Hey there,

I’m so sorry you had a stressful week and have an important event coming up. We all have moments like these where we feel sick to our stomach, thinking about upcoming interviews, competitions, exams, etc. However, that doesn’t mean that we should arrive at these events shaking or sweating, so I’ve come up with a shortlist that you can use to quiet your nerves and arrive confident about your event:

1. Take a deep breath. It sounds like the most overstated response to someone nervous, but it’s very important. When we are stressed, our bodies naturally take shorter and shallower breaths. Forcing ourselves to take deep breaths provides our brains with more oxygen, slows down our heart rate, and relaxes certain stomach muscles. So, take deep breaths whenever you feel nervous!

2. Research/Practice/Rehearse. Whether your event is an interview, exam, etc., make sure you do some research and practice before the day of. It always helps to learn about the specific company you’re applying for or continually practicing for a recital. Doing some prep the days leading up to the event shows that you are committed to performing your very best and will show the people at the event that you have done your homework. If possible, try rehearsing with a family or friend. For upcoming interviews, I like having a friend ask me several questions and commenting on my responses. When I have to do a presentation, I usually rehearse in front of a mirror and record how long I speak. Rehearsing what you want to say and how you want to say it is so helpful!

3. Be realistic. Understand that nothing ever goes according to plan. No matter how much you study for an exam or prep for a competition, there’s always going to be something that surprises you. The important thing is to know that you’ve done all you could and are ready for whatever comes at you on the day. Going back to the presentations I’ve done for my classes, I sometimes forget what I wanted to say mid-sentence and remember to stay calm and take a moment to recollect my thoughts. I rehearse for these huge presentations for hours, and there’s always something that does not go as expected. That’s okay. Without these big moments in our lives, we will never be able to learn and grow.

4. Sleep early. Whenever I have an important event, I make sure I sleep early at a certain time so that I come to the event alert and ready. Without a good night’s sleep, you may have memory problems, be irritable, etc. So many people underestimate the power of sleep, and it is unacceptable. There have been numerous times I’ve seen friends and classmates decide to watch Netflix all night and have little to no sleep before their exams, interviews, etc. Show up to this event awake and present.

5. Listen to songs. During your breaks and on the ride to your event, listen to fast tempo, motivational songs that make you feel good. Listening to upbeat songs that you love will help your self-esteem. Creating a feel-good playlist is a great idea to do right now if you haven’t. Or you can find playlists created by others on Spotify.

6. Arrive early & give yourself ten minutes. For important events, I always make it a priority to arrive early. It would be a shame if you arrive a little before the event begins and all the good parking spots are used so you have to find one that is far away or there’s traffic, etc. Arriving early can prevent these things and will give you some time in the car to go over what you want to say and get ready. Give yourself ten minutes before you get out of the car and walk-in. Ten minutes is just enough time to practice/rehearse and ensure you walk in at a certain time instead of dawdling and getting more anxious. Whatever your event is, I’m sure you will do great! The most important thing for you to do is to stay calm and be confident in yourself. You can do this! Here are some articles that you can read:

https://www.becomingwhoyouare.net/blog/10-ways-to-calm-anxiety https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/coping-with-current-events

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-tricks-successful-people-use-stay-calm-stressful-situations.html

Best,

Jennie