great dream.” I believe that a really great dream in isolation cannot make things great, but when coupled with a great team, it will do wonders beyond your imagination, realize never foreseen potential and reach heights believed to be impossible. Let us continue to work towards achieving this great dream with the great team you are blessed with, and I will surely be there to help and support you in each and every way for you to reach the pinnacle of success as a club.

06

MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT Greetings, fellow travellers, As the Toastmasters year draws to a close (there are still a few months left though, don’t worry!), let’s look back at our past selves. Did you accomplish the goals set out to do this year? Are you a more confident speaker and leader now? And, most importantly, did you have fun?

This is the final newsletter for this year, so allow me to have the privilege of penning this piece for the last time (and if you didn’t read my message in the last issue, at least do so now -_-). Our last quarter has been packed with events; our annual Christmas meeting, Valentine’s themed meeting, many new members and guests, several Joint meetings, club contests, not one but TWO exam seasons at IIT, and of course, celebrating the 9th anniversary of IIT Toastmasters Club with a reverse order April Fools’ themed meeting, complete with pranks, that only crazy people like us could pull off.

As always, I’d like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to our members, club seniors, IIT management and staff, and District and Division leaders for lending their support in ensuring we can continue holding quality club meetings every week. I cannot go without giving a special thanks to my Exco (seriously, I don’t think this message will be included in the newsletter without it!), who have stuck with the club through exams, coursework, and various other commitments, ensuring each week their responsibilities are fulfilled. It is with your support and dedication (yes, all of you in the club) that we have achieved President’s Distinguished status for the sixth consecutive year, with all 10 acquired.

Thank you to you all for going that extra mile and moving mountains to make this a possibility.

Reflecting back, I’m sure while you will have some notable moments and exciting wins to be proud of, there also may be some failures, some regrets, some missed opportunities, some unfulfilled goals. I know I do. I hope you will see such moments not as the end of your journey or as time wasted but as a chance to try again and continue on. Having goals left to accomplish on your to-do list is not the mark of failure. It is a sign that even if the path ahead is treacherous and ever-changing, it’s not over. It is a sign there is more success waiting for you in the future. It is a sign for you to resume, to struggle, to change courses, to persist, to carry on, to grow.

As long as you can keep going and keep trying, there will always be something ahead of you to look forward to. Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape the person you want to be.

Here’s to unapologetically failing and persevering, Asiri Ekanayake, TM President 2022/23

07

IIT TOASTMASTERS CLUB IS NOW

PRESIDENT'S DISTINGUISHED FOR THE 6TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR!

08

DIADRI WEERASEKARA Toastmaster Diadri, despite being an official member of IIT Toastmasters Club for just over a year, already has a plethora of achievements under her belt.

As a Vice-President, she has been instrumental in ensuring we have quality meetings every week. Her tenacity in chasing after members for speeches, evaluators and role-players, and her persuasion skills (though some may call it threatening/blackmailing) are truly remarkable.

As a true leader should, she has been leading by example this quarter, completing not one but TWO levels in her Pathway in record time, and is already halfway through Level 3. She took up the challenge of taking part in the International Speech Contest of our club this year and, after placing second, went on to represent us at the Area level.

On behalf of the IIT Toastmasters Club, congratulations, TM Diadri and all the very best with your Toastmasters journey!

09

CLUB CONTEST WINNERS

INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL TM SHONTAAL MANUELPILLAI

TM ASIRI EKANYAKE

TM DIADRI WEERASEKARA

TABLE TOPICS TABLE TOPICS TABLE TOPICS TABLE TOPIC TM SHONTAAL MANUELPILLAI

TM PARAMIE JAYAKODY

TM HARITHA NAURUNNA

10

MEMBERS' ACHIEVEMENTS PATHWAY COMPLETIONS TM Haritha Naurunna Level 5 Persuasive Influence

TM Diadri Weerasekara Level 1 Innovative Planning

TM Haritha Naurunna Level 2 Presentation Mastery

TM Diadri Weerasekara Level 2 Innovative Planning

TM Asiri Ekanayake Level 2 Visionary Communication

TM Paramie Jayakody Level 4 Motivational Strategies

TM Caucidheesan Krishnamoorthy Level 3 Leadership Development TM Caucidheesan Krishnamoorthy Level 4 Leadership Development

TM Paramie Jayakody Level 5 Motivational Strategies TM Hashim Kalam Level 1 Presentation Mastery

AREA CONTEST WINNERS

PARAMIE JAYAKODY 1ST RUNNER-UP AT TABLE TOPICS SPEECH AREA- LEVEL CONTEST WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST AT THE UPCOMING DIVISION CONTEST!

