Regardless of the reason, you’ve realized a class you’re enrolled in is taking a toll on your mental health. Don’t feel that you’re trapped in this situation. Here are a few steps you can take to make your academic experience a little easier on your mind.
1. Assess why the class is upsetting.
You know you leave that one class feeling drained, sad and maybe even angry, but do you know why you feel this way? Take a step back and try to determine what is causing these negative emotions. Is the subject matter triggering? Are the students or professor disrespectful? Is the workload anxiety-inducing? Once you establish what the cause is, it will be easier for you to find a solution.
2. Determine the time frame of these emotions.
When did you start to experience troubling emotions in class? Did it start with a specific book or topic? Did a comment from a classmate shake you? It’s important to have a grasp of whether or not the triggering situation will continue throughout the course or if it’s likely a temporary feeling. If you know it’s only one or two class meetings that will upset you, think about talking with your professor about skipping and getting the notes from a classmate (if you have a lot of allowed absences, maybe you don’t even need to talk with your professor, but make sure to check your syllabus!).
3. Figure out if you can adjust the situation to your needs.
If you find you’re getting a lot out of the class and don’t want to miss anything, try to put some coping methods to use. Take a walk when you find yourself growing anxious, squeeze a stress ball through a discussion or doodle in a notebook. Don’t be afraid to reach out to ECAPS or to your own therapist or counselor if you need help developing coping skills or want to talk about your feelings in the classroom. Remember that there is absolutely no shame in going to therapy, even temporarily, regardless of whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with a mental illness.
4. Ask for help if you need others to adjust your learning environment.
You know those “Diversity and Inclusion” and “Disability” statements on the bottom of all of your syllabi? They’re there for a reason! Talk with your professor about what is upsetting you; they’re here to help you learn after all. If your professor is unwilling or unable to help you, try contacting Emerson’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion or Disability Services for help addressing your classroom concerns and finding ways to make the classroom a better learning environment for you.
5. Take the steps to drop or swap the class if need be.
Though a last resort, sometimes you need to leave a situation to feel better, and that is okay! If it’s early enough in the semester, see if you can switch into another class. If add/drop has come and gone, don’t panic if you find you need to drop the class entirely. Remember that Emerson has tons of organizations and opportunities that offer a tuition-free credit, so you potentially have chances to gain back your lost credits. Dropping can be a bit of a financial hit so that should never be the first solution, but in situations where your health and safety are at risk, you need to put yourself first. If you’re concerned about what that will mean for your transcript, reach out to academic advising for help.
The takeaway here is to remember is that you as a person are more important than even something as vital as an education. Remember to take care of yourself. You wouldn’t be expected to function normally with the flu, so you shouldn’t be expected to function well when your mental health is less than 100 percent.