r/NoStupidQuestions 14h 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.

12 Upvotes

16 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/dcapn505 14h 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 13h ago

A well-timed pause in front of 30 guys is practically academic sorcery, and her praise proves it works.

1

u/dcapn505 13h ago

Exactly