Blog: Starting university: my experiences

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Neha

With many of you getting your A-level results — and those in Scotland getting your Higher results last week — our social media manager Neha shares some reassuring words and tips about starting uni with a stammer.

Standing at the cusp of August looking towards your first ever term at university is nerve-wracking enough: living with flatmates, navigating student halls, transitioning towards an entirely different academic setup than you might have been used to. And if you stammer, you might understandably be doubly worried: do I have to tell my mates I stammer?, can I get reasonable adjustments in class?, can I participate in student life? 

I stammer, and was at university until relatively recently, so here's a quick set of experiences and reassurances for incoming students… and possibly some parents too! 

Social Life

A lot is made out of Fresher's Week, and so it can build up as a point of anxiety for many young people. I'll tell you this: I was incredibly social at university from start to end, but out of the hundreds of people I met at Fresher's Week, I remember a grand total of two. So don't let that first week build up as a be-all and end-all. Mingle, have fun, but don't think your university experience relies on a single week!

There are hundreds of ways to socialise at university, and thus tons of ways to make friends in ways you and your stammer are comfortable with. Don't do well in loud, noisy areas and club settings? Many Student Unions (SUs) do drop-ins, non-drinking socials and quieter welcome events that you can ease your way into. 

Prefer to meet people you share interests with so you don't have to cast about for small talk? Check your SU's clubs and societies list, almost all of them do welcome socials! Want to know more about Fresher's Week? Have a look at our Freshers Week article.

Academic life

First things first: you are entitled to reasonable adjustments to help with your stammer. 

This can take whatever form you like — for example, some of the reasonable adjustments I've seen and/or used with students who stammer include extra time for presentations, having an option to record it beforehand, and also being provided alternative means of assessment, such as a video essay instead of a live presentation. 

Contact Student Services at your University, and they'll be able to walk you through the system. Remember, you can have a say in your own reasonable adjustments, as you know your stammer best of all. Another port of call here would be your pastoral/personal tutor: this is often an academic from your own department who is assigned to be a mentor figure, and they would also be able to help with reasonable adjustments, or point you in the right direction. 

Download a template to help you reach out to Student Services!

Get stuck in

One of the questions I hear a lot is: would I be able to participate fully in university life, beyond just academics and socialising with my friends, if I stammer? The answer is a huge, resounding YES. Sometimes, university politics such as Student Union representation or society leadership roles can sound daunting, especially as so many of these roles seem very public-facing and often involve election speeches. 

However, most societies and Unions would be very willing to make adjustments, and actually when I was at university, I had multiple friends who stammer leading large societies. 

Hope this helps, and remember, you can always contact us to chat about your situation or ask for help to arrange reasonable adjustments. Reach out to our helpline & webchat or our Advocacy Service, and finally – if you'd like to read about the experiences of other university students who stammer, head over to Your Voice!