There was once a time when I was really afraid of being onstage. The minute I was in front of a crowd, I would feel the shivers go down my spine. I’d lose all my ability to speak fluently as my eyes darted around the room with no clue where to land. Dotting my hairline, there would be little beads of sweat as I felt the room stare at me. In short, I was a mess. None of that would matter if I weren’t a performer, but I am a singer so if I want to share my talent I need to be seen on a stage. Here lies my dilemma.

            If you’re nervous in front of others, you can’t do a lot of tasks and work. It goes beyond singing. In the future, if you have a career, you can’t be afraid to speak in front of others. If your boss offers you a job introducing products, but you're too nervous to speak in front of a crowd, you're definitely not going to succeed. Overcoming the fear of going on stage is a life-skill.  Not only in school but it can also be very useful in other areas of your later life. On New Years, when all sides of my family gather in the dining room, I am expected to say the blessings for my grandparents. I always found it annoying to be put on the spot. I never knew what to say, and it felt so awkward to have everyone watching me and waiting for me to speak. 

My stage fright began to affect not only my singing, but my entire life. I knew I had to make a change, so I put in effort to overcome my stage fright. For me, I used public speaking to help get over general stage fright. My teacher often assigns tasks such as speech, presentation and debate. At first, I would feel annoyed about those tasks, but gradually I felt that it was a great opportunity to practice my English speaking and also practice talking onstage. After a while of talking in front of my entire class, I stopped feeling so nervous. The saying is true: Practice makes perfect. The more I spoke, the more I got used to it. I even picked up new public speaking skills. For example, now when I am in front of an audience, I look above their heads to make sure that I don’t see their faces. It helps me speak when I can’t see their reactions or feelings to my performance. That way, the audience’s emotions do not affect me. Practice doesn’t always have to happen in front of an audience, either. I often practice at home. Sometimes I call my mom and dad to listen, but other times I will practice in my room in front of a mirror. I catch myself rehearsing everything down to my facial expressions and eyes. All of these small habits help and bring me a lot of confidence. 

All of my practice eventually paid off! I now have the courage to sing in front of others. Before, when I’d sing on a stage I would feel incredibly nervous and struggle to sing well out of fear. After finishing, I would run offstage and avoid all of the attention. Now, I love sharing my talent with the world. No matter what, I always let myself spend time on the stage after I sing. There’s no more running away.