Contributed by Aryani Pallerla, Green Hope DECA
With some competitions in full swing and many coming up in a month or less, many competitors are practicing and preparing for their role-play.
Here are some pointers to brush up on that will help you nail your time in front of a judge.
1. Make Eye Contact
This may seem simple, but it is necessary when giving a role-play. When you first walk up to your judge and look at them, make eye contact and give them a firm handshake. Don’t look at the ground, your notes or anything else. Maintaining eye contact will show the judge that you are ready to present your role play and that you are a strong competitor. Make eye contact with your judge, smile, and start your presentation.
2. Don’t Freeze Under Pressure
No matter how much you prepare, this is bound to happen at some point in your DECA career. It doesn’t matter so much that you messed up, it matters how you recover from it. If you mess up and visibly freeze under pressure, your judge will notice, your partner will notice, and you will definitely notice. If you’re constantly thinking about your mistake, it will set the rest of your role-play off as well. If you’re doing a team event, it might throw your partner off balance as well. To deliver a clean, award-winning presentation, learn from your mistakes quickly. Be confident in your abilities and your preparation, and present your role play.
3. Calm Your Nerves
Right before your role-play, there is a good chance you’re feeling nervous or stressed out. Take a moment to think about all that you’ve prepared for and everything that you’ve planned for. If you’re feeling especially nervous, keep your mind occupied. Think about your event, come up with some general vocabulary that you can use, and think about your plan once you meet the judges. Keeping your mind on something is more likely to help you calm your nerves and stress less about your upcoming role-play.
Remember to make eye contact, be confident, and stay calm to deliver a strong role-play that’ll definitely “wow” your judges and win you a trophy!
