ES1102 Presentation Reflection

Giving a presentation is always something I dread in my academic career. Even though it may be just a simple presentation in front of a group of friends, somehow the moment I step in front onto the ‘stage’ and feel their eyes on me, nervousness will start creeping up on me.  Also, previously in secondary school and polytechnic, the presentations I had to give were normally group presentations so I always had the comfort of my friends backing me up if I stumbled during the group presentations. Therefore, giving a solo presentation constantly has been daunting task for me and the presentation I gave during the ES1102 lesson was no different.

I must admit that I was not that well-prepared for this presentation. However, that was no excuse for the sudden moment of ‘mind blank’ that I had when I was presenting on that Monday. Whatever script I had attempted to memorize flew out of my mind when I felt my peers’ eyes on me. I could only attribute it to nervousness and lack of confidence of presenting in front of an audience. When my ‘mind blank’ forced me to refer to the notes I had with me, I had this feeling that I lost to myself.

Through this presentation, I also learn that developing a good pace is an essential point to a good presentation. Speaking too fast has always been a weak point I have when I am nervous. Not surprisingly, my peers told me I spoke too fast at certain times for them to catch on. Therefore, I think that I need to be more self-conscious of my pace when I am presenting.

All in all, I feel that there is so much I need to improve on regarding giving a presentation. I will definitely try my best to hone my presentation skills during my university life and I do believe that I would have many chances to do in the upcoming years. It may be a scary thought for now but I hope that someday I can throw away my fear of giving a presentation.

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