It's getting to be that time of the semester once again, the time of sweaty palms, nervous stutters, and wishing you could be anywhere else. That's right, it's class presentation time. It still amazes me, as a college senior (and marketing/business major), how many of my fellow classmates DREAD the idea of speaking in front of the class. I personally have had a lot of experience getting up and speaking to large groups, but it didn't always come as natural as it does now. In fact, in high school, I was once so scared and shaky to present a project that I made myself sick...almost in front of the entire class. So I do sympathize with those who feel nervous, but I promise it's not as bad as you think. It takes a lot of practice and self-reassuring, but anyone can get up and make a killer presentation. And here's some of my tips/advice on how to do that:

1. Relax/Breathe

Now I know what you're thinking, "How am I supposed to relax with all these people staring at me?" And I can tell you from experience, it isn't easy, but it's worth it when you find something that works. The fear is all in your head, and more often than not, worry about messing up or not keeping people's attention leads you to make these very mistakes. Take deep breaths, sing a little song in your head, or just focus on the information you're sharing. These things are just a few of the things you can do to make yourself relax–do anything that works for you. With a calm, clear head, you'll feel enough at ease to get through the presentation.

2. Go with the flow

It's hard enough having to worry about making mistakes or not having things go they way you want them. If you're already freaking out about something that hasn't happened and something does go wrong (and it will sooner or later) you have to be prepared to brush it off and keep going. Now I know grades are in part determined by how you present the project, and the thought of one little mistake could mean an instant failure, but focusing on this will only hurt you. You're much better off making a mistake and finding a way to brush it off or make some kind of joke out of it (jokes have a time and place, so you must be careful with that one). Prepare for mistakes in advance, learn different ways to react those little bumps in the road. I'll tell you this, we once had a guest speaker for one of my club meetings who's powerpoint was a different version from what was on the school's computers, resulting in messed up slides. She made a few jokes here and there but found a way to keep going. So even professionals get messed up from time-to-time, just have to go with the flow.

3. Be interesting

The best advice I could give you is time pick a topic that you have a good amount of interest in. When you have an honest interest in a topic it shows in the presentation. In the same, if you're bored and uninterested, you're presentation will be boring and uninteresting. Now sometimes you HAVE to do that one topic you care nothing about, whether it be the professor's assigning or being overruled in a group decision, and this is never fun. But there are still ways you can find a way to make it interesting. If you're like me and enjoy learning about things you don't know, then this isn't too much of an issue. But if you're one of those people who just doesn't care no matter what, then it's up to you to find a way to change it. It's difficult but not impossible. Even if your interest lasts the span of the assignment time.

4. Practice

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. I cannot say this enough. Like cooking, the more you do it the easier it gets. Whether it's in front of your mirror or in front of friends and family, practicing the format of your presentation gets you more comfortable with speaking in front of other people. Unless you're naturally comfortable speaking with a ton of people watching you, winging your presentation is a terrible idea. PRACTICE. It may be time-consuming, but it will only help you in the long-run.

Public speaking is an extremely important skill to have. Presentations can be annoying and downright terrifying, but the are a necessary part of life. I can only think of a few examples of jobs that don't require some kind of social skill, so the best thing you can do for yourself is getting used to speaking to groups of people. These are all things you can try to make yourself a better speaker. It doesn't happen overnight, so don't get discouraged, and don't be afraid to make mistakes here and there–it's all a part of the learning process and will lead you to strive to be a better speaker. Now get out there and make that next presentation the best one you've ever done!