Hi, I'm currently going to a junior college in hopes of transferring to a University in my state. However, I recently found out that I need to take two speech classes in order to transfer to the school I want to go to. I have this HUGE fear of public speaking. I had to give a speech in a class last semester and completely blacked out, I have no idea what I said. (Continued part 1/2)
(Continued part 2/2) My face always gets red whenever I even have to introduce myself to others or I am put on the spot. I need to take the two classes in one semester and I'm freaking out. Any advice? Thank you. Please tag redmouse.
Speech classes are hard, I am not going to lie about that. At my university, as part of our General Education classes we are required to take speech classes as well. Therfore I ended up taking "Intro to Public Speaking" and "Argumentation". And even though I have done a great deal of theater in my lifetime, speeches are hard, and most of the people in my classes struggled with this as well. I promise you, you are not the only one who really, really struggles with public speaking classes. Fear of public speaking is a very real and very hard fear.
However hard it may be, there is a reason for it. In life, there will be plenty of times where you have to speak in front of several people, and the point of general education classes is to help you become a more well rounded, educated student. These classes can be very important in your future.
The thing about fears and anxiety is that if it is a fear you cannot avoid, then one of the best ways to get through it and to cope with it is to work on the things that cause you anxiety. This should be done in a slow, step by step way. Sometimes it can help to make a list of the aspects of this that cause you Anxiety and work on them in a numbered fashion. From what causes you the least anxiety to the most. It can help to use breathing exercise, guided imagery, and/or progressive muscle relaxation in this process.
If things are very desperate and bad, it is possible to discuss this with your doctor and they may be able to help. However, you must discuss that with them.
Your not alone in this. Please, you deserve to be able to transfer.
"We all think about how others are perceiving us, worried about what they are thinking about us all the time. But the truth is, if we aren't spending our time preoccupied with thoughts of their speech and what they are doing wrong, are they really going to be paying attention to us?" ~My "Intro to Public Speaking" professor.