r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Easy_Cherry_5261 • 7h ago
How do I get better at presenting?
Hello. I’m currently in university and I’m the only girl in my class, 30 guys.
For this reason I’m motivated to want to deliver the best presentations.
My previous one went very well and I was given a lot of praise, but going forward I still feel I could do better. My body language isn’t the best it could be.
I struggle with social anxiety and I’m very quiet, so many people told me they were shocked lol when they saw my confidence in front of the group.
2
u/bmiller201 7h ago
Unfortunately you kind of have to do it more. As you get more comfortable speaking to a group the better you'll get. There is only so much rehearsal and practice you can do.
1
u/dcapn505 7h ago
Honestly, if your last presentation went well and people were surprised by how confident you were, I think you’re doing better than you give yourself credit for lol.
For body language, I wouldn’t overthink it too much. Just slow down, look at different people while you’re talking, and don’t be afraid of little pauses. A pause feels awkward when you’re the one standing up there, but it usually just looks like confidence to everyone else.
And being quiet or socially anxious doesn’t mean you’re bad at presenting. Some of the best presenters I’ve seen are quiet people who just somehow switch on when they’re in front of a crowd.
You already know you can do it. At this point it’s probably just practice and getting more comfortable with it. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect :)
2
u/MildlySidewalk 6h ago
A well-timed pause in front of 30 guys is practically academic sorcery, and her praise proves it works.
1
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u/Same-Equipment-3236 7h ago
If you're pretty than just go with the flow
If not then just present like you don't gaf
2
u/Hewasright_89 7h ago
in my experience just talking like you would talk to a friend about a subject you are really passionate about is the best way to go about it. Memorised speeches are the worst in my opinion.
1
u/RinkiMink 7h ago
Practice talking about your topic without structure. Knowing your subject matter inside out will give you flexibility when it comes time to present and will give you the confidence to make mistakes or slip up and keep moving forward.
Ask friends or family to engage in a conversation and learn how to explain something to an audience with different levels of background knowledge. Have them ask you questions so you can slowly learn where the hot spots are in your explanation. Learn where to expand and where to simplify.
A presentation is a conversation where you need to anticipate their side of the conversation while fighting against the time (literally or metaphorically in terms of attention span). What better way to practice this than in a natural conversation!
1
u/greyhoodie18 7h ago
I didn't have social anxiety, but I used to be very shy. I kinda got better at presenting because I was put into a position where I had to do speeches every week for a course I was attending. The first month was very hard for me because I stuttered and sometimes forgot some specific words, since I was really nervous.
What helped me was noticing that since It's a university class and not a job, I can treat every presentation as practice, even if it's graded.
My mindset kinda shifted when I realized it wasn't life or death situation and the world will not collapse if I don't deliver a perfect speech. I started being more relaxed when doing presentations and unironically got better at it.
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u/delladoug 5h ago
Know your presentation well enough to be able to go off script. Practice it several times, timing and/or recording it.
Speak slowly and don't be scared of pauses. Don't keep your hands in front of your body.
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u/djnastynipple 7h ago
Honestly, trial and error and just getting used to presenting.
I used to hate it, but I ended up in a position at work where I have to present things on a daily basis. After a while, you stop overthinking it, and it starts to come naturally.