11

12

13

TRAGEDY OF THE

MEN IN BLACK

#JUSTICE FOR MIB 14

Have you ever got up early in the morning and said to yourself, “Well, today is the Day! The Day that I keep myself off that phone of mine and get about something useful, like cleaning the garage like dad wanted me to.” You energetically hop off to freshen yourself with a hot cup of tea and small talk with Mum. Yes! You can do this. You go to your room and make a list of all the tasks you have been procrastinating on; including that suspicious pile of homework on both your laptop and table. You clean the garage, take Pip (the dog) out for a walk, wash your clothes, talk to that long-lost aunt of yours, make an organized timetable for your studies, do your homework (of course!), and so on…

The list is…never-ending, unfortunately for you.

“That’s okay, let’s try an app online to manage my tasks”. Then, you end up watching YouTube and obeying your wandering mind. Four hours later you realize that you’ve been eaten by time again, but it’s too late. You’ve fallen into the trap, yet again.

This marks the 1001st time you’ve crashed your motivation.

Time is a very important aspect of life to everyone, and its management is not limited to only Toastmasters. Enjoying time on your phone and playing around is needed for you to relieve yourself of stress, but too much enjoyment would lead you to be a lost person with no aims at all.

But fear not my friend! You do not need to put your head down in dismay because this article could bring about a life-changing moment for you. There are ways to reclaim those seemingly elusive lost hours of the day. It’s all about personal time management – manage your time instead of letting it manage you. Let’s look into some timemanagement tips to get you started.

1. Figure out how you’re currently spending your time.

To optimize your personal time management, you first need to figure out how you are wasting your time. Try continuously logging your time for a week by tracking all your daily activities. This strategy can help you: Determine how much you can feasibly accomplish in a day.

Identify time spaces where you had nothing to do.

Focus on activities that benefit you more.

As you conduct this individual survey, it will become pretty clear how much of your time is spent on unproductive thoughts, conversations, and activities. You will gain a more accurate sense for how long certain types of tasks take you. This exercise can also help you determine the time of day when you are most productive.

2. Figure out how you’re currently spending your time.

As you organize your to-do list, prioritization is key for successful time management. Start by eliminating tasks you shouldn’t be performing in the first place. Then, identify the three or four most important tasks and do those first - that way you make sure you finish the essentials.

15

Evaluate your to-do list and make sure you organized it based on the importance of a task rather than its urgency.

Important responsibilities support the achievement of your goals, whereas urgent responsibilities require immediate attention and are associated with the achievement of someone else’s goal. We tend to let the urgent dominate when we should really focus on activities that support our future more.

3. Avoid the urge to multitask.

This is one of the simplest time management tips, yet it can be the hardest to follow. Focus on what you are currently working on. Block out all temptations to finish the task quickly. Instead, complete it to the fullest. The temptation to multitask is irresistible but you would only be going one step back if you gave in. You lose precious time and productivity when switching from one task to another randomly just because you are bored or impatient.

4. Assign time limits to tasks.

Set a time limit to your task instead of just working till it is done. To-do lists would never be satisfying if the tasks weren’t ever checked off.

If you want to set a steady pace to your workflow, you could use the Pomodoro Technique which involves completing your tasks in 25-minute chunks, taking short breaks between each task and a longer break after you’ve done four. This technique balances a narrow focus with frequent breaks, reducing mental strain and maintaining motivation.

