15 Public Speaking Tips For Students To Calm Your Nerves

Whether you are making a presentation in class, in the office, or at a conference, you are likely to have to do public speaking at some point over the course of your college career. For many students, the thought of talking to a crowd of people is terrifying and overwhelming. Nerves are perfectly normal in this kind of situation. Don’t worry, we have some public speaking tips for students to calm your nerves to have the best experience possible.

1. Practice a lot before the speech

Although you may feel like you know the material, it is still crucial to practice your speech exhaustively. Avoid the temptation to memorize your speech word for word, but have bullet points that you would like to cover.

2. Know that you are the expert on the material

You have done the research and are the vessel of this information to your audience. Going into your presentation with this confidence can help your nerves calm down, at least a little bit. Keep in mind that you are there to help your audience learn something new.

3. Watch other speeches

One of the best public speaking tips for students is to get in the speech-mindset. Getting a sense of how professional speakers present can allow you to learn their practices and pick up on things they do. Watch their body language and do your best to incorporate what they do into your own presentation.

4. Adjust to your surroundings

In order to feel comfortable, you need to be able to adjust to your surroundings. Wear comfortable clothing and come prepared. Dress in layers so you can take off layers if the room is warm. Being physically comfortable in the space can help calm your nerves.

5. Greet your audience members if you have the chance

As audience members come in and find their seats, greet them. Say hi and do your best to strike up conversations with those who are early. Knowing that the audience is friendly and interested in what you have to say can calm your nerves.

6. Make eye contact with a few people you know or have greeted

If you know people in the audience, know where they are sitting and make eye contact with them throughout your speech. Seeing a familiar face will allow you to tune everyone else out so that you can speak as if you are talking one-on-one with someone.

7. Arrive early

Arriving early allows you to get a feel for the space and get comfortable standing in front of the room. Visualize the room full of people and run through your presentation in your head. Arriving late only adds to the stress and the nerves you are already feeling. The key to a lot of public speaking tips for students is putting yourself back in the driver’s seat when you feel out of control.

8. Speak slowly and pause

When you are nervous, you tend to speak much faster than you would otherwise. Deliberately speak slower than you would in normal conversation. It may feel awkward, but it helps. Take pauses to catch your breath and look around to quickly get some feedback.

9. Avoid caffeine

While some people can drink coffee without getting jittery, some people get even more nervous if they drink any form of caffeine before a presentation. Avoid drinking it if you know it will cause you to be jittery, as you will physically look nervous when you want to look confident and comfortable.

10. Use positive visualization

People get nervous because they picture the worst case for their presentation or speech. Thinking positively and picturing your speech going really well is one of the most helpful public speaking tips for students because it will help calm your nerves and will help make that vision a reality.

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11. Keep your need for perfection in check

So many people think that their presentation needs to be completely perfect. However, no one is perfect and perfection should not be your aim. Keep in mind that it is okay to make mistakes, and view these as opportunities to grow and improve.

12. Find a rhythm in your speaking

This comes with practicing your speech. As you speak, you will find a natural flow and words will just come out organically. Reaching this point takes a few minutes and comes with knowing your material, but it helps calm your nerves.

13. Have a structure to your presentation

Having a structure to your presentation can help prevent you from clamoring to remember what was next in your presentation. This helps keep your flow, and being organized helps you reduce the feelings of being flustered you may feel.

14. Resist the temptation to start speaking immediately

There are no rules that state that you must start speaking as soon as you get to the front of the room. Take a few seconds to compose yourself. Take a few deep breaths, organize your notes, and become comfortable with your audience. This will help you become calm in the environment of the room.

15. Move around during your presentation

Many people are physically jittery when they are nervous. To help translate this energy, move around the room every so often. Also, do not be afraid to use hand gestures to emphasize important points of your presentation. This will put your nervous energy into natural-looking movement.

What public speaking tips for students have you found helpful? Put them in the comments!