[loversixteen]

our class is going to hold a debate tomorrow at school and im really scared right now. Im not good at public speaking and I'm always afraid that I"m going to mess up. Can anyone give me good advice on how to overcome the fear of debates???

[peanutbutterox]

ahh~ shyness. eh don't worry if you mess up! but since you don't want to, keep your ideas clear in your mind and think about it before you talk. that's always helped me.

[ART SCHOOL DROPOUT]

ewww i hate public speaking too


try practicing your debate/speech in front of your friends

[joolee.]

Don't be scared of making mistakes even if you're talking in front of a lot of people. If you do, just continue from where you left off. It's no big deal~

[PDURRR]

ugh gross
i dont know how i passed debate class hahah maybe its cause we worked in groups and everyone else was 1-2 years older than me
and so much more experienced with the matter

but just study your topic, and know the weakness and strength of your eer contentions? i think hahah god i learned nothing

just try your best, your not gonna fail if you get through it

[xofunkyfresh]

Depends on the topic. 'Pretend' you have a passion on that topic. Or pretend that you're getting insulted lol. Don't worry about what other people has to say, since it IS a debate (: Good luck !

[CitrusFlower]

i remember my group actually wrote down what they wanted me to say and i just said it quickly then sat back down. all she said was "ok, interesting thought" atleast i got my point

[addickshun]

i'm not into public speaking T__T

[kimseo]

try taking debate class if your school has it ^^
my school has a really really nice debate program (teacher is awesomee too xD)
its helped me a lot :]! i dont really care for public speaking anymore~ haha its no big now.
and i can make killer essays which benefit me in all my other classes :> (i have to make a 7 minute essay in 30 minutes for debate@_@)
it boosts your maturity and intellect as well.

there really isnt any tips you can have, you just have to practice a LOT to get good at public speaking.
just dont be nervous, take a deeeeep breath (2 if you need it), and smile with lots of eye contact. ^^
practice your speech in front of others, a lot! it helps. and keep doing these :] the more you do it, the better you'll get at public speaking.

[iwanabiggal0lly]

Ugh I hate debates, i'm not good at public speaking or anything verbal. The only way for me to do ok is to just wing it and not care. Yeah, not much help.

[x0_saturn_0x]

i hate debates too >< i had to do one for my social class..
you just gotta take a deep breath in and just say whatever you have prepared =]
good luck!

[toffys191]

Actually, at first I was very scared to debate cause I was going against people from my school's debate team XD But prepare ahead, try to come up with what they are going to say and come up with a counterargument to anticipate it. That way, you have more confident and it does not really become scary up there. For my case, when it was my turn to debate, I actually got very hyped up and ended up asking too many questions that they didn't have time to respond back xD

[rzmd56]

haha...Its funny i just had a debate last month.I was just like you too. I was afraid and nervous at first.
but you know what? dont be. because at the end it will be allright. But here's a piece of advice, its better if you come prepared i.e have everything on what you said ready and have confidence. -> thats the important. with confidence you can convince your judges that you are sure of what you are saying. Most importantly dont show you're nervous.. just like me..i was really nervous, i almost lost a minute to calm down.

and good luck to you =D

since you post this on feb 15,
how was the debate?

[tenshiii0ox]

I think you just need to learn to have some faith in yourself. I didn't like speaking in front of others either, but once, I reached high school, I realized that I can't make a difference in the world if I don't speak up.

1) Know your audience
2) Don't show any signs of weaknesses. Stay strong. Don't let any rebuttals hold you down.
3) Control your opponent(s)
4) Know your material backward and forward.
5) Speak with a loud, clear voice.

AND LASTLY... do not ever let your opponent(s) control YOU. You control them. Haha, this is probably late, but I hope my advice will help you in the future.

[burntvinyl]

Stop caring about what other people think. Just get your point across to the audience and have your ideas supported.

[loversixteen]

haha...Its funny i just had a debate last month.I was just like you too. I was afraid and nervous at first.
but you know what? dont be. because at the end it will be allright. But here's a piece of advice, its better if you come prepared i.e have everything on what you said ready and have confidence. -> thats the important. with confidence you can convince your judges that you are sure of what you are saying. Most importantly dont show you're nervous.. just like me..i was really nervous, i almost lost a minute to calm down.

and good luck to you =D

since you post this on feb 15,
how was the debate?

well the debate went fine, i just spoke two sentences and i got full marks (i think most of u guys are right, debates are kinda fun. im actually starting to like it)