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Why can't I talk easily in front of my class?

281 Answers
Last Updated: 05/28/2022 at 8:22am
1 Tip to Feel Better
India
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Jui Shankar, Ph.D

Psychologist

My worldview offers a systems perspective that values diverse clients and their struggles. I believe supportive and nonjudgmental therapeutic relationships empower clients.

Top Rated Answers
ShannonLstories1
April 21st, 2018 9:59pm
This would be a sign of social anxiety, you may be nervous about the people in front of you or embarrassing yourself. It normal to deal nervous however if it becomes regular you may want to speak to someone about it
Anonymous
April 16th, 2018 10:47am
Sometimes our minds create irrational fears inside of us that obstruct us from doing things we wish to. We get anxious and start worrying about everything that can go wrong, if the probability of that is low. The best way to get over it? Prepare yourself for the worst as well as the best. If things go well then good enough but even if they don't, tell yourself that you'll deal with them later.
GrayFelia
April 8th, 2018 10:00am
It takes guts to talk in front of a big audience while all the attention is concentrated on you. Some people can do it easily since they possess confidence in doing so. The reason why you are not able to talk in front of your class may be lack of confidence, social anxiety, lack of socializing skills, or any traumatic event that placed this fear inside you. You don't have to worry about it much since you can try and gain confidence by facing the problem. Slowly and steadily, you cannot jump on the problem at once. Baby steps matter. Keep up. I wish you luck. Love. xX
Anonymous
May 19th, 2018 11:19am
I think it’s a fear of embarrassment and want to succeed. It’s completely natural. Sometimes we want to say something and share our thoughts but we care too much about the opinuons of others
TeaWeevil
March 29th, 2018 7:26pm
When you're at the front of your class, you feel like all eyes are on you. Like everybody is judging you, watching for any mistake, waiting for the slightest mistake to dive in like a vulture. However, they're really not. Most of them could not care less. It's in your head. They can tell you're nervous, and most are sympathetic; almost everybody hates presenting to a classroom.
UnicornComfysunday
December 16th, 2019 10:29pm
I am really really shy when it comes to public speaking. I have a monologue to do this Wednesday. I am really afraid. I do not know what to do. I mean i memorized it and Know the thing by heart. I do not know what could go wrong. But, I do know one Little secret. When you having trouble like me, just pick a spot on the wall above you audience eyes. Focus on that part of the wall. Now no one will trow you off. You seem like it is crucial and important. Now you are focused. Take a deep breath. And just get the thing over with. Do not say it fast, say it slow so people think Oh he or she is calm and knows what they are doing. Then say Thank you at the end. I will hope you take this advice. I will to on my scene this Wednesday. I hope you have good luck. Goodbye. :)
WarmShadow8
June 3rd, 2018 5:17am
Talking to a large crowd is not easy for a lot people, it's normal. But take also into consideration that there could be a possibility that you may have social anxiety. But, without proper assessment, it would be really hard to tell whether you really do have this or you're just a shy or reserved kind of person.
polarbear21
November 1st, 2016 7:14pm
Sometimes it is difficult to speak in front of a group of people. I encourage you to breathe, smile, and speak slowly. Look for people in the audience smiling back at you or nodding in encouragement. That will help you keep going.
AvaLive07
December 10th, 2017 10:27pm
Sounds like you are having some anxiety. This is a normal emotion. There plenty of other people who have a fear of standing up and talking in front of a class.
Anonymous
December 29th, 2016 11:48am
It is not uncommon to be nervous when talking in front of a big group of people. Some people just have different levels of confidence. Two ways you could go about it, you coukd be very brave and overcome your by standing up there and doing it the best you could. Or you could talk to your teacher and explain the situation and see how he/she could help you. This could also be a sign of social anxiety so maybe research that :) have a good day!
Anonymous
August 18th, 2017 7:20pm
Alot of us get very nervous to talk in front if classes, thats very normal. Try thinking of it as your body preparing you to do good. We get the same feeling when we are excited and scared so maybe try thinking that you are excited
Anonymous
May 9th, 2018 8:09am
Often times not being able to speak easily in front of others goes down a combination of reasons. One being fear, two being anxiety, and three being low self-esteem/lack of confidence. These can come alone or hand in hand. Fear is often deep seeded. What one might originally think may be the cause might just be the shell around the egg. -Am I afraid of being laughed at? -Am I afraid of being judged? -Am I afraid of being seen as foolish or dumb? -Am I afraid of not being good enough? -Am I afraid of failure? Those are common and completely normal fears that many people experience prior to a speech or important debate. It is acknowledging those fears and knowing that what they think or say doesn't matter unless YOU let it. Trust yourself and you will succeed, and if you make a mistake don't let it take you down, let it help you learn to become better. Anxiety is often misunderstood. And because of this many mistake their fear for anxiety. Or confuse the feeling of being nervousness with that of the mental condition. We all feel afraid from time to time, just as well as we also will feel nervous about things. Which is an entirely normal aspect of life. But to have anxiety is a much different and more intensified mix of the two. To know if you have anxiety the best option is to seek a mental health specialist. After confirming that you have anxiety there are various methods of coping with it. Therapy, medication, and finding your own coping mechanisms can help you relax whenever you feel anxious. Anxiety can be a temporary condition or it may last lifelong, but there is no reason to let it keep you down. It is best to ask yourself this. -Is this me being nervous, fear of the unknown, or is this anxiety? (If fear then consult the fear questions above, if nervousness let yourself relax, just breathe, it will all be okay, if anxiety then continue.) I highly recommend that you find multiple coping mechanisms for your anxiety. They are great stress relievers, and can often times greatly calm you down at times when your anxiety flares up. It is also good to think about why your anxiety was triggered, it usually helps to understand why you feel a certain way. It is very common for people to lack self-esteem or to have little confidence in yourself. And it's okay. It's our natural instinct to question ourselves or our abilities before putting ourselves into a situation. We must, however, learn how to not let this natural human instinct control how we feel about ourselves and our actions. It is always good to have a helping hand around to help boost you up, though we must step up and help ourselves up as well. Let yourself understand we all have our ups and downs, and that even the most confident, level-headed person could secretly be hiding their insecurities. Once we acknowledge how we feel, and learn how normal it is, and know that there are others who feel the exact same way we can get through anything. I hope this is helpful to all who read this.
