Part of being a student is doing research and giving presentations. You put a lot of effort into choosing a topic, finding information, and putting it together in a way that makes sense. That might even include creating a visual such as a PowerPoint presentation or poster. But then you’re asked to stand up in front of everyone and talk about your project. Having all eyes on you can be nerve wracking.

Here are a few ways to reduce your stress and anxiety around public speaking.

  • Prepare

Know exactly what your teacher is looking for. Does your presentation need to be of a certain length? Are you expected to answer questions about it? Do you need to explain your visual? Can you use notecards or an outline?

This will help you get ready to create your speech. You can give yourself time to memorize everything if necessary or to develop note cards you can easily reference to keep track of where you are in your presentation. If other students are able to ask questions at the end, ask your family to come up with some of their own so you can think of responses ahead of time and not feel as pressured to come up with something on the spot.

  • Practice

Write out your speech and then practice, practice, practice. Talk out loud – not just in your head. It can be helpful to record yourself using your laptop or phone so you can watch it back and make changes. You can also practice in front of a mirror. Talk slower than you think you need to because once you’re up in front of the class, it’s normal to speed up. And what you think sounds too slow will likely sound just right once you listen back to the recording.

Have your family sit and listen to your presentation so you can get more comfortable speaking in front of other people. The more familiar you are with the information and saying everything out loud, the more natural it will become.

  • Plan Ahead

A lot of nerves about public speaking come from “what if” thoughts. What if I mess up? What if I forget what comes next? What if I skip something? Boost your confidence by coming up with a plan for each scenario. If you mess up, pause, take a breath, and start again. If you lose your place, glance down at your notes and find where you left off. If you skip something, take a moment to think about whether the information is crucial to your presentation, or if you can just keep going like nothing happened.

Think about your body language as well. Consider how you’re standing, what you’ll do with your hands, and where you’re looking. Try to be as natural as possible, scanning different faces, using your hands to emote as you talk, and even moving around the front of the room a bit. Standing like a statue can make you feel even more nervous.

  • Positive Thinking

Hype yourself up. Repeat a few positive mantras to remind yourself that you can do this and there is nothing to worry about. You have practiced, you know the information, and you are ready. Remember that everyone is probably nervous, and you are not alone. Take a few deep breaths to center yourself before you start.

  • Go First

Another source of anxiety can be the wait. Sitting through class thinking about your speech over and over, waiting for others to finish, wondering when you’ll be called. Volunteer to go first if you can in order to get it out of the way. Plus, then you’re not tempted to compare your presentation to people who have gone before you.

Working with a tutor can help you improve your research skills, polish up your writing, and practice public speaking so you can share what you’ve learned with confidence. Contact Crafting Scholars today to learn more and reserve your spot!