Help! So nervous.

[demondude]

I'm 13 and am doing a poetry competition in school, where I must recite a long poem in front of the whole year group!
I need advice becuase I'm so nervous..... Helpppppppppp!

 

[bored]

Simple, just skip the competition. Skipping school always works. DUH

 

[calmlunatic]

It can't be that difficult. I had to do the same thing once and I was younger than 10. Just turn your brain off and let your mouth do the rest.

 

[starcock]

I'm 13 and am doing a poetry competition in school, where I must recite a long poem in front of the whole year group!
I need advice becuase I'm so nervous..... Helpppppppppp!

Hold the entire area hostage while wearing a chicken mask, once you train with this mind set, you will be ultimate.

 

[Zero Beat]

Try to minimize negative and self conscious thoughts. I had to memorize and cite Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare infront of my English Honors class in 10th grade. I noticed that actually FOCUSING on what you're supposed to do(Just read the poem) works well.

Think about "I go on stage, read the poem, mission accomplished."

 

[smasher32]

Pretend you are reciting the poem to one person in the back row. The rest are just decoration .

 

[Dr. James Rustles]

Stage fright has always been a problem for me. In my experience, just thinking about being in front of the people before the event makes things worse, so I don't do so. I recomend practicing in front of small groups and work your way up to larger ones until you're confident enough to speak in front of your class. Or, you could simply tackle the problem head on and just focus on your material, like Zero Beat said.

I suppose it mostly depends on how you look at your problem.

What are you reciting?

 

[Zook]

Whip it out when things get bad.

 

[Peeze]

He's 13. That will make it worse zook.
Look at the tops of peoples heads. It looks like your making eye contact, and you wont have to look at the people staring at you.

 

[Caturdayz]

Yea eye contact is generally a good idea in these things... However since you are nervous definately make no eye contact. Make it look like you are looking at the audience, you can just stare out into the distance, looking near but not at people is a good idea. Don't imagine people in their underwear if you are 13 or if you are... don't wear track pants, spandex et cetera. Overall just get up there and get it done with... you can do it.

 

[pyro363]

The best thing to do is recite your poetry in front of a miror and keep practicing. When you are talking take breathes at right moments, don't stutter, and just be cool. You could also try and pretend that nobody is there but you got to be good at this the best thing to do is to keep eye contact. And most importantly just try and have fun with it.

 

[SU_Remo]

Do that 'picture everybody naked' thing. Even if your poem doesn't go well, atleast you'd get some kicks out of it. (Heh, but seriously, practice and perform it in front of your parents or friends beforehand. Don't let your first public speaking gig be the one where it counts.)

 

[Xsyven]

I'm 13 and am doing a poetry competition in school, where I must recite a long poem in front of the whole year group!
I need advice becuase I'm so nervous..... Helpppppppppp!

The best and only solution is for you to rehearse it a lot.

Once you know the thing like the back of your hand, it's extremely satisfying when you nail the reading perfectly, sit down, and then watch your classmates fail one after the other.

Try to make it a competition. And if you do mess up, just make sure you laugh. People will laugh with you, instead of at you. And then after the reading, you have a funny story to tell people!

Just make sure you don't freeze up and let the audience know you're scared.

 

[Crimson King]

One of the harder things I had to do was stand in front of my poetry class of about 12 people and read two poems I wrote. It wasn't TOO bad because I knew they already liked them, and the two I picked they had so many questions about, so I HAD to read them, but oddly enough I was never nervous. In High School, band required me to play in front of LARGE numbers of people, so I kinda just draw off that adrenaline.

 

[Eor]

I absolutely hate reading things I've written or completed, so it's even worse when I have to do it in front of others. The only thing I like is when you have to give an informational or persuasive speech, because I tend to be confident enough if presenting them.

 

[starcock]

I absolutely hate reading things I've written or completed, so it's even worse when I have to do it in front of others. The only thing I like is when you have to give an informational or persuasive speech, because I tend to be confident enough if presenting them.

Do you find mistakes as you read? or something doesn't sound as great, or corny. I feel that people will connect you as the guy that wrote the essay about the pony, no matter how good or bad it is. Reading someone elses poem is way better, i agree with like everything you said.

 

[demondude]

I won! I got a nice trophy as well.

 

[Peeze]

Your welcome.

 

[Dr. James Rustles]

We demand poem!

... Right guys?

 

[starcock]

Yes, record it on youtube.

 

[demondude]

Really? geez I'll do it tomorrow then wait for the link. :D

 

[calmlunatic]

Cool. I look forward to it.