Hello, everyone!
Today’s topic is public speaking. I just recently had to give one in my college Speech class and it was the most horrific experience of my college career.
Here’s how it went down…
The first thing I had to do was find a relateable topic I could inform people. Trying to keep it scholarly, professional, and sweet I picked a topic I knew everyone in the class had dealt with; Stress and Anxiety. Seemed like a good enough idea, right?
I had it all planned out! I had chocolate (destressor), a vague powerpoint (which I thought I could only put vague things not my actual speech like most other people),flashcards and a neat and tidy outline. I thought I was going to do great! I mean, I have acted on a camera before, why not be able to inform my peers?
(I even an included a colorful mental break down Brittany picture so emphasize how bad stress can get if you don’t learn to cope!)
Well, when the night of the speech came around my stress and anxiety levels were through the ROOF. I was to the point of tears I was so terrified. Everyone in the class did phenomenal, you couldn’t even tell they were nervous! Well, my turn came up and well if you asked my classmates who did the worst, I am sure the unanimous decision would have been me.
I approached the podium, shaking like a Chihuahua. I fumbled typing in Prezi and my email address. The thing was on so everyone saw all my mistakes. When I got up to stand and face them all, I went blank. Everything I had practiced was gone. I had no choice BUT to look at the outline (fuck my flashcards!) and it was horrible. I got a laugh at Brittany Spears but I know I did horrible overall. When I got home I panicked, cried, and yelled at my fiance. He was kind and understanding (I’m a lucky lady) but I hit a pretty low point that night. I’m really not good with failure.
So, what I’m getting at is has anyone had to deal with public speaking? What tips do you have like a panicking lady like myself? Or do you have an embarrassing speech story? Post your tips or stories below!
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I can totally relate, I suffer from social anxiety and am in a college that requires a lot of public speaking .. it sucks
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Oh, geez! Here I am complaining about one basic class of speaking. I send you my sympathies! You got this. 🙂
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i am the say and become so shy when having to speak publicly, I think its good to remember that you are there because people genuinely want to hear you speak.
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That’s true! It’s just hard to remember anything when you get up there and you look at people haha! I actually somehow didn’t get a bad grade. Funny enough I was actually giving her such a weird look she asked me what was wrong or if I was unhappy with my grade and I told her I was just REALLY confused on how I got a good grade. 😛 I truly thought I had failed.
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Great read! I can totally relate. I hate making eye contact when standing up in front of a group/crowd. Its such a weird feeling. However, I’m sure you didn’t do as bad as you thought you did!
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Yeah, we got our grades back and I actually did one of the best in my class somehow! I was pretty flabbergasted by that!
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Told you! 😉 Stress and anxiety is the worst… Pretty much calling out our worst fears.
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I don’t know why but I’m actually good at public speaking. May I give you a tip? Don’t look directly for no one’s eyes. And look around the room, quietly but surely! You got this girl!! 😀
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That’s a good tip to me! I’m pretty sure that’s why I blanked out so bad was because I made eye contact! Ha-ha, never again!
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It sounds like a horrible experience, that’s okay we’ve all been there in one form or another. Being an experienced public speak who has trained, taught and given speeches let me say this, we all get nervous before a presentation, some people hide it better. Being prepared helps, so does practicing aloud before an audience (maybe your fiance).
If you took this course to become a better public speaker, you learned something already and if you go again you have a chance to improve. That’s how you learn.
Try try again. You got this!
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Surprisingly, I didn’t do half bad! At least my grade wasn’t very bad. With that in mind, I know I will do better! Next speech, I intend on practicing allot more!
Thank you for your advice! I appreciate it. 🙂
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Let me begin by saying that I have walked off from a stage because I went blank. This was years back in college. Till I entered university and became carefree as a person. From then on every time I faced ‘public speaking’, I went it with the attitude of ‘oh they all are just friends and probably would be shitting in their pants if they were in my place, right now’. It helped. I was a copy-writer with JWT India for 12 long years and was considered (humbly) a superb presenter. So much so they thought my recitation over promised!
So just go in thinking the audience is not going to judge you and u will rock
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OH goodness I could relate to this so much! I always remember being terrified of public speaking at school or work! Did you know that on the list of fears, the number 1 fear is public speaking? Number 2 is death! Lol unbelievable
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