Presenting or speaking in front of a crowd is daunting, especially if it’s a classroom full of your peers. While it might seem challenging to overcome, these jitters can be easily avoided by following these simple tips. Hopefully, in the long run, it will also help you to become a better presenter.
Preparation is key
According to Sacred Hearts Academy teacher Rosalynn Cambe, “It is wise to plan and prepare; don’t wing it. Have some kind of outline.”
And in order to plan and prepare, follow this step-by-step list I’ve compiled after doing a bit of research on my own. I like to call it the “Ultimate Student Presentation List.”
- -Write an Outline
- -Figure out what information goes where
- -Practice by recording yourself
- -Listen to how you sound
- -Don’t be a monotone robot
- -Know what you’re talking about
- -Practice in front of a mirror, family, friends and even your pets!
- -DON’T PROCRASTINATE!!
How to Deal with the Nervousness and Jitters
Feeling those nerves rev up before the big day is normal. It’s also scary. Cambe suggested “taking deep breaths before your speech.” This, according to Michigan Medicine, can lower that built-up stress in your body.
An example would be from my experience, taking deep breaths did help lower my stress levels because it helped me to relax and ease my nerves rather than going up and being stiff during my presentation.
Personal Experiences
Having these guidelines and rules really did benefit me. Writing an outline helped me feel more organized about what I was going to present. I also listened to how I sounded by practicing aloud beforehand. I found out that if I put more emotion into what I was saying, instead of sounding monotone, the audience would actually be interested. They would listen.
I highly recommend practicing in front of someone. Practice in front of your friends, family or even in front of a mirror. It will help you to feel less afraid of speaking publicly. One of the worst things that happened for
me was falling into the trap of procrastination. Never procrastinate because when I did, I stuttered, which led me to be even more nervous.
Hopefully after reading this article, you can apply some of this information toward your next presentation and find ways to not dread the thought of speaking in front of a crowd.
