Are you too freaked to speak?

I've always been afraid of public speaking, and it really gets in the way of doing class presentations. It also makes me worry about my career. How can I get more comfortable talking to large audiences? - Stern freshman

Don't picture them in their underwear.

It doesn't work - at least that's what I hear from people who, as Jerry Seinfeld put it, feel that "if you have to go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy."

Don't worry, little Sternie - you're not alone. Forty percent of Americans list public speaking as their No. 1 fear, topped only by a fear of snakes at 51 percent, according to a 2001 Gallup poll.

It's an understandable fear, especially for people with quiet dispositions.

"In front of people in a classroom situation when you don't really know a lot of people, and you have to talk to them about an issue they may or may not relate to, it can get really difficult," CAS junior Irena Kryzhapolsky said.

CAS sophomore Jessie Weingartner hates public speaking so much that she puts a good deal of energy into dodging it.

"I avoid it at all costs," she said. "I don't put myself in the position to ever do it. I've never taken any classes that have a lot of presentations - if I hear they have presentations, I prefer to take tests."

Andreina Molina, a CAS senior, also finds public speaking about as appealing as Nicole Richie finds a bagel.

"I have a huge fear of speaking in public," said Molina, who learned in high school that "I have a dream" moments aren't her cup of tea. "Whenever I get in front of a huge class where I have to talk, it's horrible. ... I stutter and I get all red and nervous and stuff."

For Molina and Weingartner, that means a lot of research around class registration time.

"I always ask around so I know exactly which classes to take so I don't have to talk in public," Molina said, adding that she finds it easier to talk in front of all-female audiences.

But there's hope. Tisch Center for Hospitality junior Valy Rangoonwawla has overcome much of his fear of public speaking with practice.

"Believe me, the last thing I wanted to do at one point was public speaking," he said, adding that he still gets a bit nervous before speeches. "But in my program, they encourage public speaking, so you get used to it."

"The No. 1 tip is to be very well prepared," said Karen Schadow, an adjunct professor who teaches "10 Steps to a More Dynamic Voice" at NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies and who has coached people on public speaking for over 25 years. "If there's going to be a question-and-answer time, think through what possible questions they might ask, and be superprepared."

Most students echoed practice as the No. 1 way to overcome the jitters.

"You have to kind of know what you're talking about and be confident in what you say," Kryzhapolsky said. "And make eye contact - that's important."

But if eye contact makes you nervous - if it makes you obsess over whether the person you're looking at seems interested in what you're saying - there's a way to fake it.

"I usually look over people's heads when I'm talking, like focus on a spot on the wall and pretend that I'm just talking to the wall," CAS senior Jessica Bruce said. "Or if there's somebody I know in the audience, I can look at them."

Think about exactly what your fear is, and confront that. If you're afraid you'll forget what you intended to say, make note cards with your main points. If you're afraid you'll lose people's attention, make visual aids like posters, and practice speaking slowly and clearly in front of people you trust.

Incorporating humor into your speech is a great way to lighten up yourself and the audience. If you're at ease, they will be too.

And while practice is helpful, don't over think it. Right before the speech, do something relaxing like taking a walk or doing breathing exercises.

Whatever you do, especially if you think it might affect your career, it's important to confront your fear - just think what it would do for your overall confidence.

"Your voice expresses your confidence, your dynamism, your energy," Schadow told me. "It's very important for everybody to speak well, even if it's not a skill they use directly in their careers. Even how to have a better phone voice is important because you really judge people by their voices."

So go git-'er-done. Look into the mirror and tell yourself you can do it. Realize that you're not rationally in any danger.

You don't have to be perfect, and even if you never thrive at giving speeches, you can still be successful. Some very powerful, successful people absolutely stink at public speaking, to the point where they can't pronounce "nuclear." Ahem.

Be yourself, and know that that's enough. I believe you can fly.

For additional tips, see www.speakfreak.com or attend a local Toastmasters International meeting (800.993.7732). Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping members improve their communication skills. NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies also offers noncredit courses like "Speaking With Confidence."

E-mail questions for K. Shea to korourke@nyunews.com.

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