I've had a number of people tell me they get nervous before their first session with a new teacher, and honestly, I get nervous before meeting new students, too! Here are some of my little tricks that might help you feel more comfortable and prepared before a session.

#1: Get Comfortable
For more formal lessons, like exam preparation or homework help, people generally find it most comfortable to sit at a desk or table where they can write notes or have textbooks nearby, etc. But for casual conversations, you don't have to be as formal! If you'd rather sit on the couch or your bed with your laptop in hand, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that - we're here to hang out! Be comfortable!

#2: Eat And Drink
It's always a good idea to have a snack and something to drink (and maybe use the bathroom) before the lesson time, just to take those things off your mind. If you've got an hour-long class and suddenly start feeling hungry halfway through, that's never fun - so if you're between meal times, get something in your stomach!
That said, you're also more than welcome to have a drink with you during a lesson, or in my opinion, even a snack - ideally something quiet to eat on microphone and not too messy so you don't have to run off mid-class to clean up, but at least in my lessons, I have no problem with you having a snack while we work. I often chat with people during their lunchbreak, and I'd hate for you to miss out because of the timing!

#3: Bring notes
Depending on the lesson type, this could be something like words you don't understand, homework questions you've been struggling with, or things we've talked about previously that you want to update or expand on. Personally, for chat sessions, I always have a note nearby with easy conversation topics in case I run out of things to ask/say (it rarely happens, but I worry too!); if we're working with a text, I have questions or prompts that came to mind when I read it so that we can have discussion topics available; and if we're writing, I have extra writing prompts or sentence starters etc so I can do my best to pick things that will interest you!

#4: Remind yourself it's okay to make mistakes
A lot of students have told me they get worried about making mistakes or not knowing a word they want etc, and I can assure you, that's not a problem. Making mistakes is one of the best ways to learn, and I applaud you for being willing to give it a try, even if it's not perfect. For more advanced learners I'll generally point these out and correct them, but if you're clearly having some troubles or feeling anxious etc, they don't matter that much - if I understand what you're saying, that's plenty. If you can't think of the word you want, you can either do your best to come up with something that fits and hopefully I can figure out what you're looking for, or you can just open up a translator and type it in your own language to find out - there's no shame in that! So try not to panic about making mistakes or struggling, because that's a completely normal part of learning a new skill!

and finally:

#5: Ask Questions
Maybe the most important one, in my opinion. If you're feeling nervous about something specific, or don't know what to expect, just ask! I know with chat sessions in particular, a lot of people worry about what the topic might be, and what to do if they don't understand something that comes up unexpectedly. But you can ask! Or suggest subjects! I'm always more than happy to focus on a particular topic so you can feel prepared, e.g. talking about our countries, our hobbies, or the weather. If you want to know about the format of the lesson, or make a request for how we do something, send me a message! No matter how silly you might feel a question is, I promise your teacher won't mind answering it for you.

If you're looking to talk with someone in English for the first time, or talk to someone new, I'm currently offering 10% off for new students! Feel free to make a request, or if you're feeling a bit unprepared, send me a message with any of your questions and concerns!