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Alcohol before presentation?

2

Comments

  • #32
    Arbiter of Good Taste
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,200 ✭✭✭Arbiter of Good Taste


    Man up OP. Nobody likes doing presentations. But you don't just go and drink the nerves away. What happens the next time you're in an uncomfortable situation? And the next time?

    Just be prepared, and practice.


  • #33
    dee_mc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,246 ✭✭✭dee_mc


    SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »
    in fairness if this is in Dublin,a drunk culchie rambling incoherently on a Tuesday morning after a bank holiday weekend would not go down well

    ...whereas anywhere outside of Dublin that'd be sound :rolleyes:


  • #34
    Dj Grimreefer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 93 ✭✭Dj Grimreefer


    Two words to nail the presentation,

    JAZZ HANDS,


    whe pointing to the screen jazz hands your way in there


  • #35
    orangesoda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,223 ✭✭✭orangesoda


    dee_mc wrote: »
    I recommended Rescue Remedy to a friend in a similar situation when we were in college - I didn't think it had any real value except a placebo effect. Noticed during her presentation that her speech was slurred and her eyes look a bit wrong. Of course she drank the whole bottle. Thought it was like an energy shot thingy. Sigh.

    God save us, I used to chew that auld rescue remedy chewing gum, i went threw it like a pack of wrigleys with not a bit of difference


  • #36
    orangesoda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,223 ✭✭✭orangesoda


    SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »
    in fairness if this is in Dublin,a drunk culchie rambling incoherently on a Tuesday morning after a bank holiday weekend would not go down well

    england so it is


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  • #37
    Miaireland
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,066 ✭✭✭Miaireland


    Ted_YNWA wrote: »
    Back in my day, we used to give questions to class mates to ask, so we were prepared for the answers.

    I wish I had your classmates. Mine felt they would get better grades by showing someone else up.


  • #38
    131spanner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,305 ✭✭✭131spanner


    Disco Biscuits are great for making it seem like you give a **** about the power-point you put together the night before, dressed in only your jocks eating the 10 bag of King Crisps I bought at Centra... Wait, what was the question?


  • #39
    KungPao
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,796 ✭✭✭KungPao


    I have one myself too tomorrow. Last time I had one I took a sneaky Xanax an hour before and it went really well.

    May or may not do the same tomorrow.


  • #40
    dee_mc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,246 ✭✭✭dee_mc


    orangesoda wrote: »
    God save us, I used to chew that auld rescue remedy chewing gum, i went threw it like a pack of wrigleys with not a bit of difference

    The liquid version is quite strong, but to be fair the same girl couldn't drink a shot without getting woozy so I guess having 20 times the recommended dosage probably effected her worse than most!


  • #41
    BearBanjer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 108 ✭✭BearBanjer


    Ask yourself: Do you want to be the guy who's going to take a drink every time he's a bit nervous or do you want to be the guy who's going to suck it up, nervous or not, get on with it, learn from it, get better at it and be proud of what you achieved?


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  • #42
    orangesoda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,223 ✭✭✭orangesoda


    KungPao wrote: »
    I have one myself too tomorrow. Last time I had one I took a sneaky Xanax an hour before and it went really well.

    May or may not do the same tomorrow.

    can you explain how you felt? did it stop the adrenaline flow or what? i have an awful problem with saliva when nervous and have to swallow mid sentence sometimes


  • #43
    Maphisto
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,014 ✭✭✭Maphisto


    OP - I'm with the Don't Brigade

    There are loads of reasons:

    - you develop a dependancy (so its one slug now but when your 45/50 and the company's downsizing and things are generally $hite - 5 or 6?)
    - you might over do it and become concious of it
    - you want to be sharp for questions

    I hope it goes well for you


  • #44
    SEPT 23 1989
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,038 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    orangesoda wrote: »
    england so it is

    Drunken paddy routine it is then


  • #45
    Tasden
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,166 ✭✭✭Tasden


    orangesoda wrote: »
    can you explain how you felt? did it stop the adrenaline flow or what? i have an awful problem with saliva when nervous and have to swallow mid sentence sometimes

    Just take in a bottle of water with you.

