How to be good at something you are not

[sharshar89]

I have a presentation tommorow and I'm not anticipating good results because my mind always go blank when the examiner asks questions and I have to keep refering to my card. The problem is tommorow I'm not even supposed to have a card to refer to..And the worse thing is the examiner is a professor who has rejected me during an interview for a project and gave me an hour pep talk before..What should I do to perform well tommorow?
And the thing is Im not really nervous now..Just very passive and disinterested and avoidant of tommorow because I already resigned to the fact that Im going to be an embarassment tommorow and I might have to bear through that hour.

[DANDUNGAN]

What was your experience with the pep talk?

I'm also wondering if you can see the card in your mind when you close your eyes?

[sharshar89]

Originally Posted by DANDUNGAN

What was your experience with the pep talk?

I'm also wondering if you can see the card in your mind when you close your eyes?

In my mind? In my mind will be the professor's eye and how he would judge me.. I think my words will be all over the place..

Well I couldn't find his office therefore I was late for 10 minutes.. I told him that exactly so he said throughout my 3 years of university life I couldn't be bothered to find any professor thats why I don't even know there are two sides of office in that building.. And he went on to talk about taking initiative in future career path and long stories about his student who had first class but couldn't find a job in months..And told me I had to be proactive and stuff..He talked alot

[sharshar89]

In my mind? In my mind will be the professor's eye and how he would judge me.. I think my words will be all over the place..

Well I couldn't find his office therefore I was late for 10 minutes.. I told him that exactly so he said throughout my 3 years of university life I couldn't be bothered to find any professor thats why I don't even know there are two sides of office in that building.. And he went on to talk about taking initiative in future career path and long stories about his student who had first class but couldn't find a job in months..And told me I had to be proactive and stuff..He talked alot..and told me to find another professor which I did and got in succesfully..I wonder what will he say to me if I didn't manage a good presentation sigh..Probably something like " Are you sure you did all those experiments? You don't seem to know what you have been doing throughout " or something of that sort

[DANDUNGAN]

SharShar,

I was a music student and every semester we had "Juries". That where we had to play a piece in a little room in front of the professors.

I always got nervous and made a bad showing. . .until, one semester I really practiced. I practiced 8 hours a day.

I still couldn't play that well, but I knew that I had done my best. That was the key for me.

That semester, I won a scholarship to pay for the next semester.

I only mention this because your story reminds me of those days.

And I know there are ways for you to excel in these examinations.

So I'm wondering, do you have a presentation or an examination?

May I also ask your location?

[sharshar89]

Originally Posted by DANDUNGAN

SharShar,

I was a music student and every semester we had "Juries". That where we had to play a piece in a little room in front of the professors.

I always got nervous and made a bad showing. . .until, one semester I really practiced. I practiced 8 hours a day.

I still couldn't play that well, but I knew that I had done my best. That was the key for me.

That semester, I won a scholarship to pay for the next semester.

I only mention this because your story reminds me of those days.

And I know there are ways for you to excel in these examinations.

So I'm wondering, do you have a presentation or an examination?

May I also ask your location?

Its too late to practice now..Its tommorow..
Its a presentation..But it is not graded only pass / fail which I think I would definitely get a pass because my thesis is well-written and my lab work is fine
The location is in an atrium where professors will come in to ask questions..Only 4 will grade me the rest might ask some questions if they are interested..One of the grader will be the one Im talking about....

[sharshar89]

Its too late to practice now..Its tommorow..
Its a presentation..But it is not graded only pass / fail which I think I would definitely get a pass because my thesis is well-written and my lab work is fine
The location is in an atrium where professors will come in to ask questions..Only 4 will grade me the rest might ask some questions if they are interested..One of the grader will be the one Im talking about....I have to be good at this 1 semester later because by then it will be graded and I can't afford to give a bad presentation

[DANDUNGAN]

I meant in which country do you reside.

[Vibration]

Originally Posted by sharshar89

In my mind? In my mind will be the professor's eye and how he would judge me.. I think my words will be all over the place..

