Fear of public speaking

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Your chest is tight and you feel like you’re on fire. Your chest is tight ant you’re burning up. The flash cards in your hands are crumpled from you squeezing them obsessively. You look up and see dozens of eyes staring at you, waiting expectantly. Taking a deep breath, you stumble through the speech. When it’s finally over, you practically run back to your seat, cheeks flaming bright red. You slump down, already dreading the next time you’ll have to deal with your upmost fear: public speaking. For as long as I can remember, public speaking has always been one of my greatest weaknesses. Whether it’s a simple in-class presentation or a speech in front of an auditorium filled with people, I can barely get my words out from the anxiety and stress. I’ve always admired those who seem to be able to just flow through their speeches without as much as a hint of nerves. The reason I decided to write my paper on this specific topic was to learn about different tips that people have for public speaking. Before I started my search, I took inventory of what I already knew about public speaking, which wasn’t much honestly. I had some idea of the basics; stand up straight, keep eye contact with the people in your audience, speak clearly. That’s all well and fine, but just simply knowing what I have to do doesn’t mean that I’m able to apply this information successfully. I need more information on different techniques and how to successfully speak in front of people without freaking out, considering my major is Elementary Education; this requires endless amounts of public speaking. I felt like after writing this paper and doing the research, I would not only be prepared for any public speaking opportunities that may come up through the course o... ... middle of paper ... ...e to speak in front of people. I might still get a case of nerves every now and then, but that’s expected. As long as I can keep those nerves in check and under control, I don’t think I will have a problem with public speaking any longer. Works Cited Hall-Flavin, Daniel K. "Fear of Public Speaking: How Can I Overcome It?" Mayo Clinic. N.p., 24 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 Jan. 2014. . James, Kaila. Personal interview. 19 Jan 2014. Ni, Preston C. "5 Tips to Reduce the Fear of Public Speaking." Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, LLC, 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 17 Jan. 2014. . Shuman, Jessi. Personal interview. 19 Jan 2014. Torres, Johnny. Personal interview. 19 Jan 2014.

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