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Ways to cope with anxiety in college?

I struggle a lot with anxiety in school, especially when I get stressed out. It's been so bad my junior year that I had to drop a lot of extra-curriculars and one of my harder classes. Although it's been slowly getting better, I'm very concerned about the toll it will take on me once I hit college. What do colleges offer in the way of assistance for mental health issues like anxiety, and how beneficial are they? #college #mentalhealth #anxiety #anxiety-management #stress

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Caroline’s Answer

If the Anxiety you are experiencing is due to the stress of being overwhelmed in school it is a good idea to limit the amount of studies/activities you are doing at a time. If you are having problems with the course work and it is making you frustrated you need to talk to the instructor or seek a tudor to help you to understand the course work so you are not so stressed. This should help with the anxiety and if you get worse you will want to talk to a counselor to seek other options to help you with the anxiety.
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Gloria’s Answer

Hi Jeniel,

First of all, I want to say that I admire the fact that you acted on your anxiety in a positive way. You took the steps that you needed to lift some of the triggers to your anxiety. Having a lot to do can often cause anxiety. Now, you just need to explore what triggers your anxiety and see about coping with it. I am here today because I am struggling with something at work. And no matter how I try to fix this element of the project that I am working on, I just get angrier and angrier. My emotions are out of whack. I had to step away. In this case, I am mentally stepping away to something that has nothing to do with my work. Stepping away can be a physical action as well. Walking can clear your mind and soothe the body. Racing thoughts can be quieted by putting your feet on the ground and moving, even if it is just around the block.

College does raise the anxiety level. Classes are harder. If you are moving away, it can be stressful to get comfortable in new places. I would say that the first thing that you need to do is develop of routine that fits you. Learn about what is the best time of day for you to study, be in class. What parts of the day do you begin to feel anxiety most acutely? How can you plan for those moments? The best thing that you can do for yourself is learn what you need at various moments. For example, I am best in the morning until about 2pm. So i begin work about 7am. That is when I do the hardest work because I am the most focused, creative, and confident. So in college, I loved morning classes, when learning something new felt easy. The worst was evening classes, especially those after 5pm. It was agony sitting there. Everything about those classes felt harder. I am a copious note taker. It is just me. I have to write a lot of things down. I even write things down when I am reading to help it stick. Another thing - join study groups. Hearing someone else's interpretation can help you form your own and strengthen your learning. Plus it is always nice to have someone to complain to if you are struggling in the same class. If you are struggling in a topic, ask for help. It is no use to struggle for days and days when you can simply ask someone for help.

Lastly, there is something to be said for being physical every day for anxiety. Walk, workout, play, dance. Whatever it is, keep your body moving.

College is stressful, but it will also be fun, exciting, life changing. Avoid getting too low or too high. Take it all in.

Gloria
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Audra’s Answer

Hello Jeniel,

In terms of resources on campus for dealing with anxiety you can always look into a meeting with counselor who is specialized in disability counseling and resources. Depending on the school you go to there will be different options in terms of support. However, it would be best to meet with a counselor on campus to see if you can receive academic accommodations. Academic accommodations (based on disability or learning disorder) can mean receiving longer test taking time, extended homework deadlines, or external support resources. Learning to manage anxiety in college on your own can mean taking a minute to gather your thoughts, I use a meditation app as well, but it can be whatever works best for you. Don't be afraid to communicate with professors either! During undergrad I went through a really hard time during my last quarter and I was able to have an open dialogue with my professor and he was very accommodating based on the situation I was in and ultimately, his understanding, allowed me to graduate on time. Good luck trying out different personal methods for anxiety management and I hope all goes well once you get into a counselors office.

Audra recommends the following next steps:

Speak to Counselor (be specific, tell them what you need in order to be successful)
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Shelby’s Answer

Coping with anxiety, as I have discovered, is definitely a case-by-case basis. However, there are some basic things you can do to help alleviate it while in college. For one, most colleges offer free counseling and support groups through your some sort of psychological services department. I got a therapist in my junior year of college to help with my anxiety and depression. I was so nervous to go that I nearly bawled just entering the office. However, it was a decision I had wished I made sooner. My therapist has helped me manage my mental health so well. She recommended that I see the school's psychiatrist, which your school may offer as well, and he helped me choose a medicine that has been helping with my mental state for about a year now. I know not everyone wants to begin meds, so I definitely recommend beginning with just talking to a therapist first. Your school may even offer support groups, where you can meet others and see that you are not alone in this struggle. Of course, it will all depend on what you are comfortable with and what ends up helping. Don't be afraid to take care of yourself. You'll be grateful in the long run that you got help, I promise.
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Mason’s Answer

Anxiety comes with the territory of being a student, so know that you're not alone in that. Your best tool is time management. Have a general outline of what you're going to do on a given day before you start that day. Begin by putting the most time consuming or difficult tasks on your schedule first, and then fill in the rest of your time between them with your smaller goals. This puts you the driver's seat of your life, so your time isn't something that "happens to you". You happen to it, if that makes sense. You're proactive and not reactive.
Most importantly, keeping a thorough schedule of your time in advance allows you to take time for yourself. Schedule a self-care day once or twice a month where you don't do anything that taxes you. Treat yourself however can. Engage in your hobbies/interests or just vegitate. Be deliberate with your time, and life won't seem like such a whirlwind, which will reduce the anxiety you experience from being constantly pressed for time.
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Lira’s Answer

Hi!

