haha, I once made an ass of myself doing public speaking. Always the nervous type, but that one time I didn't know what was in me, but I felt total comfort in the environment. The first few times I did it I didn't wear my eyeglasses so I was practically blind. No doubt that doesn't really help with public speaking, but when you're blind as a bat and can't see nobody, I can't start shooting ideas at myself about how people look at me and what they think about me. That worked quite well.
The other times I had more confidence in myself and had put back on the eyeglass. The lights in the room were partially off, and that did help a bit too.
Did about 5 or 6 presentations in total in that oral communications class. Felt much more comfortable with everyone else in the class afterwards, after everyone has made jackasses of themselves. lol
Watch the time. Practice speaking the paper over yourself, and time it. The worst thing in a presentation, imo, is people going too fast and nobody understands what the heck they're talking about (which defeats the who objective of the presentation), or drags on and on in monotone. Speak at a good pace, slow down, take pauses, take a few steps, show some body movement, make eye contact once every so often (not just in one corner, everyone) and you should be good.
If you can, find a couple of objects in the back of the room and use them as your focus points.
Don't just talk for the sake of talking. UNDERSTAND what you're saying yourself too, cause it may hit you like a brick wall if someone pauses to ask you a question and you go "huh?? what did I just say?" Some people say things for the sake of having to say it but aren't really paying attention to what they're saying. Sounds silly huh?
If you can open up the air with side joke at the beginning, that'd be a bonus for you
PS: Don't bite your thumb, fiddle your fingers, or play with the pen when you're speaking. Looks very unprofessional.
Goodluck with the speech.
Plucky
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