My first talk at a national meeting provided me with a great educational experience — and a bit of stress. The day before I left for the meeting, my adviser asked me to add some new details. This initially threw me, because I had thought my talk was set — adding more details could push me over my allotted time limit.

Apart from this, I was also worried about the question-and-answer session, because this is where the unexpected can happen. I was concerned that no one would have any questions or that someone would ask something I couldn't answer.

Both those concerns led me to practise and perfect my talk — meaning I didn't have so much time to take detailed notes on other speakers and poster presentations.

In the end, my nerves worked to my advantage. After I cut out some flashy but unnecessary animations, my talk finished on time. My preparation for the question-and-answer period paid off, too. I fielded several great questions about issues that I had thought about and so could address confidently. That felt really good. And focusing on my own talk stopped me from rushing to as many sessions as possible. Instead, I attended only those talks and poster presentations I felt were essential. The whole experience gave me fresh inspiration — and ended without trauma.