We all get it. It’s that awful feeling in the pit of our stomach when we are anticipating something terrible happening to us. Whether it’s the concern that we’ll miss the deadline for a paper, or that we’ll bomb a test in a class that’s really important for our major, or stumble during an upcoming presentation in front of our peers— it’s a universally dreaded feeling. Sure, everyone experiences some level of academic stress. But then there’s also the stress associated with our relationships to the people around us. We seem to be constantly worried about what the future will hold for us; so much so, that every action we make is one made in an attempt to resist our worst fear actually arising. But here’s the reality of it all: none of the worry is actually real— it’s simply an idea we’ve built up in our heads from some deep-rooted insecurity that we won’t live up to our potential. But why do we give this idea so much legitimacy? By creating these negative thoughts in our minds we are essentially giving them life. We let the stress sway our decisions, drive us away from certain paths, and hold us back from making experiences. Stress is not something we need as students; it’s simply something we are just so used to carrying around all the time. So the next time you feel your heart racing, or catch your hand in a nervous tremor, just remember that it’s all in your head. After all, you made it this far in life— don’t let stress keep you from surging on.
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