Fursuiting anxiety?

[Godzilla]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted on the forums, but I’ve had some big updates in my life, such as I’ve just received my first fursuit mini partial.
I’m off at college at the moment but my partial is sitting at home waiting for me to tear into it. I’m obviously very excited but one of the reasons why I bought the partial was because I wanted to go to conventions and do some modeling in it to post on social media.
Lately as I’ve been waiting for the week to end so I can return back home (I live in campus dorms during the week) I’ve been hit with overwhelming anxiety about wearing it. I think I feel embarrassed about being a furry still.
I just feel like I’m going to look stupid.
I’m frustrated because one of the biggest allures of fursuiting to me is that I get to be something else and I don’t have to see myself in the mirror, however what if I just put it on and all I see is myself looking stupid while wearing a fursuit mask?

 

[Kellan Meig'h]

Just do it. You'll get over the anxiety real quick.

 

[Troj]

Just do it in a setting that's likely to be safe and reasonably tolerant--and, yes, I imagine you'll get over the anxiety quickly!

 

[TurbidCyno]

Friends with any other furries/suiters at your college? Maybe it would be easier to do a group thing first.

 

[Vermilion]

Definitely easier if you're in a group. Wear it to small events with your local group. Always make sure to have a handler with you. If you think about it, unless you take off your head in public, they're really not going to know it's you. Good Luck!

 

[QueenSekhmet]

let me try to settle your worries a bit: you WILL look stupid. but know what? that's ok! having a fursuit is a big deal from every angle and your first time is ALWAYS going to be the hardest but don't think about that. you wanted the fursuit so you could become your fursona,yes? then start by simply putting it on every day at home (even if it's just for a few mins) and BE your fursona: what does your fursona act like? how do they walk? what is THEIR reaction when faced with a mirror? if you want to be someone else while suiting then you need to ACT like someone else and the more you get used to doing that by yourself the easier it will be to do it in front of people that don't know if you're acting or not. the best possible thing you can do is to just wear it and not give a fuck what anyone thinks because as stupid as you'll look,you're going to a place where almost everyone will be looking almost (if not just) as stupid as you: we're a community of freaks so IMBRACE it because not a single person at that con is going to judge you for wearing a fursuit and in fact,most will be painfully jelly that you get to have one and they don't. is everyone gonna be nice to you while in suit? no. in fact,even some of the furries might start humping your leg. but don't let that stop you from getting out there and having the best god damn time of your life. just make sure to drink lot's of water and take breaks because fursuits get fucking HOT. bring someone to act as your handler,too cause aside from the hot thing they can also help keep you from running into stuff with your limited vision,open doors for you,fight for your honor: that kind of stuff. safety first.

 

[Raever]

In the same way masks tend to make people with anxiety feel more comfortable, fursuiting tends to help people do things they otherwise wouldn't.
You'd be surprised how free and "in character" you can get when there's no fear of people seeing your face or judging you as a person.
A member of the community also talks about how fursuiting helped with their anxiety here: