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Imcomplete School work
Hi Guys,
I'm stressed out about an upcoming HSC monologue which i'm finding really hard learning. I am stressed out because this has happened before and i have embarrassed myself on stage in front of my class and it was the worst feeling. My teacher said that he would be really disappointed in me if i came back to school not knowing it. I have disappointed my teacher before and i hate it. I have been kinda putting it off but i have been trying these holidays thinking about it and going over lines in my head. But i'm so scared to go back tomorrow and deal with it.
Comments
Your exoerience ressonates with my own experiences. I too had dififculties with public speaking. I would be extremely nervous and anxious during class presentations or even group discussions.
And yes, I have also had a number of embarassing events where I had messed up while speaking publicly, inlcuding a class debate and blanking out in a monologue.
I can understand your fear and concerns...It is natural to feel in a way when you have such experiences.
What I have learnt through these experiences is that the more you fear it, the more it affects you. I know this may sound like an unrealistic fairy tale but it's something that I have noticed.
You mentioned about delivering monologues. That is indeed a challenging task. I have performed on stage as an actor as well as a dancer. One thing that works for me is to forget yourself- or at least be indulged in the act so much that it does not occur to you that you are publicily speaking.
Your thoughts affect you more than you think. I always have the background music in my mind (if there is background music)...or I think of it as another dance performance (dancing is something I do too, so it kinda helps).
WIth regards to your monologue here some things that I have tried:
1.) learn the monologue properly
when you know something really well it kinda helps you with controlling your nerves. It always gives me the assurance that I am prepared. You van also try to write out the lines to memorise it..
BUT DO NOT CRAM!
try to understand the context, what you are saying and the purpose of that monologue. If you understand why and what you are saying, you be abl eto memorise the order of the lines...the worst thing is cramming things then forgetting the order and speaking incomprehsible things that do not make sense...and this can happen when you are extremely nervous and do not understand the lines.
2.) Practice your monologue loudly in front of the mirror
Listening to yourself helps alot. You feel more confident with your own voice.
It is extremely important to feel confident with your own voice as sometimes hearing yourself can give you a scare once your mind becomes over-conscious in front of people...
Also, when you practice by saying things, you also tend to note where and which part to emphasize or fluctutate or change in tone...and it really really helps in remembering..You get an indication which part comes after what.
You can also see your body language in front of the mirror too. Remember that it's not only what you speak but how you do it! This is especially more important in monolougues since the attention of the audience shifts to you (do what is appropriate for the character,don't overdo it...I know it is very tempting, but be natural😝)
3.) Pace your words and breathe!
(this depends on the type of monologue) the main idea is that you don't want your nerves to affect your breathing and speaking pace. If it is an intense impactful scene, make use of the pauses. It gives you a moment to think what is next (but don't get carried away with thinking what its next since you'll also have to be in the moment to notice cues).
4.) Practice on stage
-get a run through on the stage (if possible) or mentally picture where you will be performing and how you will be using the space.
-if you are using a hand mic or a lapel it is really impoartant to prcatice with them before going on stage (I'm not sure if this will apply in your current case but thing of it as a bonus tip for the future acts if you do ever perform on stage).
-It can be even scary to hear your voice eco so you'll need to get a practice to set effects up (if you' re using them).
And never forget to turn lapels on or check if they are on before speaking..
The main thing is to prepsre yourself as much as you can and then just swtich to the character when the time comes...Having that moment of concentration before the show starts is something I cannot stress enough about. It is those final moments hwne you can do a full run through of everything in your head. This will also prepare you to get that switch into character when the time comes..
It's all about learning how you do things best to control your nerves and working your way through. I'm sure the experineces you've had would have been good lessons for your future public speaking.
If you'd like to talk more about monologues or public speaking I am more than happy to talk about it,
Take care,
You can do it!
Hi @Blue_Hedgehog ! I know that this post was made last Sunday but I just wanted to check up on you. How are you holding up?
If your monologue is still upcoming, as @Jade_1728 and @Pete-RO have mentioned practising your speech really helps when it comes to feeling more confident about public speaking. I've also noticed that you mentioned that part of why you feel really stressed is because you are worried about disappointing your teacher. It must be really hard dealing with this much pressure, but please know that the fact that you are actively pushing yourself to just go over your speech mentally shows that you are a hard-working student!
We're super proud of you!! 💪
It is completly normal and reasonable to be nervous about speaking in front of others especially when you have had a bad experience in the past. I can relate to the fear you are experiencing as I am not the best public speaker either when it comes to confidence. I think the best way to overcome the fear is to practice it over and over until it becomes natural. When I was in high school I often wrote out my speeches by hand with pen and paper and everytime I forgot a section I would stop, try memorise it in my head and then start again. Once I could write it out I felt speaking came much more natural and less forced. It felt like I was reading from my head haha. I hope this helps
let me know if you have any questions 😁
Getting up in front of people and speaking is a bit nerve racking for pretty much everyone so it's perfectly ok to feel stressed. Begin prepared though is a way of overcoming the challenge of delivering your monologue. Maybe practice it on your own in front of a mirror or even with a friend to overcome fears and to learn your lines. Understanding your topic well helps to so maybe some extra research to broaden you knowledge. I'm sure you will do well and you are great at speaking your mind so go for it! Take care Pete-RO