The Best Way Not to Be Nervous When Presenting a School Project to a Class

The fear of speaking in front of a class can be overwhelming, and inhibits your ability to excel in school unless it is confronted head on. While everyone feels nervous at times when presenting in front of peers, continuous nervousness that is debilitating is considered a form of social anxiety, according to Charles H. Elliott, Ph.D., author of "Overcoming Anxiety For Dummies." Public speaking anxiety is manageable through relaxation techniques and thought monitoring, which prepares you for potentially stressful situations rather than avoid them.

Instructions

• 1

  Slowly inhale through your nose, and hold your breath for six seconds. Exhale through your mouth until you don't have any air left in your lungs; repeat the process 10 times. Breathing techniques reduce stress by regaining control of your breathing pattern. When stressed, people either stop breathing altogether or take shallow breaths, which induces panic.

• 2

  Create a list of your fears about public speaking. According to Elliott, a list sorts out your thoughts and provides insight to the root of your fears. Create a second list that explains in detail the consequences of having this fear, and the worst possible scenario. Writing out the possible scenarios reduces the level of stress when you confront it by breaking down the fears.

• 3

  Face your fear by speaking in public in small steps. Having lunch with a friend in a public space is a small step on the totem pole of public speaking. As you feel more comfortable in social interactions, increase your exposure by speaking to a group of friends at a party.

• 4

  Avoid retreating when you start to feel anxious. Retreating is your mind's way of protecting you from uncomfortable situations, and unfortunately, this is only a temporary solution to the overall problem of social anxiety.

• 5

  Prepare for the presentation. A lack of preparation can cause nervousness, as you may feel you are being judged because you were not ready for the presentation. Practice presenting while looking in the mirror, and observe your facial expressions and body language to gauge your level of preparedness.