What to pack for my dorm room? Check. How often to wash my sheets? Check. How many credits to take? Check. I thought I knew everything about coming to college when I arrived here a year and a half ago. I read all the lists, watched all the Youtube videos, and bought enough dorm décor to fill an entire residence hall.
There’s a sense of wonder when one leaves home to be independent and start what are supposed to be the best four years of our lives, and it feels as if nothing could go wrong. Until one day, not even a week into classes, you’re crying in an empty classroom feeling completely overwhelmed, to the point that even the idea of walking back to your dorm sounds exhausting. Sound familiar?
Well, that was me my freshman year, and I wish I’d sought out resources for handling my anxiety sooner than I did. Coming to college is a huge transition that no amount of Pinterest posts or tutorial videos can prepare us for, and if you’re experiencing anxiety throughout this transition, it can be even harder. For this reason, I’m going to list some helpful tips for dealing with anxiety in college.
1. Seek your university’s counseling center.
Here at JMU, the counseling center offers free counseling to any student for whatever problems they may be having. They can also provide additional resources for off-campus counseling. And did I mention it’s free?
2. Practice mindfulness.
Being mindful is about being emotionally self-aware of your feelings in the present. One of my biggest sources of anxiety comes from worrying about the future. Practicing mindfulness is a great way to break that habit. Here are some helpful tips to help you start practicing mindfulness today.
3. Don’t take on more than you can handle.
It’s a myth that you have to join a million clubs and be super social to get the full college experience. During my freshman year, I felt like I had to say yes to everything, but ended up getting extremely overwhelmed and frustrated. Learn to say no and be honest with yourself. Can you really take on six classes this semester? Do you have the time to join another club? If the answer is no, then trust your instincts. You’ll thank yourself for it later.
4. Be kind to yourself.
This is the greatest advice I can give to you. If you don’t do well on a test, or you haven’t been to the gym for a few weeks, or you had to turn down a friend’s offer for dinner because you were feeling really stressed that day and just needed to unwind, don’t get upset with yourself. If you made a mistake, learn from it and promise yourself to try and do things differently next time.