BundlesOfLove93
January 3rd, 2020 1:51pm
This can be a different form of stage fright, wherein you get the same fears and symptoms, but not on stage. It’s also common for those with anxiety to feel the same way. Some people fear the worst when they have a chance to talk in front of the class, such as the students ridiculing and laughing at you, or the teacher might shame you for getting it wrong. I’m training to be a professional actor, and I’ve had these kind of fears before. It’s best to present last, so that you can have an understanding of how it will feel to present in front of the others and maybe you can see how you might be able to alter your text at the last minute, if possible. It’s also good for getting the fears out of the way first before the presentation because afterwards, it will all feel worth out and you can relax, knowing that you have been successful in presenting in front of your class
Streudel
September 14th, 2017 4:38am
Talking in front of a class can be a stressful endeavor for many people, especially those who have anxiety.
ElleFriend
November 9th, 2017 12:00pm
Don’t let the fast-paced superficial world take over your life. The world is fast paced and it keeps people in their comfort zones. It stops people from thinking and keeps them busy. Being busy searching is wonderful, but don’t get so busy doing that you don’t allow yourself to feel.
comfortingOrange14
November 11th, 2017 4:24am
According to me, fear of objected, rejected, made fun of and commiting mistake in front of class creeps in. One has to be confident that they are as good enough as others sitting in class and ready to accept if they commit any mistake.
awesomeRose64
November 12th, 2017 11:06am
Could be social anxiety, or just being too focused on the idea of everyone in one place quietly paying attention to you, and that makes you feel pressure. You get nervous or stage-fright once you realize that all eyes are on you. You might feel doubt about what you're about to say, perhaps because you didn't practice your presentation enough (or with someone else to help prepare for the situation of others silently watching). It could also be that you think that they're silently evaluating your performance, but if you've ever been in that position (as the audience member of a presentation) before, you know that's not the case. Doesn't matter if it's in front of others or just by yourself. If you know what you're meant to say and do, that'll help (if only a little).
N0TW0RTHL3SS
November 15th, 2017 12:22am
Perhaps you have anxiety. Remember this, whenever you are going to speak publicly, speak as if you are in front of a group of naked people. Funny,huh? Well, this helps lessen the tension you may feel. Also if eye contact scares you look at the top of people's heads and look around the room, people won't be able to tell you arent* looking at them*!
eeveeon
November 15th, 2017 3:22am
Public speaking is not for everyone. It can be a terrifying thing, and that is very normal. Some of us experience different levels/types of anxieties and public speaking is one of them. With practice and determination it may get easier, it all depends on how you grow and progress.
Anonymous
November 16th, 2017 11:28pm
fear of public speaking is a common thing! i suffer from this as well. i leaned that as you get more comfortable with individuals in your class they get easier to talk in front of.
Anonymous
November 17th, 2017 8:18pm
You may be having some social or general anxiety. Many people, even if they do not show it, feel this way. It is completely normal! Try to use coping skills and self-care before classes.
MissLisa
August 18th, 2019 5:59pm
Talking in front of classmates can be a daunting thought especially if we lack self esteem and confidence. Perhaps you need to work on building your own self esteem and confidence first and then talking in front of your class will become easier. Just remember they are just like you, they are no better or worse and you are entitled to talk just as much as they are. Perhaps talking more outside the classroom in front of people will help you build up to talking in a classroom setting. Once you are comfortable talking outside the classroom, you could then progress onto the classroom. Just remember you are not alone.
Anonymous
November 19th, 2017 12:39am
perhaps because your afraid you may say something wrong, your mess up. there are a variety of reasons why. do you perhaps like someone in there in particular?
Anonymous
November 23rd, 2017 2:12pm
it could be because you feel shy in front of all the students... or you could be feeling too self conscious when you're in front of the class
Anonymous
November 23rd, 2017 2:19pm
Is because of what i am also suffering from, Self Confidence.
Anonymous
December 2nd, 2017 1:33pm
Some people are just shy and that is perfectly okay. Sometimes as much as you want to your body is trying to stop you from communicating with others in a big group. What about trying speaking to them via social media then attempt talking to them in person?
quietLion4
January 31st, 2018 8:58pm
Feeling nervous or embarrassed when talking in front of lots of people is fairly common. However, if you feel like you are overly anxious - for instance, suffering from stammers, extreme blushing, increased heart rate or being teary - you may suffer from Social Anxiety. You may want to google some of the other symptoms and consider speaking to friends or family if you believe it is causing you stress or hindering the way you live your life.
Anonymous
February 10th, 2018 3:29am
Public speaking is not an easy task for people who have anxiety or are not naturally outgoing. Even though someone might have prepared and rehearsed their presentation beforehand, it’s possible that the fear of being judged by classmates or the potential for embarrassment and failure on behalf of oneself causes the mind to blank out.
youarespectacular
February 1st, 2018 4:02am
it's stage fright, or just being scared or having insecurities. it's a normal human thing, being nervous.
Anonymous
February 21st, 2018 9:09pm
Maybe you are afraid of being judge. Having difficulty while talking in front of a class room is totally normal!