Ask her out after she mentions a big presentation

She's telling you she has a concrete reason she can't fully focus on you right now. This is not rejection. It's transparency. People who are losing interest usually just ghost or get quieter. People who mention upcoming stress are still in the conversation, still thinking about how they're managing their time.

The presentation is real. Her stress is real. But so is the fact that she chose to tell you about it instead of just disappearing. That matters. She's also probably going to feel relief and openness after it's done, which is a real window for momentum.

Your reply does two things. First, it shows you listened and cared enough to register what she said. You don't need to be cheerful or make light of it. Just take it straight. Second, you propose a concrete time that's clearly after the presentation is over.

Don't ask her out for next week in vague terms. Don't ask her Thursday night right before she presents. Name the specific day you're thinking about, make it obvious you're accounting for her timeline, and make it easy for her to say yes or reschedule. The specificity shows you thought about this instead of just reflexively asking.

If she doesn't respond to your message before the presentation, let it sit. She's not ignoring you. She's presenting. Send it 24 to 48 hours before she presents so it's on her radar but not demanding a response during crunch time.

If she responds and confirms, you're done. If she doesn't respond by the day after the presentation ends, a simple check-in lands better than silence. Something that shows you remembered it happened and you're curious how it went. Then give her one more chance to set a time. If she's still quiet after that, she's signalling she's not interested, and you move on.