I start one of the most feared college courses tonight.

[Tobin S.]

The dreaded speech class that everyone has to take. I take most of my classes online, but I'm taking this one on campus because I really need to get comfortable speaking in front of a group of people. I think it is a very valuable skill to have, and I would have minored in communications if I was younger and wasn't feeling the crunch of time.

But, yeah, getting up in front of a group of people and speaking is one of my greatest fears. It may almost be to the point of being a phobia, and I need to tackle the problem head-on. So here I go.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. I found it helped me to concentrate on the words and not the people

I also felt less nervous when I realized that half of them probably weren't even listening.

[mnhtnbb]

2. The key is speaking to people--personally--forget the group

and look at a person...turn your head and look at another person...turn again...single
out people and speak to them individually. The group will melt away and you will
just be talking to individuals.

Good luck! Have fun!

[Number9Dream]

3. You might not want to hear something negative but...

I was also forced to take "Speaking & Listening" when going to night college. It was a complete waste of time and money. It didn't make me less uncomfortable with public speaking, and I learned nothing of value. I hope you have a better experience than I did.

[Wounded Bear]

4. It's a common fear...

and one that is well worth getting past if you can.

Best of luck.

[femmocrat]

5. You are a great story-teller (and writer), Tobin.

Just be yourself and pretend you are telling a story to your friends here at the Lounge!

Best of luck!

[sharp_stick]

6. I know exactly what you mean

I knew when I was an undergrad that I needed to learn to speak in front of groups and I hated it. I'd almost puke just talking to my class. We didn't have a "speech class" so a few of us signed up for toastmasters and it was one of the best things I ever did. It was a serious phobia in my case.

Remember that everyone in your class is in the same boat. Nobody is going to mock you, everybody will improve with time and your life will improve.

I speak in front of gatherings of hundreds, sometimes thousands if it's a company wide thing with a telecast and I still get nervous but the techniques I learned and the practice I got gets me through it every time. I still get a visceral thrill when I finish talking and I know I nailed it.

Go in, be nervous, everyone will be, and learn everything you can. You'll do great.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. You can do it, and you will do it, my dear Tobin!

There's some great advice here in your thread...take it!

Practice will make it easy.

[Sanity Claws]

8. What helps me when I have to do public speaking

I have to remember that the speech isn't about me. I try to focus on the audience. What do I want them to learn? I think how do I connect with them? This also helps me to streamline and focus what I want to talk about. People can't take in a lot of details in a speech.

[Kali]

9. ...

this is a post I would really expect to see MFM reply to - with good advice for you and some making fun of me.

I have two irrational fears. speaking in public is the less irrational one.

[Raven]

10. Advice I got from a veteran public speaker:

1. Imagine that everyone in the room is naked and sitting on the toilet; or

2. Pick someone out in the room who looks like a relative or someone you know and speak to that person.

#1 worked for me.

[Callmecrazy]

11. I found that being well studied in your topic creates confidence...

If you know what you're talking about, the fear is gone.
Understand your topic and be prepared to answer questions that might come up.
It helped me during my years as a teacher in electrical theory.

[lastlib]

20. ^ ^ ^ THIS!! ^ ^ ^

As one who has been speaking to many groups of many sizes and interests for quite a few years, I find that the greatest fear of speaking in front of a group is embarrassing yourself. (By not being prepared, by doing something clumsy like tripping over the microphone cord, or maybe losing your train of thought in the middle of a sentence--whatever.) The best way to overcome that fear is by preparation with special concentration on the ideas or issues you're going to talk about. Know the stuff inside and out, and keep in mind that you probably know more about it than the audience, or one of them would be doing the speech. Take confidence from that single fact, and from knowing that there is a 0.0000001 chance that anybody is going to be boorish enough to throw a rotten tomato at you.

[NightWatcher]

12. Do not take the advice my communications teacher gave me

Do not, I repeat, do not take a shot of alcohol ten minutes before your speech to 'loosen up'.

[NNadir]

13. If you make all of your speeches in Estonian, you can't go wrong.

People will not question what you are saying, not ask questions, and not bother you in any way beyond muttering, "What's (s)he saying?"

