5 TIPS TO GET BETTER AT PUBLIC SPEAKING AND PRESENTATIONS

This semester I did about four presentations with three of them being in the same week. Yes, three in one week. Yikes....for me. My first presentation went well but also not well. If you want a live video of me talking about my presentations, check it out here: https://youtu.be/FDQy2Qxqrn8?si=kFjF-EjI3wm4_ITq

If you're okay with reading, let me continue. For my first presentation, I was not nervous mentally however I was nervous physically. I told my group members that I'm not nervous. I've done presentations before. Oh please. I was lying to myself. When I went up to the front of the classroom, I started strong but then I lost breathe and my voice started to shake.

My breathing was off and everything went downhill for me. Luckily, the markers were gracious.

My other two presentations I was also nervous too but I was able to grab the room's attention and manage my breathing better.

You probably struggle with presentations as well so I'm to give you five tips if you struggle with public speaking and doing presentations.

TIP #1: Never go first but never go last.

You are already drilling with anxiety, so going first would be your biggest mistake, but going last is also a no-no and let me tell you why. Going first means you don't have any familiarity yet to what you are doing. Let another individual or group go first so you can watch their mistakes and see what to do and what not to do. Going last is also deadly to your anxiety because you will spend all day watching the presentations of everybody else and your anxiety would just keep getting worst with each presentation. My recommendation is to go second. Don't go first but don't torture yourself through countless presentations.

Tip #2: If speaking in a group, never be the first speaker. Let someone else go first so that they can break the ice and you can warm up to the room.

Tip #3: Look around the room and realize that those people can't hurt you. Often times, you know the people that you are presenting in front of. Their opinions do not matter. Just do your best.

Tip #4: Please breathe and keep on breathing no matter what. This tip is extremely essential. The minute you stop breathing is the minute you stop getting the words out and everything gets going badly when speaking. If you feel like you can't breathe, stop talking instead of continuing on and making a mess of your presentation.

Tip #5: Be yourself. If you naturally talk with your hands, then use your hands during your presentation. You can smile and you can laugh. Just show your best self during your presentation. This is essential too because they can see when you are comfortable and when you are not.

Presentations are never easy but with these tips you'll get better. I am not perfect but day by day and presentation after presentation, I try to stay in control when talking in front of people.

-XOXO TONI