My name was called… They saw me shaking
My FIRST presentation almost broke me.
Fall of 2009, in Pakistan...
One trembling engineering student.
40+ staring classmates.
And a PowerPoint filled with…
Every.
Single.
Word.
I had rehearsed for WEEKS
But standing there, behind that lectern…
Everything felt different.
My heart wasn't just racing... it was sprinting.
Sweat wasn't just forming... it was flooding.
My voice wasn't just soft... it was barely a whisper.
WORST part?
I thought I was the only one.
The only "weird" engineering student who turned
into a human earthquake before presentations.
So...
I did what any terrified sophomore would do:
I created the most detailed PowerPoint backup plan:
Put every word, pause & comma on slides.
When my name was called...
Time slowed down.
My forehead? Dripping with anxiety sweat.
My armpits? Don't even ask.
I hid behind the lectern to minimize the exposure.
My legs? 2 jelly sticks trying to play "stand still."
My voice? Trembling betrayal of every practice session.
The plot twist:
That day wasn't just about survival.
It was the first chapter of a much bigger story.
Fast forward to 2024:
I presented to 40+ tech leaders.
Zero sleepless nights.
Zero lectern death-grips.
Zero backup plans.
THE DIFFERENCE?
I stopped faking "perfection"
Started embracing who I am and my natural style.
TRUTH BOMB:
That terrified sophomore didn't need more practice.
He needed to know he wasn't alone.
YOUR TURN:
Think back to your first big presentation.. What would you tell your younger self now?
Or tell me about a time you bombed your presentation or talk?
You can do so by replying to this email :)
-Waqas
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P.S. I took this at St. Mary Glacier's Lake, Colorado USA