How To Overcome The Dreaded 'Class Presentation' | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

How To Overcome The Dreaded 'Class Presentation'

Some tips from a person who was once too afraid to speak.

161
How To Overcome The Dreaded 'Class Presentation'

It's getting to be that time of the semester once again, the time of sweaty palms, nervous stutters, and wishing you could be anywhere else. That's right, it's class presentation time. It still amazes me, as a college senior (and marketing/business major), how many of my fellow classmates DREAD the idea of speaking in front of the class. I personally have had a lot of experience getting up and speaking to large groups, but it didn't always come as natural as it does now. In fact, in high school, I was once so scared and shaky to present a project that I made myself sick...almost in front of the entire class. So I do sympathize with those who feel nervous, but I promise it's not as bad as you think. It takes a lot of practice and self-reassuring, but anyone can get up and make a killer presentation. And here's some of my tips/advice on how to do that:

1. Relax/Breathe

Now I know what you're thinking, "How am I supposed to relax with all these people staring at me?" And I can tell you from experience, it isn't easy, but it's worth it when you find something that works. The fear is all in your head, and more often than not, worry about messing up or not keeping people's attention leads you to make these very mistakes. Take deep breaths, sing a little song in your head, or just focus on the information you're sharing. These things are just a few of the things you can do to make yourself relax–do anything that works for you. With a calm, clear head, you'll feel enough at ease to get through the presentation.

2. Go with the flow

It's hard enough having to worry about making mistakes or not having things go they way you want them. If you're already freaking out about something that hasn't happened and something does go wrong (and it will sooner or later) you have to be prepared to brush it off and keep going. Now I know grades are in part determined by how you present the project, and the thought of one little mistake could mean an instant failure, but focusing on this will only hurt you. You're much better off making a mistake and finding a way to brush it off or make some kind of joke out of it (jokes have a time and place, so you must be careful with that one). Prepare for mistakes in advance, learn different ways to react those little bumps in the road. I'll tell you this, we once had a guest speaker for one of my club meetings who's powerpoint was a different version from what was on the school's computers, resulting in messed up slides. She made a few jokes here and there but found a way to keep going. So even professionals get messed up from time-to-time, just have to go with the flow.

3. Be interesting

The best advice I could give you is time pick a topic that you have a good amount of interest in. When you have an honest interest in a topic it shows in the presentation. In the same, if you're bored and uninterested, you're presentation will be boring and uninteresting. Now sometimes you HAVE to do that one topic you care nothing about, whether it be the professor's assigning or being overruled in a group decision, and this is never fun. But there are still ways you can find a way to make it interesting. If you're like me and enjoy learning about things you don't know, then this isn't too much of an issue. But if you're one of those people who just doesn't care no matter what, then it's up to you to find a way to change it. It's difficult but not impossible. Even if your interest lasts the span of the assignment time.

4. Practice

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. I cannot say this enough. Like cooking, the more you do it the easier it gets. Whether it's in front of your mirror or in front of friends and family, practicing the format of your presentation gets you more comfortable with speaking in front of other people. Unless you're naturally comfortable speaking with a ton of people watching you, winging your presentation is a terrible idea. PRACTICE. It may be time-consuming, but it will only help you in the long-run.

Public speaking is an extremely important skill to have. Presentations can be annoying and downright terrifying, but the are a necessary part of life. I can only think of a few examples of jobs that don't require some kind of social skill, so the best thing you can do for yourself is getting used to speaking to groups of people. These are all things you can try to make yourself a better speaker. It doesn't happen overnight, so don't get discouraged, and don't be afraid to make mistakes here and there–it's all a part of the learning process and will lead you to strive to be a better speaker. Now get out there and make that next presentation the best one you've ever done!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

14038
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

2771
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

1676
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments