So I was a little bit hesitant to write this post because I came back from NCUR with a lot of mixed feelings about the experience. In my mind, I had worked it up to be a huge ordeal and along with that thought came tons of nervousness and stress. But when it came time to present, I was primarily speaking to our class, which was no different than most Fridays. Not that I expected a tremendous crowd of new listeners, but it did feel a little silly giving the same spiel to the same students just in a different state. It didn’t feel any more grandiose than a class day at MHC, except that I was wearing an uncomfortable blazer.
On the upside, it was really interesting to see other panels and hear about research in different fields. There were several students who were “experts” on niche topics that were able to convey their knowledge clearly to us in the audience. Hearing questions from the audience in other panels demonstrated the vast opinions and perspectives present at the conference. Even while listening to peers’ presentations that I felt well informed about, I was intrigued by the different questions coming from the audience. After months of discussing these topics in class, I was pleasantly surprised to hear different questions and comments that hadn’t arose in our conversations.
Overall, the conference was a learning experience—not just from an academic standpoint, but also from a personal perspective. While I learned a plethora of information from observing panels, I also learned something about myself—namely, I’m really passionate about this project and that I do not have an iron sense of confidence when it comes to presenting.
I guess my advice for future presenters would be:
- Follow the Girl Scout motto—Be prepared. Buses will not run on time. You will likely walk into the wrong building or room at least once. The hotel will check 8 girls into the same room. But all of that is okay. You will catch the next bus. You will cross the hall or campus into the correct building. And eventually everyone will have a hotel bed to sleep in. Just be prepared to handle the glitches as they come. Roll with the punches.
- There will be highs and lows. You might see an amazing panel in the morning and learn a great deal about your favorite topic, then that afternoon you might present to just a room of familiar faces. Some things will surpass your expectations, while others fall short. But it’ll balance out in the end.
- Fake it till you make it (or at least until you get home). One thing 15 years of theatre has taught me is that you don’t actually have to be confident; you just have to exude confidence. If you want to take Shakespeare’s advice, “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Put on your top hat and do your dance, change out of the costume when the curtain closes.
To sign off with a song that always makes me smile…
