When I was in fifth grade, I had to give a speech to my classmates and their families. I vividly remember my mom telling me I had spoken too fast and that it might have been hard to understand what I was saying. I remember feeling sad because I had rehearsed that speech dozens of times. After that, my anxieties around public speaking grew—that is, until I joined the Speech and Debate Club.

Finding My Voice in Speech and Debate

In high school, I joined Speech and Debate. At first, I considered it an easy elective, but I soon grew to love the art of public speaking and making an impact on audiences. I chose to compete in Original Oratory, Informative, Duo Interpretation, and Dramatic Interpretation through the National Speech and Debate Association.

In these events, I wrote original speeches or acted out dramatic dialogues by myself or with a partner. The planning wasn’t difficult, but performing in front of an audience certainly was. So, how did I do it?

Adjusting My Perspective from the Stage

One thing SpongeBob got right was imagining the audience in funny costumes to calm your nerves. It can also be helpful to get to the root of your anxiety. Most of the time, the fear of judgment is what makes public speaking so scary.

It’s the feeling that everyone’s eyes are on you, forming opinions of you and your speech. This can make you feel self-conscious and fearful of social rejection.

Tip One: Fake It ’til You Make It

Fake confidence is still confidence. Imagine your ideal public speaking session: people wanting to talk to you afterward, your voice filling the room loud and clear, and above all, you inspiring others. Channel that energy for just ten minutes (or however long you need to speak).

Remind yourself that you deserve to be here. You are in the room, and you are here for a reason. Do whatever you need to boost your confidence, whether that’s getting a quick pep talk from a friend or practicing self-affirmations.

Tip Two: Embrace the Silence

Even outside of public speaking, I practiced being comfortable with silence in my job as an English tutor. Silence is present in all social interactions. Even if it feels like judgment, silence is completely normal.

Some people need time to think, and others might simply be daydreaming. Silence isn’t always rooted in judgment; sometimes it’s just introspection.

Tip Three: Leave It on the Stage

After your speech, leave your performance where it happened and don’t look back. If you messed up, that’s all there is to it. Don’t fall into the trap of perfectionism.

Life is all about messing up, trying again, and learning. Every person who has ever stepped on a stage will learn that lesson, and so will you.

Public Speaking in College

Since that time, I haven’t been one to shy away from public speaking competitions at my university. These opportunities have allowed me to speak in front of faculty, students, and a particularly important audience in prevention policy: the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services at the State Capitol. These experiences have given me a powerful résumé and, more importantly, the knowledge that I made an impact.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started!