[This post is written by Taylor Barton, SI Leader for Philosophy 210 and junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.  Taylor’s experience and suggestions are helpful for all students who have a class presentation or speech!]

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two…This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”

Since Jerry Seinfeld made this remark, more studies have been published and the results are largely the same: Americans fear public speaking more than anything else. But this overly dramatized and needlessly traumatizing part of academia and life outside the confines of the university is as unavoidable as it is conquerable.  Throughout my experiences with public speaking ranging from heated in-class debates to leading Supplemental Instruction sessions, I have learned some helpful tips that all speakers can use to improve their speaking techniques and feel more confident in front of a group.

The first is simple, almost too simple: be prepared for your speech. Cutting corners in speech preparation has led to more late nights, headaches, and sweaty palms than I care to remember. If you know your topic well you’ll feel much more confident during the presentation and your audience will be more receptive to what you have to say.  Having a solid foundation of knowledge will also allow you to feel more confident during the speech. In addition to understanding the topic, make sure you get enough sleep the night before so your mind is sharp and focused.

On that same note, the first corner that is typically cut from prep time is actually rehearsing the speech. This story never ends well because when you have not taken the time to practice your speech or presentation, you have no idea how long it will take, if the organization sounds as good as it looks, or if your ideas make as much sense to other people as they do in your head. Take one hour out of your night before the speech and practice it several times over. Have a friend or family member watch and give you feedback, and time yourself during each run-through. Often, timing is crucial and giving a speech that is either too short or too lengthy not only looks bad from an audience’s perspective but can also cause serious panic during the presentation. This can all be avoided by practicing your speech several times the night before.

My last suggestion to those who stress over public speaking is to simply relax. This is much easier said than done, but basic breathing exercises along with a positive mentality go a long way. Remember, your audience is not going to laugh at you or criticize you. Chances are, they want you to do well just as much as you do. Think about it, when was the last time you watched a presentation and thought, “Man, I hope this person falls on their face walking up to the podium and gets their note cards out of order!” I’m guessing you’ve never done that, and most people are in the same boat. Everyone gets nervous, and everyone feels your pain when you have to give a public speech. Your audience is on your side.

While public speaking may be the top fear among Americans today, it doesn’t have to be. Careful preparation, practice, and a positive mentality will allow you to separate yourself from the millions of Americans who rather be in Jerry Seinfeld’s casket rather than giving the eulogy.