What is harder- public speaking- or making small talk with strangers? (college, friends)

[questioner2]

I was recently invited to a neighborhood Holiday Party. Like most streets in the urban Northeast, no one really knows the neighbors here- other than a few waves or forced smiles. So it was basically like being thrown into small talk hell. I found the forced conversations boring, tedious, difficult and exasperating. In fact I found it one of the most challenging activities I had done all year.

I heard that public speaking is the average person's greatest fear. I do public speaking and think it is way easier than making small talk with strangers. What do you think is harder?

[katie45]

For me, public speaking is a nightmare. Much easier and more comfortable for me to talk one-on-one, strangers or not.

[tlb71]

I agree with Katie45, it is a nightmare for me also! Thankfully I don't have to do it anymore. I think in most cases there is more at stake in public speaking(your job, a grade, etc.) than with chit chat, which adds more pressure.

[browneyedgurl]

For me, I can speak in front of hundreds of people with great ease. I can't make out their faces, and it's on a professional level. It is very difficult for me to talk one on one. It's more personal, and that makes me uncomfortable at times.

[puffle]

Hate small talk. Most people could care less about what you're saying. They are just waiting till their friends show up. At least with public speaking, you already know the topic and have it planned out. Just picture everyone naked.

[Dennis58]

I prefer the small talk among people I don't know. When I'm in a good mood, and feel good I can blab with the best of them. If I feel bad, or am in a sour mood, I usually do myself and everyone else a favor by just not attending the gathering.

[2goldens]

I can remember in one college class that I had to speak up on the stage.
My legs started shaking and wobbling! It was a nightmare for me and yet
I saw these students everyday.

[ColdCanadian]

Small talk is easy as long as the other person seems like they're vaguely interested.

*If the expression on someone's face is they have no ideas of their own and aren't the slightest interested in coming up with conversation topics then it's a drag. I hate talking to people like that, it's as hard as pulling teeth.

Public speaking is easy because for me, talking is like breathing.

*If I don't want to studder, I just slow down a little.

*I also figure if anyone thinks bad of me after what I said, they either already felt that waywould have felt that way sooner or later anyways. So I'm either positive, confident and bold or I feel reckless and bold.

WHAT I DO FEAR ARE THINGS LIKE BEING IN SEVERE COLD WITHOUT PROPER CLOTHING, NOT GETTING WORK WHEN I NEED IT OR NOT GETTING PAID.

[buildings_and_bridges]

I'm not a fan of either one, and I have difficulties with public speaking (have gotten better with time), but I'd take the small talk with a stranger over the other any day. I just find it much easier to deal with one person than to try to entertain a large audience.

[johnycakes]

I do a fair amount of presentations in front of large groups of people all the time. I am quite comfortable in that format because it is inherently impersonal but with a stated purpose. Much more difficult is making idle chit-chat with people I don't know. In fact, I have been known to intentionally make rather rude exoduses from such situations when I realize the strangers and I have nothing to talk about. I just find that intolerably tedious and I'll just about come out and say that before getting out of that kind of predicament.