How To Master The Art Of Public Speaking In College
You probably don’t need me to tell you that public speaking is one of the most dreaded classes in college.
A survey was once done to see what people feared the most. After the survey, a larger percentage of people said they were afraid of speaking in public than death.
Do you realize what that means?
It means that more people would rather die than speak in public! That’s kind of funny if you ask me.
Why is it that we get so terrified when we have to go up and give a speech? Is there anything that can be done to get rid of our fears?
Well, you probably already know that the answer is yes. There is something that can be done. And it doesn’t involve a lot of natural ability to do it. Although some of it wouldn’t hurt! No, all you need is a little change in attitude….
photo/ mohamed Hassan
Why You Get So Terrified
The biggest reason why you get so terrified when you have to give a speech is that you consume yourself with bad thoughts. I’m willing to bet that every time you think about your speech, you start to get really stressed and think how badly you don’t want to give it.
You probably put off preparing for it because the simple thought of thinking about it makes you nauseated. But nobody hated going up and giving a speech more than yours truly. You have to realize that all of these negative thoughts are making it sound much worse than it is.
There are a lot more terrifying things you can do in your life then give a speech to a small crowd. Especially a college crowd where half of the people aren’t paying attention anyways!
A simple attitude adjustment can go a long way when it comes to giving speeches. You are about to learn the secrets that will make giving your next speech a piece of cake…
Public Speaking Without Fear
If you are like most people, your mind is racing with all kinds of thoughts the few minutes before you are about to give your speech.
Stand up straight. Don’t talk too loud. Pretend everyone is naked!
You concentrate on all of these things about the speech. All of these things are completely unimportant. What is important is getting your message across to your audience.
Think about it. The last time you listened to someone speak did you say, “Great speech but if only they would have stood up a little straighter…”
Don’t let yourself get too caught up in all of the unimportant details. These things kill your confidence and shoot up your nerves. The real secret is this…
Go in with the attitude that you have a strong desire to get your message across to your audience. More than likely you had a little bit of say in what you could do your speech on. So chances are the topic is at least a little bit interesting to you. Go into the speech knowing that what you have to say is very intriguing and that you want the audience to get something out of it.
If you can do this, you will automatically get rid of over half of the fears that lead to poor speeches out of college students. Just by what you have read so far, your speech is going to be better than at least half of the students in your class.
photo/ Mihai Surdu
The Second Part Of The Equation
By focusing on getting your message across instead of worrying about all of that other junk, you will already be much better off than most of the students in your class.
But there is another important thing you must do. To get your important message across, you must have an important message!
In other words, you need to do plenty of preparing. The more you prepare, the better your speech will be. It’s as simple and like prepare your writing assignment. Between that you can order EssayLab for a correct essay for the cheapest price.
Being well prepared also does wonders on your nerves. When I took my speech class in college, my most nervous speeches were the ones that I prepared the least for. If you know with 100% certainty you are ready; you can use that confidence to eliminate any stage fright you may have.
When you prepare for a speech, you have one of two attitudes to choose from. The most popular attitude is, “Man this is going to suck. I just want to get this over with.”
This attitude is probably all too familiar to you. It’s what 90% of students think to themselves as they prepare for what they are going to say.
The next attitude is this, “I want this speech to be the best in the class. What could I do to make it interesting to them?”
You have to put a lot of focus on what would be interesting to your audience. Remember, just because you are interested in it doesn’t mean that everyone else is.
Also, don’t assume that people know what you are talking about. If you are doing a speech on golf, remember that not everyone knows what a driver and a 4-iron are. Assume they know nothing so everyone can follow what you are saying.
Final Thoughts
Don’t be afraid to get a little creative in your speech. Your professor likely won’t mind. Especially after hearing a few dreadful speeches from other students.
The only way you can have fun giving a speech is if have a genuine interest in getting your message across to your listeners. This is the most important thing I can tell you.
You simply have to do this, even if it means fooling your mind into thinking you care. Everything takes care of itself if you are prepared and are enthusiastic about what you are saying.
And remember this, everybody else isn’t thrilled about going up in front of the class and speaking. It’s not like you are the only person on the planet that prefers not to give speeches.
Fill your mind with as many positive thoughts as you can and eliminate all of the negatives. Your speech will almost automatically be better than most of the class if you can do this. Your stress levels will be way down.
And you might actually have a little bit of fun! Good luck and feel free to share your thoughts in comments below.
Author: Denise Lee
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