commentr/StutterFebruary 2, 2025

Content

I did presentations in high school, sort of. I was a marshal at laser quest and had to "teach" people how to play but it's in quotes because I pretty much had a rehearsed speech memorized. I never thought I'd get the job but I really wanted to overcome my stutter back then and what happened was I ended up remembering all 3 paragraphs from one word to the next. So as I was saying it, one word came after the next as my brain just kept remembering the next word and one sentence lead to the next and it was like I was on autopilot. I remember worrying someone would ask a question but I had a kind of high from being able to say that speech in front of groups of people filling the black lit room with me on the podium. So that's the story but my main takeaway from it was that remembering a whole presentation from front to back without having it in front of you (no reading) seemed to be very different from winging it or using note cards. I never stuttered on it and had to do it every 40 minutes (20 minutes in game, 20 minutes out calling out the winners, and we'd rotate that way with 2 marshals a day basically). As for social anxiety, the odd thing I experienced is not being afraid of my stutter but of shaking. I'll never forget the first time I shook during a presentation, I didn't understand why it was happening but the class enjoyed my presentation and idk if they noticed or just didn't care. All I can say to that is you have to put yourself out there imo. Even non-stutterers are afraid and no one expects a perfect presenter and they all feel and can relate to such growing pains. It is what it is and it's what makes that end goal so special. Do your thing, don't think, just do, time will take care of the rest. GL!

Themes

Anticipation & AvoidanceSchool & WorkEmotional Experience

Subthemes

Preparation & RehearsalAnticipating StutteringPublic SpeakingAnxiety & Social Judgment