On the other hand, if you prefer setting your own pace comfortably, you could try timeboxing, which allows you to jot down varied amounts of time for your tasks. Use your time log to estimate how long an activity will take you. Once you’ve spent the designated amount of time, hop along to the next task.

Either way, you would find that your productivity has skyrocketed and your to-do list shrinking considerably when you have these factors in order.

Last but not least, one of the most essential tips:

5. Eliminate (or at least minimize) distractions.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

Well, that surely is true, but all play and no work would make Jack a dumb boy! Social media, web browsing, friends, text messages, instant messaging – the distractions can be limitless. A key to personal time management is being vigilant about getting rid of them. Shut your door to limit interruptions from family members, (if you could, attach a ‘do not disturb’ sign to your door when you are busy at work). Close all the tabs and apps except the ones you are currently working on on your laptop. Turn off your messaging notifications or else entrust your phone to a family member for a specific time.

Take tiny steps. Identify your top two or three distractions and focus on conquering those for two weeks. Do not forget, sufficient sleep, water, and food help you stay focused during the day.

At the end of the day, no pro-tip or calendar tool will magically make you manage your time, so it’s high time you got off that phone of yours and placed your future in your hands. A successful future starts with small steps, so aim at the tiny day-to-day tasks. After that, getting your dream place in life wouldn’t be so hard after all. And Pip would be happy that he can look forward to more walks in the future!

16

There comes a time in everyone’s day when we need to take a break from work. As a twenty-year-old in need of a quick pick-me-up, I decided to watch a movie. After hearing so many good things about it, I decided to pick a relatively new movie that had taken the world by storm. While many movies today are manufactured to be fun flicks, filled with flashing lights and no message, this particular film had me hooked from the very beginning. It had many memorable moments and some quotes that are stuck in my head even now. One that spoke to me, in particular, was delivered exceptionally well during the emotional climax of the story. While the original quote is quite hefty, it could be paraphrased into a couple of simple words.

“Be kind” The dictionary defines kindness as the quality of being generous, friendly and considerate. But a dictionary definition only takes you so far when looking for the meaning of something. Therefore, after some research and a little bit of reflection, I arrived at the conclusion that kindness could be defined as one of the most important qualities that we, as human beings, could possess.

Of course, in today’s society which is built on capitalism, it’s easy for something like kindness to be left forgotten in the dust as people scramble to make a name for themselves. To be honest, being kind has a very low chance of getting you that car you like. Being kind will definitely not pay your monthly electricity bills. But even so, its importance cannot be overstated.

I believe that kindness can be categorized into two types. The first one, which is both most spoken of and easiest to practice, is kindness towards others.

Or as the dictionary says, being friendly, generous and considerate towards others. Being kind to someone could go as far as saving their life. The best proof of this statement is Mr. Chen Si. Mr. Chen is a Chinese man who is known for preventing people from taking their lives by leaping off the Nanjing Bridge and into the Yahtzee River.

He has saved no less than three-hundred people in this manner. When asked about his motivations, Mr. Chen said that he “was also one of them and was saved by the kind-hearted countryman when he was facing that hardship in his life.” The way I see it, there are two things we could take away from this.

Unsurprisingly, the first is just how important being kind is.

Human life, like all life, is precious and most of the time, when you’re convinced that there is little to live for, not many things can give you a reason to keep fighting. But as Mr. Chen proves time and time again, kindness is one of the few things that can.

And it doesn’t really have to be something drastic like throwing your arms around someone that’s about to end their life, it could be something simple like holding the door open for someone, or maybe offering a quick compliment to the person next to you. As insignificant as it may seem to you, there is no way of knowing just how much it would mean to the other person.

17

Kindness doesn’t necessarily have to be grand or extravagant; it just has to come from within.

Which brings us to the second type of kindness.

This is the kindness that you show towards yourself. This is tougher for most people to do because, in the urge to be kind to others, it’s easy to forget yourself. Furthermore, in this day and age, it’s easier than ever to be hard on yourself.

The rat race and the constant pressure that we face on a daily basis make it hard for us to take care of ourselves. But the thing is that being kind to yourself is often easier than you think.