    Everyone watching the presentation knows how difficult it is to do. Nobody thinks badly of someone for them being nervous so it really doesn't matter if you come across that way.

    Is it for work or college?


  • #46
    Rayne Wooney
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,134 ✭✭✭✭Rayne Wooney


    Sounds like a good plan, just remember to get one of your classmates to record it so you can put it up here for educational purposes


  • #47
    orangesoda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,223 ✭✭✭orangesoda


    i am quite drunk now just to add as i am testing the dosage, i am practising the presentation and can talk normally but i have an awful desire to burst out laughing


  • #48
    sunshine and showers
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,027 ✭✭✭sunshine and showers


    Rescue Remedy might be a better option.


  • #49
    Lingua Franca
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,800 ✭✭✭Lingua Franca


    A wee sniff of the colombian marching powder will give you the confidence to do your presentation, with the added bonus for everybody involved that you'll be over and done with it in about 45 seconds.


  • #50
    statss
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,802 ✭✭✭statss


    a Xanax would do what you need


  • #51
    Frank Lee Midere
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,780 ✭✭✭Frank Lee Midere


    Strawberry Persuasion wrote: »
    Ask yourself: Do you want to be the guy who's going to take a drink every time he's a bit nervous or do you want to be the guy who's going to suck it up, nervous or not, get on with it, learn from it, get better at it and be proud of what you achieved?

    He just wants to get through tomorrow. Churchill was half cut for all his speeches. Couldn't speak otherwise. A "bracer" was common enough for all speakers back then, drop some brandy before getting on the stage. Not drunk, just to get over the initial flutters.


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  • #52
    MonsterCookie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 959 ✭✭✭MonsterCookie


    dee_mc wrote: »
    The liquid version is quite strong, but to be fair the same girl couldn't drink a shot without getting woozy so I guess having 20 times the recommended dosage probably effected her worse than most!

    OP, Bachs rescue remedy in liquid form will help, and is a far better idea than alcohol. As others have suggested, doing your prep is the only real way of making sure you don't make a tool of yourself.

    I have also found that getting the first few sentences right in my head, sort of a preamble to the content of the presentation, and nailing the intro always helps me get off t a good start which is vital.

    Last piece of wisom from me...if you're bricking it...focus on something later that day. Something you can look forward to...like a beer, or a bite to eat, or a hand shandy! This helps to remind you that there is life after the presentation and now matter how it goes, you will be getting out of there and life will go on!!!

    Good luck.


  • #53
    endacl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,443 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    Tasden wrote: »
    Just take in a bottle of water with you.

    Everyone watching the presentation knows how difficult it is to do. Nobody thinks badly of someone for them being nervous so it really doesn't matter if you come across that way.

    Is it for work or college?

    Nah. Some do. Most wonder what all the fuss is about. It's just like talking to a person, only there's more of them. Plus, you don't have to think of what to say as you've prepared your spiel. The clue's in the title. 'Presentation'.

    Just get on with it.


  • #54
    Arthur Beesley
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,537 ✭✭✭Arthur Beesley


    SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »
    do a few lines of coke as well just to be on the safe side

    And a rock shandy for good measure.


  • #55
    orangesoda
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,223 ✭✭✭orangesoda


    MonsterCookie wrote: »
    OP, Bachs rescue remedy in liquid form will help, and is a far better idea than alcohol. As others have suggested, doing your prep is the only real way of making sure you don't make a tool of yourself.

    I have also found that getting the first few sentences right in my head, sort of a preamble to the content of the presentation, and nailing the intro always helps me get off t a good start which is vital.

    Last piece of wisom from me...if you're bricking it...focus on something later that day. Something you can look forward to...like a beer, or a bite to eat, or a hand shandy! This helps to remind you that there is life after the presentation and now matter how it goes, you will be getting out of there and life will go on!!!

    Good luck.

    i read that as ham sandwich, i think i've took a bit too much of that vodka


  • #56
    djk1000
    Closed Accounts Posts: 899 ✭✭✭djk1000


    I hate public speaking, I have to do it all the time in work and I've picked up a few tricks.