Well I couldn't find his office therefore I was late for 10 minutes.. I told him that exactly so he said throughout my 3 years of university life I couldn't be bothered to find any professor thats why I don't even know there are two sides of office in that building.. And he went on to talk about taking initiative in future career path and long stories about his student who had first class but couldn't find a job in months..And told me I had to be proactive and stuff..He talked alot

Your professor is correct.

You are not there so your professor can accept you as you are now. You are there so the professors can change you - more accurately - help you change yourself, into a person who doesn't have these problems that you now have.

Don't resist their efforts to change you, unless you like feeling the way you do now. Give up your pride, put down your ego, and just follow their instructions in every detail, down to the smallest little thing.

Tell this professor that you now recognize that he's just trying to help you, that you didn't realize that until now, because earlier you thought he was just judging you and not treating you fairly, and not appreciating who you are. Tell him you've decided to put down your pride and allow him and other professors to show you how to be better. Apologize for not realizing this sooner.

This professor will be impressed by your change of heart, and will somewhat reset his previously held opinions about you, in liu of seeing how you'll do under this new understanding and intention.

And then sincerely do this. If you're not willing to do this, you're there for the wrong reason, and you would be much better served by finding what it is that you really want, and pursuing that instead.

[DANDUNGAN]

Well said.

[GraemeMcA]

Bravo Vibration!! The best teachers guide you in to the subject then observe from a distance as you make your own way (giving you a wee bit of help if you're really lost). The is professor is trying to teach you initiative and independence (or as I like to say 'Cop on'), these skills will be of inestimable to you no matter what career you follow!

You want to pass this course. You want the career. Don't you? Take responsibility and recognise that your tutor was once where you are now. The bottom line is that teachers want their students to do well - it means they're succeeding.

See your professor as an ally who's challenging you to bring out your best - not an enemy who wants you to fail. I guarantee you'll feel differently about this presentation and feelings are EVERYTHING when performing publicly.

[sharshar89]

Originally Posted by GraemeMcA

Bravo Vibration!! The best teachers guide you in to the subject then observe from a distance as you make your own way (giving you a wee bit of help if you're really lost). The is professor is trying to teach you initiative and independence (or as I like to say 'Cop on'), these skills will be of inestimable to you no matter what career you follow!

You want to pass this course. You want the career. Don't you? Take responsibility and recognise that your tutor was once where you are now. The bottom line is that teachers want their students to do well - it means they're succeeding.

See your professor as an ally who's challenging you to bring out your best - not an enemy who wants you to fail. I guarantee you'll feel differently about this presentation and feelings are EVERYTHING when performing publicly.

I recognize that what he is saying is for my own good else he would not have wasted his precious 1 hour on me.. However Im now very panicky with regards to tommorow though I know panic does not serve in in any way..And I suddenly feel that I do not understand why I used certain parameters / reagents / methods in my thesis *sweat*

[Angelique]

You could have someone practice with you (maybe acting as your professor does) until the responses become a bit more automatic. That way your actions aren't so dependent on your feelings.

And, if you've already been rejected then you really have nothing to lose, nowhere to go but up. Good luck!

[scotthegeek]

I think the better question is how to be OK with not being the best. I think we but to much pressure on own self. If we try are best and feel proud of are effort I think its better to reward good behavior than outcome.

your less like to procrastinate. Sometime you can do everything right and still have things go wrong. A farmer can do everything right and still lose a crop to floods or droute.

Hugs

Scott

[Brutha]

Well I couldn't find his office therefore I was late for 10 minutes.. I told him that exactly so he said throughout my 3 years of university life I couldn't be bothered to find any professor thats why I don't even know there are two sides of office in that building.

Making excuses seldom helps.
"I'm sorry I'm late." would have simply told him what he needs to hear.

[sharshar89]

Today ended ok just that when I was beginning I get stuck on the opening. Afterwards was ok..I think I imagined too much drama it was jus a simple event . I think if I did not panic so much I could hv done a lot better. Now I know how its like I will keep calm for my big hons project.

[Clint Cora]

With this experience behind you, perhaps you should spend more time to prepare and work on any weaknesses you feel you might have. Don't leave things to last minute anymore.