I was reading up about compassion recently, and came across a speech by Dr. Rick Hanson, who is a psychologist and author, where he mentioned that “kindness is a two way street.” This principle has a truth to it, no matter how you look at it.

For instance, one time I was with a friend at a regional debate competition and my nerves were killing me. I was feeling like my heart was in my throat. I noticed then that one of my teammates was feeling down, and decided to put my feelings aside for a moment and talk to them about theirs. After that, they seemed to calm down and gain more confidence in their own abilities. I then realized that my own nerves and my anxiety had miraculously vanished as well. So in the end, being kind to someone else had been a blessing for my own self as well.

Conversely, if you are good to yourself, it makes it that much easier to be kind to the people around you. As your own well-being increases, you will find that it’s much easier to be patient, generous and compassionate towards those around you.

There’s a saying, "A war cannot be fought on an empty stomach." In that same vein, you can’t be kind to anyone else unless you’re kind to yourself first. The more happiness and good vibes you have inside you, the more there is for you to add to the world.

But stop for a moment and think to yourself; would you say something like that to a friend when they were stressed about something? I’m willing to bet that the answer would almost always be no. In a world where we are more or less conditioned to be hard on ourselves for the sake of perfectionism, it can be difficult to treat ourselves with compassion.

But once you start being kind to yourself, once you start thinking, “I am stressed, that is why I feel like this. How can I work through this?”, instead of criticizing yourself, you will feel better about yourself. Once you start showing yourself the same basic kindness, you will notice that your life feels more joyous than it did before.

For some people, being kind to themselves is easier when they are kind to others. This system works because it triggers a sort of reward system in your brain that makes you feel good when you are being kind to someone else. I can tell from personal experience that as well as making you feel better mentally, being kind to someone else could actually make you feel better physically. Research has shown that this is because being kind to someone reduces our blood pressure and our cortisol levels, which in turn reduces stress. It also boosts your self-worth, which in turn makes it easier for you to be kind to and love yourself.

We may walk different paths in life, but at the end of the day, we are all human. We could all do with some love. We could all benefit from kindness. Each little act of kindness, be it towards yourself or others will create a ripple in the world and touch more lives than you could imagine. So please, try to be kind.

Especially when it feels like you can’t because sometimes, that’s when you need kindness the most. As Dalai Lama XIV said, “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

So, my advice to you is to practice kindness. Both towards yourself and those around you. When asked how to be kind to yourself, Dr. Naveen Puri says that the easiest thing to do is to talk kindly to yourself. It isn’t uncommon for you to criticize yourself, sometimes quite harshly, when things aren’t completely fine. For example, when you’re stressed and you have that hard feeling in your gut, you’re most likely to think, “Why am I this stressed? It’s my own fault this happened. I’m being so ridiculous, there’s even this hard feeling in my stomach!!”

18

“IT'S BETTER TO BURN OUT, THAN TO FADE AWAY.” Sounds like a great quote? One worthy of a speech topic? Definitely uttered by a respected thought leader? It’s actually a song lyric by Neil Young.

When it comes to finding inspiration for your Toastmasters speeches, there are countless sources you can draw from. One area that's often overlooked is pop culture. While movies and TV series and books are overused, an underrated source of inspiration is music.

“IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO DECIDE, YOU STILL HAVE MADE A CHOICE.” – RUSH, FREEWILL Music can be a powerful source of inspiration for Toastmasters speeches. Many songs have lyrics that can resonate with the audience and inspire them to take action or make changes in their lives.

Additionally, music has the ability to evoke emotions and feelings, which can be useful when crafting a persuasive or motivational speech.

“I’VE SPENT THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE WAITING ON THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE.” – CURSIVE, WHAT HAVE I DONE Song lyrics can provide great inspiration for Toastmasters speeches. This is because music has the ability to evoke strong emotions and feelings, and lyrics can express complex ideas in a simple and memorable way. By using song lyrics as inspiration, you can create a speech that resonates with your audience and has a powerful impact.

