Awful, awful presentation?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>So tomorrow, for AP Literature, I have a poem recitation. I know the poem by heart (and have known it by heart for a couple of years now, it is one of my favorite poems). My AP Literature class is relatively small (9 kids), so stage fright won't be too bad - and I've practiced my hand gestures, eye contact, the whole 9 yards.</p>

<p>But I just came down with a terrible cold. My voice sounds like what I imagine would be the cries of a stray cat being swung around by its tail. When I try to convey passion or anger into the lines, my voice becomes scratchy and cracks. </p>

<p>We get graded on the recitation - everything from eye contact, to posture, to voice and volume, to accuracy. I was wondering if it'd be rational for me to ask my teacher to have mercy on me when she's grading as I will probably sound atrocious? Like just go up to her and say "my vocal chords are more or less shot to hell, am I going to be marked down?" Or would that be immature?</p>

2

<p>I don’t think it’s unreasonable.</p>

3

<p>Stay home.
You are sick.
Avoid infecting others with your cold.</p>

4

<p>@beerme - The recitation is the preliminary round for a national poetry competition - if I don’t show up, I’ll lose any chance I had at advancing to the next round. (Though I suppose with the condition of my voice, those chances are pretty slim, regardless.) </p>

<p>It is the week before break. I have two tests, the recitation, and a project due tomorrow. Not showing up would cause so much chaos in my schedule.</p>

5

<p>get a neti pot from your local drugstore. just make sure the water is boiled before use, otherwise you might possibly die from a bacterial infection.</p>