This should reduce your level of nervousness, unless, of course, there is a native Estonian speaker in your class, in which case, I have no similarly useful advice.

[Generic Brad]

14. You can do it, Tobin

At one time I felt the same way as you and that class was my nemesis in college. But six years ago I joined Toastmasters because I needed to improve in that area and because mastering that skill was unfinished business for me. Fast forward to now and I am a Distinguished Toastmaster and I have held multiple leadership posts in that organization. My area of weakness is now one of my greatest strengths.

You are absolutely correct to meeting this challenge head on. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

[rurallib]

15. Not much I can say

If folks are there to listen to your speech, they have some interest, so most of your battle is done. Know your subject and know that the audience is probably interested also.

[Neoma]

16. Pick out the one person who seems to be interested.

Then concentrate on that person. If no one looks it, they might not be able to hear you because your voice is too soft. Use hand gestures as much as possible. Don't swing side to side and don't wear a hat. Look around the room a lot so that these people will feel more connected with you, and choose a topic that fascinates you.

The thing about speech class is that you get to know everyone in the class. Once you know them, it's not horrible. Don't make the mistake of not practicing. I did it by watching a 30 minute program and having to repeat my written speech in order to watch another. It has to be an outline where you generally fill up your speech with loosely known bullshit that you dug up. You will be horrible at first but after you it about 7 times, you dig the kinks out of your outline and you end up with a strong speech.

Don't worry about it, it's more than just speaking in front of people, they teach some things about communication as well. Good luck.

[elleng]

17. Scared the shit out of me too, Tobin,

and delayed my speech til the last moment possible. Title of my speech: The Pepsi Generation.

I survived and graduated. You will too, I promise.

And I went on, after law school and admission to practice, I argued an appeal, appointed case, before the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. Figured if I could do that, I could do anything! Court very politely thanked me for my service (but I lost the case.)

'Break a leg!'

[littlemissmartypants]

18. Action conquers fear. nt

[Grammy23]

19. From the Title I thought you were going to say ----

You had enrolled in a statistics course!! The first night of that class for me, the instructor informed us that by mid-term 50 % of the class would have dropped out! Great way to start a required (for graduation) course, eh?

Anyhow, I took a speech class, too, and it scared the absolute bejeebers out of me. Quaking in my boots, as they say. Got through it without too much disgrace. Thought that was the END of that. Imagine years later when I got hired for a job that was essentially ALL public speaking on a subject that I knew little about when I was hired. (I was hired for other qualifications besides knowing about the subject.) So my first plan of action was to learn as much as I could about the subject: epilepsy. Then I went out with a seasoned partner and we eventually became the dynamic duo, giving presentations to groups large and small in a 4 county area and occasionally for state wide meetings.

I never completely lost my fear, but I did lose the "Wide awake the night before, quaking in my boots, dry mouth" fear that dogged me at first. The key is to (as some others have said) know your subject as much as you can. Remember that most of the time, you know more than your audience does on that subject or you wouldn't have been invited to speak. And the other thing is that the more you do public speaking, the easier it gets. Look for opportunities to speak in small groups at first and then increase the size you can tolerate. It works and pretty soon, public speaking will not be a big deal for you. Good luck!! Oh, and try looking for a friendly face in the crowd. I could never get into the "imagine your audience in their pajamas or naked" thing. But a friendly face...now that helps.

[Tobin S.]

22. I got an A+ in statistics, and I think this speech class is going to be more challenging for me.

I am very bookish and have always had strong math skills. The problem is that I'm an introvert and I feel like a fish out of water standing in front of a group of people. Sitting down in class I can speak with ease, but put me in front of the same people and standing in front of the class and I almost fall apart.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

21. Hey dude,

I have always suffered from anxiety disorders, but you know what... If you know your subject really well , you'll feel confidant about it, and if you speak from your diaphragm (to project), you will quickly find yourself in command.

I used to be a funeral director and had to address hundreds of people without a mic, and it became easy after the first 2 or 3 times.