It started with a voice inside my head. A tiny one that whispered whenever I approached a stage. What if I forget what to say? What if they laugh at me? What if I get stuck? That voice had accompanied me for years during school assemblies and class presentations. So, I developed the habit of avoiding the limelight. It seemed safer to be among the crowd rather than centre stage. 

And then there was college. With it came a fresh spirit, a new setting, and something I had never considered seriously till then, cultural fests. 

I used to go watch initially. Music, dance, drama, debates. The campus would change with fests. The vibe was charged. Students who were subdued in class suddenly came alive on stage. And something about that made me ask myself could I do that too? 

What followed changed everything. 

So, how did cultural fests assist me in overcoming stage fright? 

1. The audience was no longer intimidating 

Fests are informal functions. 

• The audience consists of students like you 

• They cheer loudly, laugh freely and encourage one another 

• You don’t feel judged like you would in a classroom 

When eventually I did muster the courage to go on stage the audience felt like a sea of encouragement rather than pressure. That made all the difference. 

2. It was about fun not perfection 

Unlike presentations or exams fests are not about scores. 

• They are about being yourself 

• You can goof up laugh at it and still have a good time 

• The aim is to join in not to perform flawlessly 

This attitude relaxed me. I could breathe. I could revel on stage without dreading failure. 

3. Team spirit facilitated 

• I was never alone. 

• I participated in group activities such as skits and dance routines 

• Together, we practiced, laughed at mistakes, and encouraged one another 

• Belonging to a team eased the pressure 

When you turn your attention from self to group fear begins to ebb. 

4. Practice increased confidence 

Fests are all about preparation. 

• Rehearsals provided me with an opportunity to become familiar 

• With every practice I felt more at ease 

• I started to learn my body language my voice and my timing 

Action builds confidence. Every show was a step forward. 

5. I learned to love the spotlight 

The most significant transformation was not that I no longer became nervous. It was that I no longer let fear hold me back. 

• I started to anticipate the stage 

• I began to volunteer anchoring and hosting events 

• Gradually the same room where I cowered earlier became a joyous space 

So, did cultural fests help me overcome stage fear? 

Yes. Not in a day. Not in an event. But gradually surely by some moments of courage encouragement and laughter. College fests made the stage something I hesitated from earlier into something I was familiar with. 

Now when I stand in front of an audience the voice inside me still talks. But less so. And I talk more loudly.