    1. Learn it off so you can do it in your sleep. Have the whole talk written down so you can refer to it in an emergency.
    2. Have keywords in big print at the top of every page with arrows for the flow of the talk, quick look at the key words when you turn the page and then talk away. Refer to the page when you have to.
    3. Practice again and again in front of people, but don't ask for their advice, they'll just rattle you.
    4. Visualise, sit down in a quiet place, close your eyes, imagine you're in the room and go through it in your head word for word.
    5. Always (If you can) know the number of people that will be there and where you'll be standing. Before people get there, stand in the position you'll be in to get a feel for the room. It's amazing how odd a classroom looks when you stand up the front and look down for the first time :-)
    6. Remember that time is relative, it feels like 10 seconds to you when you're up there but it's really only 1 second. You have plenty of time to take a breath and gather your thoughts before each slide
    7. Bring water, if you get a brain freeze or a bit of panic, stop to take a drink, it will settle you.
    8. Remember that everyone else is in the same boat. Public speaking is a skill, not a god given talent, you'll improve if you work on it.
    9. Talk to one person in the room, but vary who that person is very now and then. Ignore everyone else
    10. Don't feckin drink alcohol before it, but by all means get sh1t faced afterwards.


  • #57
    KungPao
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,796 ✭✭✭KungPao


    orangesoda wrote: »
    can you explain how you felt? did it stop the adrenaline flow or what? i have an awful problem with saliva when nervous and have to swallow mid sentence sometimes

    I felt fine. Just calmer and it helped me actually enjoy it a bit. I think the key really is knowing exactly what to talk about...without a script. Have points on a slide but have a free flowing narration that isn't robotic or boring.

    Also, I actually find its good to look at everyone early on, and keep a good pace...like a minute per slide for example, rather than flying through loads of slides then sticking on on one for ages.


  • #58
    Crumpets
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 585 ✭✭✭Crumpets


    I do presentations in German class in college the whole time, the great thing about that is no one in the class has a feckin' clue what any of us are saying :) loosens the nerves a bit.

    But anyways, just give it a whirl without the sauce, what's the worst that can happen? Just pace yourself, speak slowly, breathe and try and relax. Tis good experience sure! And it's only for a few minutes :) don't worry about it! Best of luck to you :) you'll be grand!


  • #59
    LETHAL LADY
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,145 ✭✭✭LETHAL LADY


    I hate the way this highfalutin crap has crept into the Irish business sector, with everything having to be explained with a presentation (stinks of 1980's America and flip boards to me). IMO just because you are a good public speaker and can produce an impressive powerpoint display doesn't make you a good worker.


  • #60
    ankles
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,286 ✭✭✭ankles


    Some nerves are good, they sharpen you up. I do lots of talks and the worst ones are where I go with the stock speech and think "no problem" and then start tripping over words etc.

    That said, too much nerves are a killer, I know, but please don't drink, it will detract from your ability to come across as professional, and the temptation to do something foolish will increase.

    So the tips are, firstly, practice practice practice, so you will be well used to it.
    Then, as someone else said, have your opening couple of sentences prepared in advance. Nothing too smart, just a couple of sensible things to lead in and take it from there. Good idea re focussing on the big pint you'll buy yourself after.

    If you have a chance, check out the set-up before the presentation, will you have the slides in front of you on a screen or will you have to be constantly turning back and forth, will presentation be set up or will you have to open it etc. always best to be prepared for anything that might throw you. Bring a copy of your slides printed out if you can.


    And lastly, even pro's muck it up occasionally, so try not to worry about, it. Smile, make eye contact, look interested in your subject. And give yourself a big pat on the back when its over. Best of luck


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  • #61
    Lingua Franca
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,800 ✭✭✭Lingua Franca


    In all seriousness, look over everyone's heads to the wall at the back of the room. Talk to the wall. That's how far your voice has got to project, and you won't notice everyone staring at you if you're staring over them, and they won't notice that you're not looking at them.


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