I Was Afraid to Speak English. Now I Can’t Stop.

From Anxiety to Confidence: How 3D ACADEMY Helped Me Find My Voice

Introduction: The Fear No Textbook Prepares You For

I knew the grammar. I memorized vocabulary lists. I passed English tests in school with decent scores. But whenever I had to speak English, my mind would go blank.

I’m not alone. This is the silent struggle of many learners.

In Japan, I avoided any situation where English might be required. I skipped tourist interactions. I dreaded meetings with international clients. Even ordering a drink at Starbucks—something as simple as saying “Tall caramel macchiato, please”—felt like a performance with high stakes.

What if they don’t understand me?
What if I sound stupid?
What if everyone is watching?

These thoughts echoed in my head constantly. I didn’t need more grammar lessons. I needed something else—something much harder to find: confidence.

The Decision: Why I Chose 3D ACADEMY

I didn’t choose 3D ACADEMY expecting a miracle. In fact, I chose it because I wanted to escape.

I was burned out at work. My career had stalled. My confidence in communication—especially English—was at an all-time low. I saw a post on social media from a friend who had studied in Cebu and decided to take a short break. Four weeks, I told myself. Just enough time to breathe.

What I didn’t expect was that those four weeks would completely transform how I saw myself—not just as a learner, but as a speaker.

Day One: Terrified but Determined

My first class at 3D was a one-on-one speaking lesson. The teacher smiled, introduced herself, and gently asked me, “How are you today?”

I froze. The room was silent for what felt like forever.

Then I whispered, “I’m fine. Thank you.”

The teacher smiled again. “Great! Let’s try more together.”

There was no rush. No pressure. She gave me time to think, time to speak. When I made mistakes, she didn’t correct me harshly. Instead, she wrote down the right phrase, gently repeated it, and asked me to try again.

That first class, I barely said twenty sentences. But I left feeling something I hadn’t felt in years: hope.

Week 1–2: Surviving the Lesson

My initial goal was simple: survive the 50-minute class without panicking. I practiced set phrases in my notebook:

• “Sorry, can you repeat that?”

• “I don’t understand.”

• “Can I try again?”

I clung to these phrases like life vests in the ocean of English. And they helped.

My teachers understood where I was coming from. Many of them had taught Japanese students before. They knew that we tend to be perfectionists—that we’d rather say nothing than say something wrong.

So they created a space where mistakes weren’t punished—they were celebrated as progress.

One teacher even said, “Mistakes mean you’re learning. No mistakes means you’re not trying.”

That shifted something in me. I started to try more.

Week 3–4: Enjoying the Lesson

By the third week, something amazing happened—I stopped dreading class.

In fact, I started looking forward to it.

My teachers began asking me real questions:

• “What do you like to do on weekends?”

• “What do you think about travel?”

• “Tell me about your job.”

These weren’t grammar drills. These were conversations.

I wasn’t just practicing English. I was using it—to share, to connect, to express.

At breakfast, I started greeting other students. At lunch, I listened to conversations around me and even joined in sometimes. I started to laugh in English. I started to think in English.

Week 5–6: Speaking Without Fear

Six weeks in, I noticed something truly shocking: I was talking without translating in my head.

I wasn’t mentally going from Japanese → English. The sentences just came out.

One evening, a Korean student asked me if I wanted to join a casual discussion group. The rule? English only.

I hesitated—but I said yes.

That night, I shared my opinion on working culture in Japan. I asked follow-up questions. I even cracked a small joke—and people laughed.

It felt amazing.

That was the moment I realized:
I wasn’t afraid anymore. I had found my voice.

Week 7–8: Becoming a Support for Others

In my final weeks, I began helping new students who had just arrived.

I recognized their fear immediately—the stiff smiles, the nervous eyes, the whisper-quiet voices. I remembered being exactly where they were.

So I said to them what my teacher once said to me:
“It’s okay. Take your time. Mistakes are welcome here.”

And I saw them slowly open up, just like I had.

At the end of the program, I gave a short speech in front of the class. It was only three minutes long, but I spoke clearly and from the heart. I shared how I had been afraid to speak, and how 3D ACADEMY helped me not only speak—but enjoy it.

I cried. So did some of my teachers.

Back Home: A New Version of Me

Returning to Japan was strange. The environment hadn’t changed—but I had.

At work, I volunteered to join a video call with an overseas client. I asked a question in English—and the client smiled and responded.

Later, one of my coworkers said, “You were really confident. I wish I could do that.”

That made me realize: I wasn’t the student anymore. I was the one giving confidence to others.

I still make mistakes when I speak English. But I don’t panic anymore. I smile, correct myself, and keep going.

I don’t avoid Starbucks. I order without thinking twice.
I don’t fear meetings. I prepare and participate.
I don’t feel small. I feel heard.

Lessons I Learned at 3D ACADEMY

1. Confidence Is Not a Gift—It’s a Skill

No one is “born confident.” It’s built, like muscle. 3D gave me daily opportunities to build it in a safe and encouraging space.

2. Speaking Is a Habit

The more I spoke, the easier it became. It didn’t need to be perfect. It just needed to be consistent.

3. Teachers Matter

The teachers at 3D aren’t just instructors. They’re coaches, cheerleaders, and mentors. They believed in me before I did.

4. Community Helps Growth

Living with students from other countries pushed me to use English naturally. The dorm, the cafeteria, the weekend trips—they were all part of my learning.

5. You’re Not Alone

Every student there was on the same journey. We all made mistakes. We all supported each other. That made all the difference.

A Message to You, the Silent Learner

If you’re reading this and you’ve ever felt too shy to speak English, know this:

You are not broken. You are not stupid. You are not bad at English.

You’re just afraid—and that’s okay. Fear is natural.

But fear doesn’t have to stay.

At 3D ACADEMY, I learned how to face that fear, how to speak through it, and eventually, how to leave it behind.

And once I did?

I couldn’t stop speaking.

Not because I’m perfect. But because I finally realized:
My voice matters.

And so does yours.