First time to visit meetings

newagegreek · #1 02-21-2006, 10:42 PM

Yeah, today was my first time to go to the sorority meetings to talk to them about an event that I am heading up in our fraternity.

I've been in front of crowds before and everything, but damn did I get nervous on my first couple.

On my first meeting, my voice even cracked, it was pretty embarrasing, but eh...whateva.

Anyone else have this kind of stuff happen to them?

PhrozenGod01 · #2 02-21-2006, 10:51 PM

The best way to handle those situations is to look at it from the audience's perspective. I mean, no one else can do your speech but you. If you think someone would laugh at you, or harshly kritik you, just consider giving them the floor to do better. They won't. If you mess up anyway, then like you said, whatever. You'll get better with experience.

newagegreek · #3 02-21-2006, 10:53 PM

yeah, after those first 2, it got easier and I stopped messing up.

But man, those first 2....lol

It was pretty bad.

USCTKE · #4 02-21-2006, 10:54 PM

imagine them all in their underwear

grizzlyWG · #5 02-21-2006, 10:56 PM

get plastered...it takes the edge off.

PhrozenGod01 · #6 02-21-2006, 10:57 PM

Another trick, is to give out a handout before you begin to speak. Then most people will be looking at that instead of just looking at you blankly.

Tom Earp · #7 02-22-2006, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by USCTKE
imagine them all in their underwear

Oh Yes, I have heard of this and if I stood at the podium thinking this, I would have been laffing so damn hard, I would not have been able to speak!

I was the same way and could not speak in front of people. I would absolutly freeze up.

Two times in My life something happened to help Me:

1. In a speach class, We had to do a Mime. I was going to change a diaper. I was a Frosh. I was going though it and all of a sudden it dawned on Me it was wrong. I a said out loud, Oh damn that is not right! The class got a kick out of it and I got an A

2. I started a Local and as President, I had to run the meeting. As the Founder, it was important that I lead. Leading is talking, running a meeting.

You learn pretty quickly at that point.

You could put pebbles in Your Mouth and try it that way, but it went out With The Really Old Greeks!

SigmaKappaRoyal · #8 02-23-2006, 01:16 AM

last year the phi kap pledges came to invite us to something.. and as soon as the one of them opened his mouth, and we all heard his english accent, one of our girls squee'd and then all of us laughed all giddy for literally over a minute. i'm sure it was embarrassing for them, and it was embarrassing to some of us! funny tho..

DeltAlum · #9 02-23-2006, 10:48 AM

All of the tips are good, and some are fun, but in the end, some people are natural speakers and others will never be comfortable in front of a crowd.

Generally, as Newagegreek pointed out, things get easier the more speaking you do -- and experience may be the only real way to get better at it.

One thing to realize is that most of the folks in the audience harbor the same feelings that you do, and are willing to overlook your nervousness -- and the chances are that they don't really know how your stomach is turning and knees are shaking. Another is that even professional speakers sometimes have perpetual stage fright. They've just learned to cover it well.

Very Elite · #10 02-23-2006, 02:23 PM

Do you have an assistant who could present for you? That would be top tier.

honeychile · #11 02-23-2006, 03:13 PM

I don't know if I was born a natural speaker, but when I was 4, my parents put me in drama classes. I have zero stage fright. I literally have more troubles talking one on one than to a crowd.

But when I had to testify at court, I got nervous - six people in the room, and I got that "deer in the headlights" look! I quickly learned that by putting my hands flat against the stand, my heart rate slowed considerably. There may be something like that which would work for you.

newagegreek · #12 02-23-2006, 09:20 PM

ya....i just thought it was wierd because I have never gotten stage fright before.

I've even danced around in a pink thong in front of about 400 people....(I was party boy for halloween).

I think it might of had to do with the fact that I was speaking in front of about 100-150 very good looking girls.

AchtungBaby80 · #13 02-23-2006, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SigmaKappaRoyal
last year the phi kap pledges came to invite us to something.. and as soon as the one of them opened his mouth, and we all heard his english accent, one of our girls squee'd and then all of us laughed all giddy for literally over a minute.

I bet they sent him on purpose. Accents work like a charm.

frathole · #14 02-23-2006, 11:47 PM

Speaking in public is on average people's number one fear, followed by death. Thats an actual statistic. When you think about it, that means more people would rather be in the coffin at the funeral than delivering the eulogy.

And if you are too cool, you should have no problem talking to a bunch of people about anything, just remember, you're better than they are.