Silly Solution

Have you been waiting, since last Saturday, in rapt anticipation of this post? Sorry for the delay, but although I've won the midterm battle, I am not yet victor of the semester war. My exams are written, but the assignments keep coming, and coming.

Next Tuesday I must confront a phobia, statistically, more prevalent than the fear of death. Public speaking. To one of my classes, I will be presenting a discussion of Vincent Lam's collection of short stories, Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures.

Although, like the majority of the population, I find speaking in front of a group to be a nerve-racking experience, I have found a way of lessening my anxiety. I make my living speaking in front of relative strangers, and have found that if I tell myself frequently enough that speaking in front of a group of academic peers is no different than approaching a table, public speaking becomes less daunting.

Every time I don my apron I evoke a particular persona, which exists within the larger whole of what constitutes me as an individual. I draw upon my sense of humour, my experiences, and my particular world view when I interact with customers. I simply present these aspects of myself appropriate to my work environment. Why should the environment of the classroom be any different?

Here's how I 'trick' myself:

Before I may take the order of my 'table' of thirty (i.e., my classmates), I must first tell them about our 'daily special' (i.e., Lam's stories). Sound silly? Most definitely. Regardless, a technique which has been effective for me in the past.

This strategy may be of use to any of you who share experiences similar to mine. However, you need not be a server in order to apply my method, simply embrace your silly; use it to your advantage.