Really nervous for uni presentation - help?
I have a presentation next week which is to around 50 people and im so nervous for it, I am not a very good public speaker and the occasion usually overwhelms me. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do before the presentation? I read online that some people take a few shots to calm the nerves but im sure there's something else I can do? Thanks
Original post by Anonymous
I have a presentation next week which is to around 50 people and im so nervous for it, I am not a very good public speaker and the occasion usually overwhelms me. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do before the presentation? I read online that some people take a few shots to calm the nerves but im sure there's something else I can do? Thanks
Whatever you do, do not drink alcohol before a presentation. What exactly makes you feel so nervous? The amount of people? What you're presenting?
Original post by PhoenixFortune
Whatever you do, do not drink alcohol before a presentation. What exactly makes you feel so nervous? The amount of people? What you're presenting?
It's probably the amount of people, but I've gone in to presentations before where I feel ok but then when it comes to it my hands and legs shake and you can tell in my voice that im really nervous. I don't really know what I can do to stop that
Practice practice practice! The more familiar you are with your content the more confident you will be in what you have to say. Remember they are on your side - they aren't hoping you fail, they are hoping you succeed and give them information they don't know. Take a deep breath before you start, smile, and consciously slow down (we all speed up when we are nervous) Focus on a couple of points on the back wall, just above their heads, so you are not directly looking at anyone (unless you have a friend in tehaudience who will smile and give you the thumbs up!!) and make sure you address the whole room.
Original post by Simbasoul
Practice practice practice! The more familiar you are with your content the more confident you will be in what you have to say. Remember they are on your side - they aren't hoping you fail, they are hoping you succeed and give them information they don't know. Take a deep breath before you start, smile, and consciously slow down (we all speed up when we are nervous) Focus on a couple of points on the back wall, just above their heads, so you are not directly looking at anyone (unless you have a friend in tehaudience who will smile and give you the thumbs up!!) and make sure you address the whole room.
Thanks for the reply! It's a 10 minute presentation with 5 minutes for questions at the end! 10 minutes is quite a lot to learn so should I try my best to learn it or take a note pad with me?
Imagine you are Barack Obama- his slow and calm mannerism will allow you to talk like so. So you come across proffessional
Know the entire presentation so you can do it without notes alone. This will give you confidence of knowledge.
Then it is just a case of staying calm, try not to fidget. Keep one hand in your belt loop or holding the laser pointer or something. Use the other for minimal gesturing. Focusing on a small part of the presentation at a time (break it up before hand) and speak deliberately. There is no problem with taking pauses and refering to notes - but do not blindly read from them.
I still get really nervous when speaking in front of even small groups of people even though I've done it numerous times to 100ish people on 30 minutes sleep. That's only natural for a lot of us.
Good luck.
Then it is just a case of staying calm, try not to fidget. Keep one hand in your belt loop or holding the laser pointer or something. Use the other for minimal gesturing. Focusing on a small part of the presentation at a time (break it up before hand) and speak deliberately. There is no problem with taking pauses and refering to notes - but do not blindly read from them.
I still get really nervous when speaking in front of even small groups of people even though I've done it numerous times to 100ish people on 30 minutes sleep. That's only natural for a lot of us.
Good luck.
Original post by Anonymous
I have a presentation next week which is to around 50 people and im so nervous for it, I am not a very good public speaker and the occasion usually overwhelms me. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do before the presentation? I read online that some people take a few shots to calm the nerves but im sure there's something else I can do? Thanks
And have a look at @SarcAndSpark's tips here:
Study Skills at University: Presentation Skills
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5741766
Original post by liverpool2044
Thanks for the reply! It's a 10 minute presentation with 5 minutes for questions at the end! 10 minutes is quite a lot to learn so should I try my best to learn it or take a note pad with me?
Bullet point your presentation onto small flashcards - with practice, the bullet point should flash off a memory of the things you need to say (like a heading to a paragraph, if you read over the paragraph enough times, the heading should be the aide memoir). A presentaton works best when you can look up at the audience and they don't feel that you are just reading, even if you sort of are! Your flashcards (and notes if you want them on the lecturn with you) are just there if you lose your place, but you don't have to learn it verbatim!! Good luck!
Just don't be nervous lol
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