How to give a graduation speech

Instead, we’re more likely to stumble over our words, mumble, and say “um” about 48 times before we hit our stride (if we hit our stride). The good news is: As long as you have a little warning and can prepare some semblance of a graduation speech—you can cobble together something that’s not only coherent, but meaningful, funny, inspiring or all of the above!

That said, the idea of writing a graduation speech—then delivering that commencement address in front of dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people—can be unbelievably intimidating. The critical thing is not to let the fear give you a reason to procrastinate. Because, as everyone knows, the sooner you tackle an intimidating task, the sooner you can breathe easier.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at five of the best tips for giving a graduation speech you can be proud of:

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1. Seek inspiration.

Some people like to go in cold and create an oratory masterpiece strictly by writing and speaking from the heart. But most of us need a little inspiration to get our creative juices flowing. For that, check out Jennifer Garner’s commencement address at Denison College, any graduation speech from President Obama, or even Ashton Kutcher’s much ballyhooed speech at a Teen Choice Awards show. They’re all heartfelt, thoughtful and brilliant in their own way—and they’ll certainly inspire you to create something special.

2. Make an outline.

This isn’t the easiest part of writing a graduation speech, but it’s necessary if you don’t want a rambling mess that you’ll have to fix later. So just sit down and do it. Your outline doesn’t have to be robust, but include little notes about where you want to start, where you want to end, and which anecdotes or messages you want to include in between. This will help narrow your focus and organize your thoughts. You can burn it down to the ground and build it back up 1,000 times—but always write it down so you can actually see how you plan to get from point A to point Z.

3. Be yourself.

It can be terrifying to be who you really are in front of people you don’t know, but it’s always worth it. So, use language you’d normally use. If you’re usually serious or silly or land somewhere in between—go with it. Most people can spot a fake and a phony pretty easily and will stop listening the minute they think they’ve made you. So, above all else, be real.

4. Write down every word.

Don’t rely strictly on your outline to guide a more or less extemporaneous speech. Instead, write down every word you want say, read them all out loud, and check the flow of the speech. During your “table read” it’ll be pretty easy to spot areas for improvement, the words you stumble over, the passages that feel real and the ones that feel forced. It’ll all rise to the surface. Then you’ll rewrite, adjust, and do it all again.

5. Do a dress rehearsal (or a few).

Reading your graduation speech aloud is all well and good, but until you read it to an audience, you won’t know how the jokes, messages and anecdotes are going to land. And you won’t know how you’ll feel in your suit, dress, shoes or cap and gown until you try them on. So, to get the full benefit of rehearsing your commencement address, wear all the finery you plan to wear on the big day—and stand up in front of a handful of people you trust to get some honest opinions and advice. If you can do this with a couple of people in person and a couple of people on video chat, even better. That way you can get a feel for how you “read” both in person and on the screen (in case some people will be watching your speech on a jumbotron.) You can also practice the ins and outs of your speech using a presentation coaching tool that delivers tips on public speaking, as well as a personalized evaluation.

Speeches are never easy to make, especially when they’re meant to impart some wisdom to the crowd. But, don’t forget: They asked you to speak for a reason. You have something special to offer. You have insights and wisdom. You’ve made mistakes and learned from them. You’ve won battles and lost wars (or vice versa). So even if you don’t feel completely comfortable with being on the stage—knowing that you’ve earned it will help give you the confidence you need to pull off a great speech.