Have you ever needed to deliver a presentation for school and felt the world stop around you? From the fear of failure, having to present complicated deliverables or even anxiety about putting yourself in the spotlight? Surveys indicate that about 75% of the population fears public speaking, and I was no different starting out. What I learned through my experiences presenting for student teams can hopefully give you tips for improving your public speaking skills and feeling confident when your time to present comes up.

First, how can you plan to ensure your presentation goes off without a hitch? It may seem common to prepare for a presentation. Still, many people fall into a bad habit of loosely knowing their topic and trying to wing it when their time comes, only to stumble on something they forgot and lack the preparation and knowledge of the subject to recover. It’s fundamental to know the topic you are presenting first. You may believe you already know the topic well enough or think it’s fine just to follow the lines in your script, but that extra preparation can save you if things go off the rails. We’re all human and get a little nervous when we present. This can lead to spreading up your tone when speaking or even forgetting your lines. Knowing your topic well can let you recover before the audience notices if this happens. I’ve done a few presentations where I’ve blanked on a line, but since I knew my topic, I could always use a different line that conveys the same message as the original. As long as you understand what needs to be communicated to the audience, forgetting the proper words isn’t a big deal, especially when you can give a similar explanation in its place. Remember that the audience does not know your script and won’t know when you change your lines or slip up as long as you can recover fast.

It’s essential to understand that nervousness is okay. A bit of anxiety is common for anyone having to go up and present. It’s important not to freak out when you get nervous or let that psych you out of presenting. In the downtime before my presentation, I typically think through my lines or start counting. Doing something to keep your brain busy can help when nervousness strikes you.

But what can be done when you’re up there presenting? First, you want to ensure you have good posture and eye contact. How you present yourself will affect how your audience perceives your presentation: stand straight, keep your feet planted, keep your hands in a comfortable position (not swaying by your side), and keep an eye on your audience. If you get nervous making direct eye contact with people when you present, a little trick is to look at the blank space between the people you are presenting to so it seems like you are looking at them, and you will not lose focus. While this may help you keep focus, be sure to address all of your audience; look around now and then to keep everyone engaged in your presentation.

The last thing to remember is to project your voice. You want to speak with more emphasis so everyone in the room can hear you. Try breathing through your diaphragm and imagine your voice coming from your stomach and through your mouth; this will give you a projected voice without the need to raise it. You also want to focus on how fast you speak. When you’re in the moment, you will likely talk faster to get it over with, but it’s important to catch yourself when you do it and slow down so your audience understands everything you say. You should also speak with confidence. When you know your topic and slow your talking speed, you will say fewer filler words such as “um” or “ah”s. This will help you appear confident and give the impression that you know what you’re talking about. The last thing to remember is to change how you present yourself based on the presentation. If it’s for entertainment and not serious, loosen your posture and speak with a lighter tone. If it’s serious, keep yourself planted and emphasize essential words to give them more impact. If it’s somewhere between those examples, find a middle ground where you can match the tone your presentation sets

Hopefully, these pointers can help you flourish the next time you have to give a public speech.