today: May 15, 2008
Today is the presentation of my life… and I’m crazy nervous. I’ve never been this nervous before a presentation - and that makes me even MORE nervous!
Basically, I’m a wreck.
So, in order to relieve some of this nervousness, I decided it was a good idea to type up exactly what I plan on saying during the presentation. Now I don’t have to stumble on words, and maybe even my voice won’t shake. The key to minimizing the freaking out is to lay low on caffeine. Just recently, I realized that coffee actually does give me the jitters, but only when I’m already freaking out about something.
Coffee + extreme nervousness = Really, really bad news
At 1:45pm, it will be my turn to present my paper on inequality and economic development in Guatemala. If people ask me intense questions (or any questions at all), I will die.
Oh, and after this I’m one 8 page (single-spaced) paper away from ditching this stupid school. And I graduate in 8 days.
{kay} said,
15 May, 2008 @ 11:26 pm
i hope everything went well. the key when giving presentations (or public speaking) i think is to…breathe! sounds simple but usually you’re just trying to rush through it and you end up going so fast - also, if you fumble or are asked something - i always take a couple of seconds before proceeding/answering (like 2 or 3 sec). it gives you just enough time to gather your thoughts so you don’t end up saying ‘aaaahhh…weeeeell….ummmm.’ as you think - people tend to do that when they are thinking - but a brief silence sounds so much better :)