How do people stay calm during presentations

Distraction

Like most, I'm not the best at standing up and speaking in front of a class, my course this year has a lot of presentations and I want to do well. I just get myself into such a panic and last year I missed a lot of days due to this.

Any tips out there for doing presentations? 

Former Member

@Distraction I had to do a presentation a few months back and I kind of calm my nerves by looking at it from a new perspective.

For example, I know that presentations are essentially just speaking when you take away the fact people are watching. So I imagined that I was just chatting to a friend as if it was a very one sided conversation and that really helped me. It also helped me to know that I had a friend as one of the people watching - I could just pretend I was talking to them! 

Azziman

everyone has something that helps them to calm and focus. having a bottle/glass of water on hand is a popular one, so it stops your mouth going dry etc. Once you start, you've got to see it through, so get your energy going. People will pay less attention to any mistakes if you just keep going, so give it your best!x

Former Member

Lots of really great advice from everyone here, there's lot of little tips from them that I think are very helpful. One of the biggest things that helped me with public speaking is literally just practicing over and over again. Even if it's just in front of your friends or by yourself if you practice your presentation as much as you can it becomes a lot easier to do it for real.

Distraction

Thank you @Eleanor , @Azziman and @Riley !

These are all super ideas and really helpful, going to try a bit of everything 

Thanks so much 

Former Member

I hope your presentations go well, best of luck!

One tip that I use, and it might sound silly but it really helps me. I watch a lot of youtube and youtubers are always very engaging, confident and bubbly in their videos which is what I want to achieve in a presentation, so I will always watch a YouTube video (about anything at all) before I practice at home. I feel like I watch them and then can adopt their tone whilst I'm practicing, and then I can channel that when I'm doing the real thing too  

Distraction

@coc0mac Thank you!

Someone actually got covid in our class so we're all having to self isolate for the time being but I'll have plenty of opportunities to try all these helpful tips!

Thats a great idea! I know what you mean cos I look at my lecturer and he is always jumping about, walking back and forth and looks so confident and I try to use that as a goal to get to, so I can understand where your coming from with youtubers, I think it's a fantastic idea

Emma_

Hey @Distraction one tip I was given years ago and still use all the time whenever I'm anxious is to scrunch up my toes. I always used to play with my hands and this sometimes distracts the people watching so instead was given a tip to curl my toes up as no one can see that! It passes all my anxious energy down to my feet where no one can see  hope that helps! 

Former Member

@Distraction Good luck for when you eventually do your presentations! As previously said, practice really is key. If you know exactly what you want to say, and have genuine interest in what your delivering, then presentations will gradually become easier. Everyone approaches them definitely, i for example always try and include humour in mine...not that anyone laughs but still! Just try and vision the presentation as your time, everyones listening to you because you have a shared interest, everyone watching will be supporting you! I'm sure you'll do amazing in your course 

Distraction

@Emma_ and @Knowledgepower14

Thank you so much! I'm going to re read these every time I have to do one lol, this is all really good advice! it's also interesting to see the different types of things people do 

Former Member

I remember I used to rock from my heels to my toes and back again in primary school until some dick called me out and I never did it again. Now I just get super sweaty and panic and overthink. 

For what it's worth the rocking did work for me but seems silly to others, especially adults. 

What I do nowadays is try to calm myself down before hand, go in prepared and make sure to look at everyone in the room. 

If you speak and act confident, you'll begin to feel it. If you know what you're talking about, it'll show! 

It's such a hard thing to do, but just remember, you've done it before and you survived. Every single person has had to do one, and they're all still here. 

I don't remember anyone elses presentations but I remember my own ones - so as much as you overthink a mistake that you make - nobody else gives a shit!

Distraction

hahah the last bit is very true @Anch0r33 ! they're probably all thinking about what they're getting up to on the weekend and not even paying attention lol, some good advice in that, thanks!

I don't think rocking is silly  , if something works for you then thats all that matters 

Former Member

My key tip would be learn to control your breathing and slow down because it will feel slow but we speed up when we get anxious and then people can't understand us. and then look just above the heads of the people you are talking to. 
As far as before hand the main thing is practice (infront of people and alone) and I always found when learning songs it was best to record myself so I could correct any mistakes. 
Learn to speak first on something that really interests you and that you are really passionate about it makes the uncomfortableness more worth it.
I can't say I have ever had a phobia of public speaking but I have experienced major anxiety around specific events or things that I needed to do. I always found doing it to my peers was worse.
hope this helps.