As a Communication major in college, I had to get up in front of my classmates and give numerous speeches each semester. Each time, I would get out of breath, talk too fast and hope that nobody would ask me any questions at the end. I have come a long way since then, and have thought a lot about public speaking and its effects on people.

Think of public speaking like surfing. Standing tall on the surfboard and gliding toward the shore is like confidently flowing through your presentation with ease. But that can change at any moment. Just as you can fall by losing your balance on the surfboard, you can fumble your words or lose your train of thought in a split-second during public speaking. You can either ride the wave or buckle underneath it.

2. People are just people. Picture yourself sitting in the audience. It is common for presenters to feel that the stern looks on the faces of the audience means that they are judging your every word and waiting for you to mess up. This is not the case. They likely want you to do well, because seeing a presenter squirm and stutter is uncomfortable for everyone in the room.

3. Do not focus on perfection. We would all love for our speeches to be flawless with no verbal fillers, but the truth is, most presenters are far from perfect. The good news is that when you mess up, the audience may not pick up on it. You can also learn ways to play off your public speaking imperfections as you gain more confidence and experience speaking. Keep your mind on your material, not on your self-consciousness.

4. Do not be afraid of silence. Speakers are often tempted to fill any bits of silence with verbal fillers such as "um's," "ah's," and "so's." To you, the silence may feel uncomfortable and lengthy, but taking things slowly will help you to realize that a pause can add impact to your speech. It can also present you as a confident speaker in charge of your speech.

5. Keep in mind that not everyone pays attention the same way. I attended a lecture with a colleague and she doodled on a piece of paper the entire time. She commented afterward that it is hard for her to pay attention if she is not doodling. Had she not mentioned this to me, I would have assumed that she was bored or was not paying attention. While you are public speaking, perhaps you see that someone is fidgeting, looking at the ground, closing their eyes, or doodling. Although this can be distracting, keep in mind that this person may get more out of your speech than the person next to them who is giving you eye contact but is thinking about their busy schedule that evening.