Social Anxiety Support

pita · 09-17-2009, 07:13 PM

Those of you thinking of careers in academia might find this encouraging.

I'm taking four classes this semester. So far, three of my professors have publicly admitted to being shy. Two of the three said something along the lines of, "I was painfully shy as an undergrad. Look at me now!" The third said that he was still shy but that he managed to teach a class anyway.

I really appreciated their openness. I felt comfortable enough to strike up a conversation with professor number three, as well as to put my hand up in his class.

retropat · 09-17-2009, 07:34 PM

I've always wanted to teach. My preference is undergrad, but have often worried if my SA would get in the way. This is good news. I've had professors that I've speculated to have SA or at least be shy. I guess if you really want to do what you love, you find a way to do it.

lyssado707 · 09-17-2009, 11:22 PM

In case u guys are interested, one of mine this semester admitted never talking in class when she was an undergrad

I've also had a couple that said they were introverts. And there was one a long time ago that seemed anxious and insecure in front of the class (shaky voice, blushing..etc).

Neptunus · 09-17-2009, 11:53 PM

Yeh, I had a professor in grad school who was so shy he'd stutter. The higher up in academia you go, the more eccentric.

Efsee · 09-18-2009, 09:54 AM

a professor who was looking over my portfolio once seemed kind of nervous and her hands were shaking. she was a bit spacey, eccentric.

STKinTHEmud · 09-18-2009, 12:20 PM

Sounds about right. You should see how nervous some profs get in graduate seminars.

dax · 09-18-2009, 06:13 PM

I've had one anxious prof in all my years of school- he was obviously super anxious through the whole class, every class. And he'd sweat so bad he would have big pit stains on his shirt by the end of class, every class. Guy was really smart though, wrote a number of books. All my other profs seemed to be the outgoing type.

SilentLoner · 09-19-2009, 07:53 PM

I did a big presentation as part of my independent summer research program in July at a conference (about SAD, go figure). Afterwards to my amazement, people kept telling me I did very well. Then the program directir actually came up to me afterwards and told me I "had the voice of a professor."

So maybe that could be something for me. Come to think of it, as long as you know the subject you're talking about well and let the class out early on occasion you should have no problem teaching the class (or getting students to give good reviews on ratemyprofessor lol).

utopian_grrl · 09-20-2009, 05:19 PM

Eccentric and/or foreign professors are awesome. They always add something interesting to the class. I've had a couple of shy professors and it definitely makes me feel more comfortable in the class...though sometimes, shyness doesn't necessarily translate into good teaching.

Teaching would be an interesting job. Unfortunately, I think I'd be bored talking repetitively about 90% of the subjects I'll be qualified to teach eventually.

09-17-2009, 07:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
pita Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Gender: Female Posts: 2,168	Shy professors Those of you thinking of careers in academia might find this encouraging. I'm taking four classes this semester. So far, three of my professors have publicly admitted to being shy. Two of the three said something along the lines of, "I was painfully shy as an undergrad. Look at me now!" The third said that he was still shy but that he managed to teach a class anyway. I really appreciated their openness. I felt comfortable enough to strike up a conversation with professor number three, as well as to put my hand up in his class.

09-17-2009, 11:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
lyssado707 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Humboldt County, CA Age: 22 Posts: 3,228	In case u guys are interested, one of mine this semester admitted never talking in class when she was an undergrad I've also had a couple that said they were introverts. And there was one a long time ago that seemed anxious and insecure in front of the class (shaky voice, blushing..etc). __________________ In Loving Memory, http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...6/P1000595.jpg http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g1...P1000480-1.jpg Marmalade January 1991-February 19, 2007

09-17-2009, 11:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
Neptunus Status: Authenticating Join Date: Oct 2007 Gender: Female Posts: 2,837	Yeh, I had a professor in grad school who was so shy he'd stutter. The higher up in academia you go, the more eccentric. __________________ "When I stand before thee at the day's end, thou shalt see my scars and know that I had my wounds and also my healing." ~Rabindranath Tagore "Being gentle means forgiving yourself when you mess up. We should learn from our mistakes, but we shouldn't beat the tar out of ourselves over them. The past is just that, past. Learn what went wrong and why. Make amends if you need to. Then drop it and move on." ---Sean Covey

09-18-2009, 06:13 PM	#7 (permalink)
dax Status: Losing Ground Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Boston Gender: Male Posts: 2,237	I've had one anxious prof in all my years of school- he was obviously super anxious through the whole class, every class. And he'd sweat so bad he would have big pit stains on his shirt by the end of class, every class. Guy was really smart though, wrote a number of books. All my other profs seemed to be the outgoing type. __________________ My Youtube Page I just don't fit in this place Their thoughts cast me out of here Their home has run out of space My mind's already out of here Won't you come along dear? Won't you come along?

09-19-2009, 07:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
SilentLoner Status: Otaku Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Lost in thought, though occasionally I may be located at an anime convention. Gender: Female Age: 22 Posts: 2,451	I did a big presentation as part of my independent summer research program in July at a conference (about SAD, go figure). Afterwards to my amazement, people kept telling me I did very well. Then the program directir actually came up to me afterwards and told me I "had the voice of a professor." So maybe that could be something for me. Come to think of it, as long as you know the subject you're talking about well and let the class out early on occasion you should have no problem teaching the class (or getting students to give good reviews on ratemyprofessor lol). __________________ "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” -Plato "When a cold wind blows it chills you - chills you to the bone. But there's nothing in nature that freezes your heart like years of being alone." OTAKU UNITE! “We honor Dr. Tiller’s legacy of service to women.” Dr. George Tiller 1941 -2009 Memorial Web Page http://www.iamdrtiller.com/ http://www.remembertiller.com/

09-17-2009, 07:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
retropat Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Indiana Gender: Male Age: 21 Posts: 69	I've always wanted to teach. My preference is undergrad, but have often worried if my SA would get in the way. This is good news. I've had professors that I've speculated to have SA or at least be shy. I guess if you really want to do what you love, you find a way to do it.

09-18-2009, 09:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
Efsee Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Gender: Female Age: 19 Posts: 333	a professor who was looking over my portfolio once seemed kind of nervous and her hands were shaking. she was a bit spacey, eccentric.

09-18-2009, 12:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
STKinTHEmud Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: CA Gender: Male Age: 27 Posts: 357	Sounds about right. You should see how nervous some profs get in graduate seminars.

09-20-2009, 05:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
utopian_grrl Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NE Ohio Gender: Female Posts: 152	Eccentric and/or foreign professors are awesome. They always add something interesting to the class. I've had a couple of shy professors and it definitely makes me feel more comfortable in the class...though sometimes, shyness doesn't necessarily translate into good teaching. Teaching would be an interesting job. Unfortunately, I think I'd be bored talking repetitively about 90% of the subjects I'll be qualified to teach eventually.