This is great question! I have dealt with a lot of anxiety during my college days and most of the things I did is spoke to my guidance counsellor. Talked to my sisters, get myself involved with activities that I really really like. I like to organise my things when Im anxious and stressed over my academics. Planning what I will do makes me feel empowered at the same time, I realised what needs to be done.
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Simeon’s Answer

It's becoming pretty common for colleges to offer some mental/emotional help services including counseling. Even if you don't feel stressed off the bat, I'd recommend reaching out and building a connection with one of the counselors considering your history. That way, you'll have some rapport built up for when you do need to reach out and start talking. I'd also highly recommend reaching out and making some friends you enjoy who will be able to share good times and bad times with you. While counseling is very helpful, it is also essential to have people that understand you from more of a friend angle. Lastly, just focus on graduating. It's not worth sacrificing your mental and emotional health to get the best grades possible.
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Sam’s Answer

To cope with and reduce anxiety, first and foremost it is important to have proper balance. You really need to do some honest self-reflection.

Are you spending all or a vast majority of your time studying and other activities related to your classes & major, and not enough time on social, recreational, and relaxational activities? If you determine yes, are you able to add in some "away from the books" time for activities such as exercise, time spent with friends and family, and simply time spent by yourself relaxing (watching TV, reading, music, etc.)? Do you have an overload of classes and coursework that others may find excessive and if so, consider reducing your course load to make your schedule more manageable. Or are you a perfectionist to where you're spending far more time than you really need to on your studies? If after this type of self-examination you're still having anxiety issues and unable to attain better balance, talk to family and friends and possibly a counselor. If your anxiety is serve enough that you're losing sleep, definitely seek professional help. Your college/university health center will likely have some resources available to help.

I experienced some mild anxiety in college on the flip side of everything I described above. My freshman year, I spent way too much time on social, recreational, and relaxational activities and not nearly enough on studying and other school-related activities. That resulted in not getting the grades I was capable of. After some "tough financial love" by my parents, I was able to shape up after my freshman year. I would recommend making it a priority as soon as you get to college to force yourself to budget study time and stick to your plan.

Even after my freshman year, I caused myself some unnecessary grief by waiting until a week (or even several days) before my next test in a subject to really start reading and studying that subject. I did fine and overall did the proper amount of studying; but it would've been much easier on myself if I just would've studied ratably throughout the semesters rather than bunching it up closer to test time!
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Herman’s Answer

Hi Jeniel,


Many large universities have assistance with coping with stress. It really depends on the university you go to. However, the best ways I coped with stress while I was in college was going to the gym and clearing my mind. A friend of mine picked up meditation, which he found very helpful. I've tried it a few times as well, following an App on my phone, and it is very helpful to just relax. I hope this helps!


Best,

Herman
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Maria’s Answer

Working at a job or working in school with anxiety is something that we all need to address. I feel that there are many people that deal with this as most jobs/schools have deadlines, different point of views, working/studying long hours , having a demanding teacher/boss, having a low reward/recognition are just a few. Now we have to deal with all this and endure a pandemic on top of this. We now have less things that we can do to decompress at the end of a long work day but there are still a few things that may be able to help.
Be sure to make time for yourself away from work/school.
Find things that make you laugh and smile.
Take lunch breaks and share a meal with others outside of your work.school area.
Go for walks outdoors on your breaks when possible.
Change your scenery to get out of an emotional rut.
Focus on life outside of work such as hobbies and friends.
Reflect on the good things in your job and your life.
Examine what you fear will happen and ask yourself whether it is an irrational fear.

The best advice that I can give it to speak with licensed psychologist for better analysis as they may refer you to a psychiatrist. I hope this helps a little as there are a lot of people that suffer with anxiety.
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Thomas’s Answer

It helped me to exercise and send time having fun with friends. Ex. playing sports, going out to eat, even studying, or a simple phone call. Also, make sure to take care of yourself. Try to stick to a regular sleep schedule, eat healthy, and take breaks when you are working/studying. Everyone one gets stressed out during college, so do not be afraid to talk to a counselor or professional. Most universities offer free services to students.
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Savannah’s Answer

Hi! I love music, music has helped me a lot. It helps me morn, chill, get in a better mood, and help me think. There are other things you can also do, you can also cook, draw, paint, read, watching a show or movie keeps your mind engared and stops you thinking about your problems for a bit. You can also exercise, yoga, and dancing. You could also try to get out more with friends and family, you can also talk to someone about your problems but also just manage your time well have have a good balance between school work and do things for yourself and what makes you happy. There is alot of ways you can help yourself with whatever all you have to do is what works for you. Hope this helps!
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