How do I present a paper to the class without getting all nervous and shaky?

Question

I always freak out before i have to present stuff....especially in front of my crush! How do i calm myself down, and give a good presentation without my shaky hands, they always shake and i donht know how to cove rit up??? its so embarassing!! sometime si feel like im going to faint i get so nervous? whats wrong with me, i see know one else wiht this problem! i need to boost my confidence. but how?

Answer 1

I've had a lot of public speaking opportunities and in answering your question I would say it depends on your audience and the subject you're speaking about.

Without a doubt you must practice delivering your presentation several times so you're familiar with what you want to deliver and you're comfortable with the wording.

For me it helps to be silly or entertaining. For instance, I once cross-dressed when speaking to a class. I was familiar with the audience and since my subject matter wasn't too serious I could get away with it.

However, if you're doing some kind of persuasive speech where you're trying to get the audience to think a certain way, you'd want to be more serious.

It may help you to create visual aids. It may help you since the audience will be focusing on the visual aid and not just you.

Answer 2

OK

I'll tell you what happened to me when I was in High School.
I used to get really nervious around one particular cheerleader, she was in school with me in two classes.
Then I realized something... I was getting all nervous and shaky, but that's exactly how you feel when you are on a roller coaster, or a scary movie...and you PAY MONEY to feel that way then!
It's the same feeling, its your adrenilin going for fight of flight. It's EXCITMENT. That's why some people like the attention, they get the same feeling you do, but they think of it as a THRILL, not fear.

Same excitement you feel when you are on a roller coaster, or watching Freddy Kruger. The only difference is how your brain processes the excitement. Am I making any sense here?
So DON'T think about what could go wrong, that's your problem. You get all wound up thinking about what could go wrong, and you get scared and it all falls apart. Try to think of it as a thrill, think of it as you would a thrill ride. Feel it, but (this is going to sound wierd) tell yourself you are enjoying it. At some point you WILL start to enjoy it, and then it is a breeze.

Good luck. I hope it works for you. It did for me.

Answer 3

i know how u feel. recently i had a presentation and i kept mixing up my sentences as i was extremely nervous. On top of that i was the first speaker. I was so nervous that half way through the presentation, i jumped up and down and requested to the lecturer to let me restart.
Well my 1st advice is the classic, imagine that every1 r in their underwear, tis actually has never worked on me, oh well, it is e classic advice.
Nw for my advice,
1. take in deep breath and calm yourself down before the presentation.
2. Pretend that ur crush is not there, maintain eye contact with the main ppl hu r listening to u and just glance/pretend to look at the others hu r waiting for u to end.
3. practice presenting, be prepared as to wat and how u going to present, in front on the mirror or all alone in a room.
4. try to 1st present to ur friends, before the presentation. get their comments and see what u can improve on
Hope my advices helps u... GOOD LUCK

Answer 4

Aw, I used to have the same problem in middle school. 7th grade was the worst. This may help:
Watch "Kill Bill" volumes 1 and 2, if you're not squeamish. Then, at school, pretend like you're Elle Driver. =) Whistling the song that she whistles in the movie may help. When I was in Jr. High, putting myself in her skin relieved my nervousness completely.
Or, you can ask a parent to give you a relaxing back rub when you wake up. Before class, running your hands under really warm water for a few minutes should help.
If you still feel super nervous, try pinching the paper really hard when you hold it.

Answer 5

You could try a couple of things:

Ask a few friends in the class do give you their support - look at them for encouragement when you get nervous.

Think of something really funny just before you get up to speak.

Focus on something on the wall in the back of the class - avoiding eye contact with your audience sometimes helps.

Don't eat or drink anything with lots of sugar or with caffeine. It will stimulate your nerves, and you don't need that. Having adequate protein is better.

Answer 6

It really hard to if your shy. Try ur hardest not to be. You have to be "cool" with ppl in the class and not let ur crush intimadate you. I kno it's hard to do im sorry. I once rapped in my english class lol and the 1st time i wont nervous but wen ppl liked it and wanted a new one i made one and when i was tryin to read that one i was afraid cuz PEOPLE were EXPECT a good rap. So, it's better if there's not pressure on you. Like I also \had to read paper for spanish class and the teacher marked off points for misspronouncing. Looks add funny or enlighting things in your paper. It's MUCH EASIER if you addience is laughing and not dead silient, but dont try to hard to make it funny or it might not be. Also give examples and explain IF you cant, otherwise just read it. And theres probably sum1 else in ur class jus as nervous or even more that may do a worse job den you. So dont put urself too much on the spot just think ur crush aint watching. arrh im srry if my advise aint helping cuz doing presentations like dat can be hard. and ur hands idk, sumtimes its hard and UNCONTROLLABLE like when i sumtimes read a paper my legs shake slight but I just walk alittle so if ur hands shake move them. MAKE MOVEMENT so ur not forced to stay in one spot. and im sure other ppl have the problem they jus dont show it because they dont worry about it too much like dont worry about it or are good at covering it up. ITS NOT THAT IMPORTANT, its just one presentation of one day of one school year. the worst that can happen is that you like drop ur paper but other den that ur crush wont even care becuase there are many days to make it up.and u said crush - so its not even a relationship so dnt worry. as long as ur VOICE DNT crack and u didnt say nothing about that so DONT WORRY. make movement like bend ur neck and move ur hand in ur pocket. hope it goes well PLZ let meknow how it goes when you end ur session and u give a reply if i get best answer. i kno this stuff from experience but ive gotten to the point were i can control it and it doesnt matter to me unless its HUGE but this aint. Okay good luck.

Answer 7

i used to get very nervous too. i realized that if i came prepared and that i already knew what i was going to talk about, it made it easier. but practice is the key. this year (junior year) all i do is oral presentation so i got used to it and im almost not nervous at all anymore. try practicing outloud in front of your friends or just by yourself, good luck !

Answer 8

your just shy. everyone gets nervous but some dont let it show. just go up there do your best and dont care what others think or say because when they go up there to present their paper, the same thing that was going through their mind. unless of course they are a very outgoing, goofy person lol. but dont worry. just do your best.! good luck.

Answer 9

the part about avoiding the eye contact is best.....
when you're looking up or around, don't make specific eye contact with anyone -- it'll make you nervous. INSTEAD, look directly at student's chins or tops of their heads -- it will give you power over them while you are reading.

AND, the more you speak in front of people, the easier it does get.

Answer 10

This site provides free presentation skills advices: www.skills-guide.com