By Grace Liu, NYLC Youth Advisory Council Mentor
The spotlight was blinding, the stage like a sauna. My hands, sticky with sweat, trembled ever so slightly as I gulped before stepping forward, hoping the mic didn’t pick up my audible nervousness. In front of me, a quiet sea of faces stared blankly at me. When I finally opened my mouth, some abstract noise, barely a whisper came out. “A mosquito would’ve been louder than me,” I would later joke, but at that moment, nothing about it felt funny. Back then, I didn’t just fear public speaking—I feared being seen. I believed confidence was something you were either born with or not.
Public speaking can be intimidating. But the good news? It’s a skill, not a personality trait. You don’t have to be the loudest or most confident person in the room to become an effective speaker. You just need a few strategies, practice, and a willingness to show up and overcome perceived failures. Change doesn’t come in fireworks or grand revelations. Sometimes, it begins in quiet, unassuming ways. For me, it began with an invitation to serve on NYLC’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC). I joined in 2022, and though I didn’t know it then, that invitation opened me up to a new world. In my first YAC meeting, I was surrounded by passionate, eloquent youth leaders from across the country. But no one expected perfection, and everyone was incredibly supportive.
When I was asked to emcee a plenary session at the 2023 National Service-Learning Conference, I said yes. My voice wavered at first, but I kept going. I saw people nod. Slowly, my fear wasn’t the thing that consumed my mind when speaking, but instead my focus was on my message.
In 2024, I returned to the conference with a different kind of energy and a renewed sense of purpose. I led a workshop titled Research to Empower the Next Generation of Young Researchers, and the room filled beyond capacity. I spoke about research, yes—but also about self-doubt, about starting small, and about making space for youth voices in education. That’s when I realized something I wish I had known as a quiet, anxious kid: public speaking isn’t necessarily an act of confidence, but it may be more so an act of courage, which can live right alongside shaking hands and a pounding heart. So, I wanted to share a few practical tips that helped me grow from a nervous, inaudible speaker into someone who now regularly gives keynotes and workshops. These strategies take time, and they may not erase the nerves entirely, but I hope they encourage you to step forward with public speaking, since it’s a useful, lifelong skill.
Start small.
Public speaking is a skill—and like any skill, it grows with practice. Try low-stakes opportunities first: speak up in class, volunteer to introduce someone at a meeting, or present at a club. Repetition will desensitize fear over time, especially when you don’t just rehearse in your head—say the words out loud. Time yourself, record yourself, practice in front of a mirror or a friend, and normalize the experience. Essentially, it’s important to practice, practice, and practice some more! Each time you speak, you’re proving to yourself that you can.
Prioritize connection over perfection.
The best speakers don’t sound robotic, they sound real, and this sincerity often resonates more. Instead of aiming to impress, or be a “flawless” speaker, aim more so to connect and communicate to share your ideas clearly and genuinely.
Prepare for what you can control.
While you can’t eliminate nerves entirely, you can minimize uncertainty. That means knowing your material, understanding the event setting, and troubleshooting ahead of time, because familiarity helps with comfort. That also means thinking about the logistics side of public speaking, like arriving early, checking the mic or any technology beforehand, walking the stage (if you can), and visualizing the room.
Reframe nervousness.
Being nervous is just a sign that you care deeply about what you’re about to say. Instead of tunnel-visioning on nervous energy, try to channel some of it into enthusiasm or power for your gestures and tone. Remember to also slow down, especially when it feels like your heart rate is going through the roof. When we’re nervous we tend to unknowingly speed up, which makes it slightly harder to get through your words without stumbling or mumbling.
Reflect.
After each speaking experience, take time to reflect. What went well? What felt hard? What would you do differently next time? Take notes for yourself, and they could be as simple as a little reminder or an affirmation for yourself and the next time you speak in front of a crowd. It may even be helpful to compile a list of sentences or phrases that give you self-assurance, and put it somewhere easy to access like your phone’s notes, so you can take a quick glance before heading on stage or wherever you see yourself projecting your voice. This also helps track your progress in your public speaking journey, almost like a mini journal of how much you’ve grown.
These strategies made a profound difference in my journey, and so did the people who walked beside me: the supportive community at NYLC, my mentors, and my family who believed in my potential, helping me find my footing. Looking back, my journey wasn’t about suddenly discovering a hidden talent. It was about discovering that my voice had always been there–and there truly is so much power in harnessing your voice. Most of all, I learned that you don’t have to wait to feel “ready.” The biggest lie I told myself was that I had to be perfect before I could speak up. But growth doesn’t come from waiting. It comes from relentlessly trying and discovering—sometimes mid-sentence—that you’re more capable and ready than you thought. Your story, told in your voice, is enough.
