EDITORIAL,

overtheedge 6 March, 1996 p = se

Presentations.

The very word can make a classroom go silent. The
amount of fear that ‘Presentation’ instills in a student
seems to go straight to the very core of the human
experience.

Everybody knows that presentations are ‘hard for
everybody to do’ because ‘nobody wants to be rejected by
their peers’. This can be considered part of the general
knowledge that every student contains. But does it make
the experience any easier or tolerable?

Usually not.

Some presentations are easier than others. Everybody
has different ways of looking at these nasty little events.
Perhaps you enjoy a presentation in front of people you
know or maybe having that group of faces that stare at
you as though you were beneath a microscope. One thing
that seems most difficult to maintain during a presentation
is the attention of the audience.

This unusual behavior is only exhibited by classes,
which raises the question.of just how hard a class
presentation is. Humor seems to be the only way to keep
the attention of the audience. Unfortunately, most
students are unable to achieve a solid balance between
humor and their presentation.

Those that do use humor and manage to maintain the
precious balance, do extremely well. These are usually
the elders of the classroom, the ones who have made all
their poor presentations prior to your arrival and are able
to draw on years of experience to make their point.

A presentation which calls for you to make a debate can
be tricky as well. Unless you are on your toes, you can
only sit and stare at the floor, hoping that the other person
will take mercy on you and stop bashing the 'stupid'
points you raised in your opening statement.

Many students question the reasons behind having
presentations. Why do presentations make up so much of
a student's mark? Why do students fall asleep during
presentations? Why did I forget to eat before making this
presentation?

These are questions that neither I or anyone else short of
The Powers that Be can answer. Sorry for the
inconvenience, as Douglas Adams put it.

_ What you have to remember is, simply enough, to make
sure that YOU come through in a presentation. Simply:
reciting words from some dusty old tome or mumbling
quietly to the front row with your eyes glued to the terra .
firma does not convince the audience that you are having
fun telling them about your subject.

Only when you come through as yourself, can you truly
achieve the goal of a humorous presentation.

So remember...

All the world's a stage,(with half marks for presentation).

UNBC Student Newspaper

Smoking Section

Non-Smoking Section

Problem: The writing blahs!
Solution: See a Writing Tutor!

Now in Residence—

Fourth Floor, North, Study Room

Tuesday—Res 1
Wednesday—Res 2
6:00 until 9:00 on a trial basis
Use it or lose it!

Drop-in or make an appointment at 960-6367

Learning Skills Centre