Can anyone help?

Question

I just want to gain peoples' opinion because i feel so down right now
Like many others, I am petrified of doing presentations and I feel as if i'm stuck in a vicious circle of trying to avoid anything to do with them.
I have just started university and the course that i'm doing requires doing a few presentations during the year. I had already known this but I thought that by the time i'd start university i'd 'get over' my fear.
I was in one of my classes, reading through the subject information for this coming year. On the information there was a mention that we had to do a presentation which was where I started to fall apart inside.
So at the end of the lesson, feeling petrified at the prospect of having to do a presentation, I stayed behind to have a word with one of the teachers. As she came over and asked me what the matter was I couldn't get out the words and just broke down because of my intense fear of presentations.

Can anyone give me advice on how to get over this?

Answer 1

Understand that if you don't just get up there and do your best, then you will not be doing your best.

Most people feel the same but do it anyway.

Understand your material, try and talk about something that you feel passionate about, you will come across better and if you are interested other's will be too.

Look at your audience, if you do not you look worse, if you do you actually realise people are listening to you.

Make notes that are mind maps, or something simular. So you have ideas, prompts whatever works for you. Never do written text of words, you end up reading them and it distracts from the message and you have no eye contact and you look shy and inward. Instead think of some ideas, and use prompts then talk about those.

Practice - practice your speech, the way you present yourself with every conversation you have. Get more animated, use more body language, eye contact, use your voice (pitch and volume to add meaning etc..) and conscieously be more interesting. Then understand that when you are doing a presentation you are just doing the same, there is just a couple more people present.

Look at one person for a couple of seconds, then go to another hold their gaze then move on to next etc.... This is less scary as you are just talking to that person. When you flick to another, another it includes them all and you are still only talking to one person at a time. The audience in turn feels included and looked at. Make sure you pick different parts of the room to include all of the audience. This is great eye contact.

Try not to hold your notes, or a pen, or glasses etc... It is distracting, you can intrivert yourself with them, and you cannot use body language when talking.

But know your material, practice, talk about what interests you, and you will be ok.

Confidence = knowing you can do an ok job like anyone else. This builds. Remember other's are scared too.

Lastly, it is not the end of the world to stuff up, everyone does, pick it up and just get on with it. Do it with confidence because if you do not then you were worse than you could have been. Do the best you can, and then the next time you will be better even!

Good Luck
Denise

Answer 2

Pastas are cheap and go a long way. That, a jar of spaghetti or marinara sauce, and a pound or two of ground beef will cost you around $5 and last you both 2-3 days. rice, beans, breads, and other dry goods last a long time. Also a big head of lettuce with a individual ingredients like cucumbers, bell peppers, onions etc. Oatmeal and dry cereal too. A tight budget can go a long way too by shopping at the 99 cent store. They sell groceries now and pretty good stuff too when you only got a few bucks to spend. Your 2nd trip will be easier, and others since you'll still have some stuff leftover from the previous week.

Answer 3

In my experience, avoiding the problem will never solve anything. I've had to push myself to get up and do it and try not to be nervous. I would start small. Get a group of your family members together and present the presentation to them until you feel comfortable...then get a group of friends and do the same. When it comes to the big day...don't look at the crowd. Focus on something on the wall in the back of the room and focus just on the content of the presentation. It'll take a lot of work....but the more you push yourself to do it, the more desensitized you will become to it. However, if this creates panic attacks and impairs your functioning, this fear, then it might be a good thing to talk to a Psychologist.

Answer 4

Know you are brilliant. See your own beauty. Now, imagine the audience is naked. When choosing your presentation pick something you love or are passionate about. Knowing what you're talking about gives you courage, power, and animation in your presentation.

If there is a heckler, or eyeball roller in the crowd, single that person out and ask him/her a question about what your speech is. Even something you've already said. Power. It's YOUR presentation. Own it, rock their minds.

you can do it. I'd love to be there!

Answer 5

I think most people have an intense fear of public speaking. It always helped me to see how nervous the other students were as well. Talk to your classmates, you'll feel better when they start to express the same fears that you have.

Answer 6

maybe u can take some extra help or private tutoring in that area. the best way to get over it is just to practice! also, dont let anyone know ur scared, and just don't make a big deal of it urself, then nobody else will make a big deal of it.