Managing Anxiety in College
Going to college is such an exciting time; but often, anxiety becomes a part of daily life for college students. Maybe you’ve always had anxiety or maybe it didn’t start until you were in college. Regardless, it’s important to take care of yourself during this valuable and fun experience in your life. Here are just a few of the things that I often talk to college students about to help lower their anxiety. This is not exhaustive and does not replace therapy; but hopefully, you will find it gives you a good start.
1) Don’t become so consumed with school that you don’t stop for breaks, spend time with friends and/or family, or participate in hobbies and things you enjoy. School is important but you can be successful in school while still doing these things.
2) It can take some time to figure out what works best but don’t wait until the last minute to do the things you need to do for school. If you have a test, start studying a bit in advance or if you have a paper, don’t start it just a day or 2 before it’s due. Again, it takes time to figure out just how much time you need but a good place to start is a week or so beforehand. You may find you need more time than that and that’s good if that’s what you need. But keep in mind that studying too much for too long for a single test can also cause anxiety. It’s important to find a balance that works well for you and you will! Give yourself some grace as you figure it out.
3) Start your day off with calm. Don’t jump out of bed and run out the door 5 minutes later. Remember that part about not waiting until the last minute? That applies here too. If this is a struggle for you, start by waking up 15 minutes earlier than you usually would. Once you get used to that, maybe you can wake up another 15 minutes earlier. Many people experience morning anxiety because their bodies can feel the pressure of trying to get somewhere fast and in turn their minds respond to that pressure and then your whole day seems to be impacted by anxiety because you were off to a bad start. Another good idea once you’re waking up just a bit earlier is to start your day with some kind of calming strategy. Maybe you close your eyes and practice some deep breathing in your dorm room or your car right before class for 5 minutes just to reset after the process of getting ready that morning. There are several strategies we can discuss for this but that’s a good place to start.
4) Most importantly, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Anxiety is very common with college students. You are not alone in this experience and there is so much hope for you that you can decrease this anxiety and feel better. Don’t hide your anxiety from your loved ones and don’t be afraid to reach out for therapy. There are so many situations that trigger anxiety and so many strategies for managing it and I’d love to help you! I provide secure face to face therapy through Telehealth throughout the state of Mississippi at times that are perfect for after a day of classes. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, you can call 601-708-9558 and I would love to speak with you.