Nervous about presentation next week?

We had to write a children's book for my Spanish class and we have to present them on Wednesday. Ok, I know you probably thinking 'She's nervous about something that's still 7 days away? All she has to do is read it. It's not like she has to do a speech without note cards, reading is easy.'


Well that's not how I think, I get nervous over the smallest, dumbest things. Sometimes I worry about things weeks or even months in advance and that's all I think about. Even when someone says the word "presentation" I get nervous and my mouth gets dry. I hate it so bad, no one else gets nervous like me. My face turns red, my voice trembles, and I sweat uncontrolably. Is it noticable? How am I ever going to give presentations in college? I'm afraid my fear might cause me to be unsuccessful in my life and stop me from being what I want to be.

Nervous about presentation next week?
Dee, i have never answered any question on yahoo and this is probably the first and the only time i am answering something because i am able to relate to what you are going through. You know what, you just need a single good presentation to get out of that 'get nervous' mode.


I had one humiliating experience in an impromptu competition in my childhood and i was scared to death in even thinking about going on the stage again in my life. But after like eight or nine years, one of my ideas was shortlisted for a competition where i had to present that in front of 250 people. I decided to give it a shot even if i make a fool of myself. I prepared whole month for that, i rehearsed the presentation with all my friends individually and was so prepared on the D day that even if my voice would have trembled during the presentation, the words coming out will still make sense to the audience. I wasn't able to sleep due to anxiety on the night before. I reached an hour in advance to the venue, practiced listening to my own voice in an empty auditorium and kept a water bottle handy during the presentation. As expected, my face did turn red, my throat did went dry and i did sweat miserably but i gave a terrific half an hour presentation and kept the audience captivated enough to not to notice the flaws. I received the first prize. The number of points i earned were much more than the second prize winner. The award was not as important for me as to rediscover my lost confidence of public speaking.


After that incident, my whole outlook for public speaking has changed. Now, i keep looking for opportunities to present rather than avoiding them and i excel most often than not. And yeah, my throat still go dry and i still need the water bottle. :).





So, go out and prove it to yourself. If tom, dick and harry can manage to do it, you surely can do a lot better than them.
Reply:Finish organizing your presentation so you will have plenty of time to practice, practice, practice.


Practice with your family.


Practice with your friends.


Practice in front of the mirror.


Practice everyday so by the time Wednesday comes, you will be so familiar with what you are going to say, it might just come out almost naturally. Good Luck.


Remind yourself everyone else in class probably is just as nervous as you.
Reply:practice, practice . . . you seem to be a fearful person who needs to gain self-esteem through success. You can in fact defeat yourself if you don't start thinking more rationally and less emotionally. Take the focus off of YOU and think of the people who will be listening to your presentation. Make it light, informal and interesting for THEM. You're just the deliverer, and they're more interested in what you have to say than in you.





Don't avoid unpleasant situations out of fear and you'll eventually learn to deal with life's normal stresses. Trust this advice.
Reply:I get the same way! I learned this thing called timeline therapy. What you should do is imagine that you are above the event looking down on it. Then go fifteen or however many minutes into the future and realize that everything went just fine. Then go back to the event that is making you nervous and see how you feel. It really works and the program has a high success rate if you really try hard. Do it as many times as you need to before you feel totally calm and cool about the speech. Hope this helps! It helped me!
Reply:I don't know how old you are, but I'm guessing you're about my age because you talk about college as if it's in the future.





I'm 14, and I have been fluent in spanish since i was 5. My parents signed me up for spanish immersion and spanish is a big part of who i am, and it's very comforting and easy for me, even though i'm as white as the next white girl. haha.





at my school, i'm the T.A. (teacher's assistant) for Spanish I.


I know how hard it is for the students (unless they're very confident or popular) to make speeches. my ex-boyfriend (a TOTAL JERK WHO DOESN'T CARE ABOUT MY FEELINGS!!) is very popular and big-headed, and so one day, i had to stand up in front of the whole class and read a packet about the day of dead(halloween in mexico)





i was nervous, and especially for me, (i suffer from major anxiety and temporary depression) it was kind of hard.





my parents have helped me a lot.





but trust me.





the only one who can help you is yourself.





YOU ARE AN AMAZING GIRL (or guy...i'm guessing girl)





you're GOING TO BE OKAY. you're smart, you have tons of friends who love you, you are beautiful and you have prayer. i don't know if you have a religion, but i'm catholic and my faith helps me through a lot.





when the fear is out of your control, breaking down is okay. sometimes we stress ourselves out. i'm on the debate team, (just quit) jazz band, and i take private bass (and now guitar) lessons. CALM DOWN! take a break. watch a good movie. snuggle with your parents or your siblings, or some close friends.





know that OTHER PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY





and i actually fear college a bit myself.





SO DON'T WORRY! BE CONFIDENT! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!











hope this helps! comment and tell me if this helps, okay?
Reply:Public speaking has never been something I enjoyed either. The truth is, most people do get nervous, some are just better at hiding it than others. If you have all your things organized well and practice it frequently before you present you will be just fine.





As far as the physical symptoms go...palms sweating (put some deodorant on them before class--don't laugh--it works). To help with the dry throat, try some hard candy right before your turn to help. Take deep breaths before presenting to steady your voice.





It also helps to pick a focus point in the room that looks like you're looking at the audience but not having to make eye contact.





If you have a good friend in the class with you, just look at him/her most of the time, it will help your confidence with a smiling face looking back at you.





You will be just fine.
Reply:well i can tell u from experience, that practice really does help! The more u do it, the easier it is, although u can still get nervous, which i snormal. The best way to help u relax is first stop worrying about the future!!! Live in the present moment!! Then you practice reading your story out loud in your room, practice pronouncing your words and carrying your voice so ppl will understand when u read at school and not ask u to continuously speak up...which is so embarrassing.


Also breathe deep before u give a speech or anything, it truly does help u relax!! Also if u start to blush , just let it be bcuz teh more u think about it and try to fight it the worse it gets. I get it to but i just ignore it and breateh and it quickly fades away..u just have to act like its not there.


You have to be confident in ur book!!


Stand up straight and look ur audience in the eyes and don't freak out!! When u don't look ur audience in the eyes u r only making urself nervous bcuz u r "hiding" when i have looked at them especially those with smiles or a nice face that seem sthey r interested this it truly relaxes me, i think, "well they r going to do this to and they r nervous to" (even if they don't look it bcuz we feel more nervous than we look).


Also your peers and teacher want u to do good bcuz they have to go to!


If u do wat i said it will help u!! i took public speaking and did presentations etc and i am in college right now as well. It really sucks if u don't at least look at your audience at least a couple times bcuz it makes them feel importaant and it relaxes u.


Also i must say that if u feel really nervous just say..." i feel so nervous right now and smile or chuckle and then say the title of your story etc. This helps!!! If it bugs u sooooooooooooooo much ask ur doctor if u can talk to a specialist or something.


Work on your confidence and live in the present and not give up no matter how scary it is and also believ in yourself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone gets nervous no matter how confident they feel or act its okay and normal!! u will improve with practice!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

bad breath