Once you've found a song that resonates with your message, analyze the lyrics and see how they can be used to support your argument or illustrate your point. Pull out key phrases or lines that you can use in your speech to make a strong impact on your audience.

When looking for inspiration from music, consider the lyrics and how they might relate to your message. For example, if you're giving a speech about overcoming challenges, songs like "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor or "Roar" by Katy Perry can be great sources of inspiration. These songs have empowering lyrics and a driving beat that can motivate your audience.

Similarly, songs like "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten or "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera can inspire your audience to embrace their own strengths and celebrate their individuality. These songs have uplifting messages that can help your audience feel more confident and empowered.

19

“SO OFTEN TIMES, IT HAPPENS THAT WE LIVE OUR LIFE IN CHAINS, AND WE NEVER EVEN KNOW WE HAVE THE KEY.” – THE EAGLES, ALREADY GONE But inspiration through music is not only about the lyrics. Just like a song has many more aspects, so can a speech, if you’re inspired by music. You can use it to set the tone, rhythm, or even provide a backdrop for your message. You can use instrumental music to create a calm and reflective atmosphere, or choose upbeat songs to create a more energized and motivational tone. You can also use music to transition between different parts of your speech or to underscore important points.

Another way to use song lyrics in your speech is to incorporate them into your conclusion. Choose a song that relates to your message and use it as a way to summarize your main points and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Overall, using music as a source of inspiration for your Toastmasters speech can be a great way to connect with your audience and create a memorable message. Just remember to be mindful of copyright laws and obtain permission to use any copyrighted music in your speeches.

You can also use singing as a way to engage your audience and create a memorable message.

Consider using a well-known song as an icebreaker or to set the tone for your speech. For example, you could begin your speech with a quote from a popular song or sing a few lines to get the audience involved.

“I’VE GOT SOME FRIENDS, SOME THAT I HARDLY KNOW, BUT WE'VE HAD SOME TIMES I WOULDN'T TRADE FOR THE WORLD.” – RISE AGAINST, SWING LIFE AWAY “IT’S MY LIFE AND IT'S NOW OR NEVER! CAUSE I AIN’T GONNA LIVE FOREVER, I JUST WANT LIVE WHILE I’M ALIVE IT'S MY LIFE!” – BON JOVI, IT'S MY LIFE

20

HEAR IT FROM THE

MEMBERS

“IIT Toastmasters has been an incredible learning experience for me, even though I have not been in the club for a very long period. The club provides a very friendly environment that helps massively in giving out speeches. It has improved my confidence to give speeches without much fear of the audience compared to the “old me.” I have gained not only the skills to give speeches but also to evaluate them.

Considering this, I highly recommend anyone who wants to improve their communication skills to join IIT Toastmasters without any hesitation. You won’t regret it!”

TM HASHIM MEMBER SINCE 2022 “Joining IIT Toastmasters is the best decision I made. I’m still grateful my friends encouraged me to begin my journey. I was never really a shy person but public speaking would always be something that makes me nervous and think twice about doing. The club makes you feel very much welcome and motivate you throughout. There have been times that I have messed up but they always reassured to me that it happens and that I will only get better over time. Which was true. I can confidently say that I am a much better speaker now and I know I still have a long journey ahead to become even better.

So, I can highly recommend anyone to join. It’ll be the best decision you make!”

MEMBER SINCE 2023

TM NACCASH

“Joining IIT Toastmasters was a dream come true for me, and I am grateful that such a club exists. It has helped me improve my communication skills, and I have gained confidence in giving speeches. In just three months, I have felt like a part of the family, and the club has been a lot of fun. Communication is essential in every aspect of life, and I highly recommend anyone to join IIT Toastmasters to improve their skills. Thank you, IIT Toastmasters, for changing me in so many positive ways.”

TM AKTHAR MEMBER SINCE 2023 21

IIT TOASTMASTERS CLUB

WHAT'S NEXT? Keep an eye out for some exciting events coming up next quarter Ovation 2023 Installation 2023/24

Curious about the club?

Contact our VP Membership TM Diadri at diadri.20210381@iit.ac.lk 074 105 1367

FOLLOW US ON