"Conquering the Stage: A Journey from Fear to Confidence"

So, the next speaker is ANWESHA RAI. [APPLAUSE]. Suddenly, I became deaf; the only sound that was unmistakably audible was the pounding of my heartbeat. With each step closer to the stage, my heart seemed ready to burst my eardrums. I didn’t need a mirror to know my face was as red as a tomato. As soon as I turned to face the audience, I felt like I might throw up, but I managed to maintain some self-control.

Okay, I have a confession to make. There’s something profoundly uncomfortable about being on stage: the audience, comfortably seated, with their judging eyes, whispers, gossip, and, most notably, those cruel laughs that pierce your confidence and make you feel worse than ever. My first appearance on stage was, unsurprisingly, dreadful. We were supposed to speak for five minutes, and I finished in three minutes or even less. I started with, “Good morning, respected principal, teachers, and my dear friends.” (Not at all dear, and not every single student was my friend.) This is Anwesha Rai from Class 7B, representing the house of Vikings, and I’m here to speak on the topic of...

Finally, I would like to thank my school for providing me with this opportunity, which made me feel like the most terrible person alive on this planet. After that, I lacked the courage to step on stage for four years!

Even after my abysmal speech, my English teacher continued to pursue my friend and me. (She also experienced the same anxiety I did.) Consequently, I devised a plan to hide beneath the benches, but my friend couldn’t quite manage to follow my lead and ended up getting caught. This became my favorite strategy whenever our English teacher came to take names. Each time, I succeeded in evading his attention while my "dear friend" failed.

As time passed, my friend blossomed into an eloquent speaker, while I remained stuck, grappling with my fear of performing on stage. Despite my initial embarrassment, I continued to struggle with my anxiety, feeling increasingly left behind.

After four years of self-imposed exile, I was enjoying my summer vacation and reading stories about people who had successfully built their confidence. My mentor had facilitated 50 percent of my transformation. He used to say, “Do you knoe difference between a speaker and an audience that judges? The speaker has the confidence to stand on stage, while the audience merely has the ability to laugh from their seats.” That advice was like an elixir for me.

The very next day after school reopened, I was the first to submit my name for the competition. On September 24, 2021, when my name was called, I felt nervous. However, this time, when I faced the audience, their laughter and whispers didn’t affect me. I reminded myself of three key points:







Even after my abysmal speech, my English teacher continued to pursue my friend and me. (She also experienced the same anxiety I did.) Consequently, I devised a plan to hide beneath the benches, but my friend couldn’t quite manage to follow my lead and ended up getting caught. This became my favorite strategy whenever our English teacher came to take names. Each time, I succeeded in evading his attention while my "dear friend" failed.

As time passed, my friend blossomed into an eloquent speaker, while I remained stuck, grappling with my fear of performing on stage. Despite my initial embarrassment, I continued to struggle with my anxiety, feeling increasingly left behind



After four years of self-imposed exile, I was enjoying my summer vacation and reading stories about people who had successfully built their confidence. My mentor had facilitated 50 percent of my transformation. He used to say, “Do you know the difference between a speaker and an audience that judges? The speaker has the confidence to stand on stage, while the audience merely has the ability to laugh from their seats.” That advice was like an elixir for me.

1) Maintain a straight posture,

2) You are the best, and they know nothing,

3) Don’t focus on winning the competition; concentrate on mastering the topic.

Well did I win? No, I didn't win, I achieved fourth place and received a consolation prize, marking my biggest accomplishment yet. This experience reminds me of a powerful quote: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." – Franklin D. Roosevelt.

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