Whenever I think about public speaking, I start
to feel very apprehensive, in other words, I'm fearful that
something unpleasant will occur. I always think about
what the audience will think about me. Last semester I was
enrolled in Comm20, but I dropped out of it because my
apprehensiveness had taken over. But during my first
week in the class, I learned that while a person is thinking
about what the audience is thinking or saying about them,
in reality, they aren't. The audience is most likely as nervous as the
speaker is. In addition, I always think that my speeches come out a little
short and not as long as they really should be because
I tend to speak a bit faster when speaking in front of a large audience.
I am always scared that the audience will be making fun of me
if I say the wrong thing or move too much.
Chapter 2 talks about the sources of speech anxiety. These sources
are the following: the uncertainty about your role as a speaker,
your speaking abilities, your ideas, the setting,the audience's response, etc.
All of the above things stated make me extremely apprehensive when it
comes to speeches.
Hi Ms. Jeter! You are correct, the audience is probably not thinking about what you think they are. The audience is also is the same boat as you are, so take comfort in the fact that we are all in this together.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking a bit fast is common. When you are practicing you will need to make sure that you are timing yourself so you meet the time requirements. Preparation and practice are key. :)