Navigating college while having anxiety: a how-to

Growing up with anxiety, there have been plenty of hard moments: having to give a speech to my 8th grade social studies class, simply needing to say “here” during roll call in elementary school, or even just having too many assignments to do at once in high school. Beginning college, though, sets up a whole new world of hard moments to face. For many, college is your first time completely on your own, and it can be jarring. Navigating this transition to adulthood while also having to deal with a mental health issue can be very difficult. 

Facing anxiety, seemingly alone, in a new place, with new people, facing situations you’ve never faced before, can be overwhelming to say the least. As someone with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), I learned a lot of lessons in my first year at UW that helped me make it through with no casualties.

These are the lessons I have learned in the past year that have helped me make it through. 

1. Force yourself into scary situations 

Starting off strong, this is easily the hardest item on my list. It is a common piece of advice I have heard from my parents and friends time and time again, and it is much easier said than done. The advice is given out very off-handedly, as if it’s something you can just do, like “start going to bed earlier.” I, however, will give this advice with the acknowledgement that this will be an uncomfortable process.

Although, the sentiment of “forcing yourself into scary situations” can sound a lot scarier than it needs to be. What is scary to you can be something as simple as sitting alone in the dining hall. Last year, one of my “scary situations” was just going to a new club on my own, and forcing myself to talk to at least two new people. Despite how uncomfortable it was in the moment, it ended up working out, and I still talk to the two people I met in that club today. 

This step is about slowly working your way up to scarier situations until they no longer faze you. Personally, I still have many more scary situations to try out until my discomfort will finally completely leave me alone. It is 100% a process.

2. Give yourself time to recoup 

This next step is key to navigating anxiety in a high-stress environment like university. If you do not give yourself time to relax and recuperate, you will not be able to handle the scary situations and other difficulties that may come your way with your full ability. 

Take time at least once a week to do something you enjoy or something that brings you comfort. One of my favorite ways to relax and gain back some feeling of control last year was to watch my comfort show “Gilmore Girls.” How you choose to recuperate is completely up to you!

3. Communicate to your friends 

In college, your friend group becomes your family. If you’re anything like me, when you were back at home you had your mom or dad to fall back on when you needed to vent or when things got too overwhelming. Whether you moved an hour to the city or across the country, likely, you do not have your family as that easily accessible of an outlet anymore. Here, your friends can be that for you just as you are that for them. 

Just let them know when you are struggling. Something as simple as “I have been having a hard time lately,” can be a good communicator to let them know to think of you and check in on you more often. 

I was extremely lucky to have a close-knit group of friends who supported me through my first year. I think without them I would not have been able to deal with my anxiety as efficiently as I did.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

Although your friends can be a great outlet of support, you shouldn’t be afraid to reach out to others for support too. UW offers professional help through drop-in counseling sessions in Schmitz Hall. 

There is no shame in going to therapy and counseling services. I am a firm believer that nearly everyone should go to therapy at least one point in their lives. If your anxiety gets to a place that feels unmanageable, reach out to counseling or therapy services for professional support. 

5. Celebrate your wins

Finally, celebrate your wins. It can be easy when battling your anxiety to forget to acknowledge the times you win, however small. Remembering to appreciate your victories can make your progress feel more tangible. 

You can set up a reward system or simply pause and think back to a year ago and notice what has changed.

At times it can be easy to get caught up in how difficult it is to operate with anxiety that you forget that you are making progress. Remember where you once were with your anxiety and where you are now. Take some time to appreciate that and appreciate yourself. 

6. Remember you are not alone

You can take bits and pieces of my advice, maybe one of these steps resonates with you and the others don’t and that’s completely fine. However, it is of utmost importance to remember that you are not alone. Anxiety is an extremely common mental disorder and more of your peers may be struggling than you think. 

Hopefully, this list helps you navigate through this period of transition and responsibility while also dealing with anxiety. Good luck, you got this.

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