how can be not so nervous when i have to do presentations?

Question

I am currently at college studying IT, and part of the final assignment is to prepare and give a 20 minute long presentation using powerpoint, trouble is i get so nervous, i cant even speak, my throat closes up and i get the shakes, sweaty palms etc...

I'm even considering just quitting the course to avoid it...

anyone have any tips for not being so nervous?

Answer 1

I used to be nervous too. I avoided all the public speaking courses in college because I didn't want to face it. But when I got an IT job after college, I had to do sales presentations, technical presentations for users, and sometimes I even had to do them in French. I couldn't avoid it this time unless I wanted to quit my job. What I realized was that the better organized I was, the easier it was to talk. Also, having a Power Point presentation helps too because it's like having notes up there for yourself. But the most important thing I realized was that as nervous as I was, I still knew more about my topic than anyone I was talking to. And I tried to realize that the people listening honestly want to learn. So I made the whole focus more on helping my audience learn instead of focusing on my own performance. I also found that once you start, as long as you are very familiar with your material, it's always easier than you think it's going to be. Also, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Good luck!

Answer 2

Boy or boy howdy, do I ever know how you feel! I hate getting up in front of people. I used to sing and was often asked to sing in church. I used to get so nervous that my fingernails and lips would turn blue like I was going into shock! What I found worked better than anything else was practice. Practice giving the presentation to anyone who will listen, the more you do it the easier it will get and by the time you have to give the real presentation you'll be an "old pro"!
Good Luck!

Answer 3

actually, "nervousness is excitement in disguise." you shouldn't try getting rid of it. it pressures you to try to do well. nervousness is normal--well, normal BEFORE your presentation. trust me, when you get there, you'll just be too busy trying to do your best to even think about how nervous you are. when you begin, of course you'll feel like you'd rather be somewhere else. but throughout your presentation, you'll get warmed up to it, and you'll just be doing what you should do. quitting is never the answer. it's better to go through wit presenting despite your nervousness, rather than not even trying. quit, and you're a certified loser. everyone, even the best students, business tycoons, and lawyers get nervous once in a while. but that never stopped them. and that's what made the difference between them and the average ones. p.s. yes, practice helps too. you'll feel much more confident when you're ready. =)

Answer 4

Always avoid going last
Dont think about yourself messing up
Think about how no so much of a big deal it is the way you feel doing it.

Answer 5

Yes. Go to your dr, tell him your problem & ask him if he has anything he can give you for the night before & just before the presentation. I did this before my 1st speaking engagement before 450 caseworkers & it worked just fine. After the 1st one, I never needed "help" again. Good luck to you.

Answer 6

You breathe in and out slowly and say to yourself "I can do it"