Anxiety has been a part of my life since third grade. Back then, I didn’t have the words to explain why I felt overwhelmed all the time. I thought everyone felt that way: racing thoughts, upset stomach, that constant feeling of being behind. It wasn’t until college that I truly understood how much it had shaped me.
When I got to college, I expected things to get easier. I thought that once I was away from high school pressures and had more freedom, my anxiety would just fade. But it didn’t. The pressure of school, socializing and trying to keep up made it worse. And the more I saw others seemingly handling everything effortlessly, the more I felt like something was wrong with me. Everyone else seemed to be thriving while I was just trying to get through the day. I started to feel like I wasn’t “normal.”
But here’s the thing: It’s okay to not be okay. Everyone has their own challenges, even if they aren’t always visible. And that feeling of being behind or not measuring up? It’s a lie. You are not behind, and you are not “less than.” It’s just that anxiety tends to make everything seem bigger than it is, including your own journey.
Since I was diagnosed with anxiety, I’ve started to view it differently. I used to hide it, try to ignore it and even felt ashamed of it. It’s still something I deal with, but I’m learning not to let it define me and to not be ashamed of having feelings. Here’s what has helped me navigate anxiety as a college student and I hope it can help you, too:
- Managing Academic Anxiety
College comes with deadlines, exams and an overwhelming workload. Anxiety makes it easy to spiral causing procrastination out of fear, overanalyzing every assignment or feeling paralyzed by perfectionism. What’s helped me is breaking work into smaller steps, setting realistic goals and reminding myself that done is better than perfect. Professors aren’t expecting perfection, and neither should I.
- Handling Social Anxiety and Feeling “Behind”
Making friends in college is supposed to be “easy,” but when anxiety is involved, it’s not that simple. Seeing others form friendships quickly can make it feel like you’re the only one struggling, but that’s not true. I’ve learned that building connections takes time, and it’s okay if my social circle isn’t huge. Pushing myself to say “yes” to small interactions, like talking to classmates or joining a club, has helped, even when it feels scary.
- Dealing with the Pressure to Have It All Figured Out
There’s this unspoken rule in college that you should have your life mapped out by the time you graduate. But I’ve realized that most people are just figuring it out as they go. Anxiety loves to convince me that I’m falling behind, but in reality, there is no set timeline for success. It’s okay to change majors, to take longer to find your path and to not have everything figured out right now.
- Balancing Self-Care with a Busy Schedule
When college gets overwhelming, self-care is usually the first thing to go. But I’ve learned that ignoring my mental health only makes everything harder. Scheduling time for breaks, sleep and things that make me happy (even if it’s just a short walk or watching a comfort show) has made a huge difference. Taking care of yourself isn’t a distraction; it’s what helps you keep going.
- Reminding Myself That Progress Isn’t Always Obvious
There are still days when anxiety feels overwhelming. But I remind myself that just because I struggle doesn’t mean I’m not moving forward. Some progress is visible, like feeling less anxious during presentations, but some progress is quiet, like learning to be kinder to myself. Just because I still have bad days doesn’t mean I’m failing. It just means I’m human.
Coping with anxiety as a college student isn’t easy, and I won’t pretend that I have all the answers. But I do know this: You are not alone. You don’t have to be “perfect” to be doing enough. And no matter how overwhelming it feels, you will be okay.