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Tuesday, January 28, 2003

Tips Can Help You Overcome Fear of Public Speaking

By Liesel Sharabi, senior, Eldorado High School
For the Journal
    Dry mouth, nausea and excessive sweating. What's going on here? Of course — public speaking. Those are just some of the signs of performance anxiety. It's awful, but it's common.
    "Even the most seemingly confident public speakers have certain degrees of nervousness or anxiety about public speaking," said John Schuessler, a communication skills teacher at Eldorado High School.
    The truth is, a majority of teenagers cope with the dreaded phobia and, as many already know, public speaking is a required part of most high school and college curricula.
    But don't worry. Schuessler offered these tips to help you avoid a public fiasco and just possibly experience success.
    GET ORGANIZED: OK, you're nervous, but don't let procrastination make things worse. Know what you're going to say ahead of time; if you wait until the last minute, you may find yourself stuttering or searching frantically through piles of notes. And, you won't feel confident because you will know you aren't ready.
    Prepare index cards to serve as prompts. You still get to peak, but you won't be hiding your face behind sheets of paper.
    PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Don't shy away from practice because the whole idea of giving a speech is too scary. Plunge in and practice in private, in front of a mirror. It can make a world of difference if only because you will know the material so well, you won't have to be nervous about that.
    When you're at ease on your own, try rounding up your family or friends for a mock-performance. It may be awkward at first, but you will start to see improvements in your delivery while greatly reducing tension.
    CHOOSE A SPOT: Standing behind a podium while looking out at a sea of faces can be intimidating. It helps to have a safe spot to look toward when you need composure.
    Try fixing on a specific point in the back of the room if panic sets in. But remember, you should focus on that spot sparingly, because eye contact is a necessary aspect of public speaking.
    BE CONFIDENT: We can be our own worst critics, and that isn't always a good thing. Having faith in yourself will cause others to have faith in you, as well as drastically reducing nervousness. Give yourself a pep talk beforehand. As silly as it sounds, self-coaching can work wonders.
    STAY CALM: It may sound impossible when you're forced to stand in front of a group of your peers, but relaxation will keep you from rushing your speech or fidgeting. Just take a few deep breaths and pretend there is no one in the room. That will at least lower your heart rate if not make your speech go more smoothly. And remember, everybody in the class has to do this — and they're all nervous.
    ONE FINAL POINT: No matter how bad you feel on the inside, chances are, you appear completely composed on the outside. Oh, and wear something you really like.