I hate public speaking.
Perhaps hate is too strong of a word to use here: I strongly dislike public speaking. Public speaking discomforts me by forcing me out into the spotlight, whereas I much rather stay behind the red velvet curtains of the stage.
As a nervous speaker, I have always admired those that decided to stand in front of so many pairs of eyes, and project their voices to deliver their ideas. A few weeks ago, Liz Chu (’21) was one of those courageous souls.
Liz’s initial purpose was to perform her own rearrangement of a Chinese song, 一剪梅. Instead, she was asked to give a presentation for an organization called é€ å°±. é€ å°± is the first-ever conference platform in China that strives to provide opportunities for younger generations to spread their ideas.
The presentation revolved around her passion for music, her “composition process” and more specifically, “[her] story with music.” She wanted to “inspire more kids to try out music," after listening to her speak. Reflecting back on her own experience, she claims that “music was— and still is a huge part of [her] childhood. [She] thinks that without music, [she] wouldn't be as happy as she is today. [She] wanted kids to know that if they don’t like playing the piano, there are other ways to be interested in music.”
Liz admitted that at first “talking about [herself] was a bit challenging” because so many more strangers would know about her personal life, which she found intimidating. However, “sharing an experience helps give other people a better perspective on making decisions” which is necessary as the “motive of sharing [her] personal story was to inspire others.” Flashing me her signature dimpled grin, Liz mused that “putting [herself] in the spotlight and talking about [her] life was worth it” once she found out that “a little girl in the audience decided to try the flute after listening to [her] speak.”
When asked about advice she would share with other courageous individuals that would like to inspire as well, Liz stresses the importance of emotions and the connection to the audience. She advises the speakers to talk less about statistics and facts and more about personal anecdotes that the audience can relate to. “It’ll be easier for the audience to listen, if the talk or speech sounds more like a conversation rather than a five paragraph essay.”
“It’s definitely worth it to put yourself in the spotlight for a few minutes if you want to help make a change or inspire someone,” Liz says. The question is, would you put yourself in the spotlight to make a difference?
If you would like to check out her amazing presentation, visit https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/furz2_dp-bnMBVwopUuwcw to see Liz live in action.
Annica Wang
Perhaps hate is too strong of a word to use here: I strongly dislike public speaking. Public speaking discomforts me by forcing me out into the spotlight, whereas I much rather stay behind the red velvet curtains of the stage.
As a nervous speaker, I have always admired those that decided to stand in front of so many pairs of eyes, and project their voices to deliver their ideas. A few weeks ago, Liz Chu (’21) was one of those courageous souls.
 |
| (Courtesy of Liz Chu) |
Liz’s initial purpose was to perform her own rearrangement of a Chinese song, 一剪梅. Instead, she was asked to give a presentation for an organization called é€ å°±. é€ å°± is the first-ever conference platform in China that strives to provide opportunities for younger generations to spread their ideas.
The presentation revolved around her passion for music, her “composition process” and more specifically, “[her] story with music.” She wanted to “inspire more kids to try out music," after listening to her speak. Reflecting back on her own experience, she claims that “music was— and still is a huge part of [her] childhood. [She] thinks that without music, [she] wouldn't be as happy as she is today. [She] wanted kids to know that if they don’t like playing the piano, there are other ways to be interested in music.”
Liz admitted that at first “talking about [herself] was a bit challenging” because so many more strangers would know about her personal life, which she found intimidating. However, “sharing an experience helps give other people a better perspective on making decisions” which is necessary as the “motive of sharing [her] personal story was to inspire others.” Flashing me her signature dimpled grin, Liz mused that “putting [herself] in the spotlight and talking about [her] life was worth it” once she found out that “a little girl in the audience decided to try the flute after listening to [her] speak.”
 |
| (Courtesy of Liz Chu) |
When asked about advice she would share with other courageous individuals that would like to inspire as well, Liz stresses the importance of emotions and the connection to the audience. She advises the speakers to talk less about statistics and facts and more about personal anecdotes that the audience can relate to. “It’ll be easier for the audience to listen, if the talk or speech sounds more like a conversation rather than a five paragraph essay.”
“It’s definitely worth it to put yourself in the spotlight for a few minutes if you want to help make a change or inspire someone,” Liz says. The question is, would you put yourself in the spotlight to make a difference?
If you would like to check out her amazing presentation, visit https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/furz2_dp-bnMBVwopUuwcw to see Liz live in action.
Annica Wang
