“Am I Doing Enough?”: the question we all face when going back to school
A new semester means new classes, new opportunities, and, well, new things to worry about. As I dove into this first week of school, I felt refreshed and revived. I, like many of you, was excited to start a fresh slate with new grades, and so far so good. I love my classes, my professors and my schedule. However, I’ve still caught myself feeling anxious about iinternship applications, study abroad plans and professional networking, all things that didn’t really worry me freshman year. Now, as a sophomore, I constantly find that I’m asking myself: “Am I doing enough?”
Attending a university where the student body is full of driven, future changemakers is absolutely wonderful, but it’s okay to acknowledge that it can be intimidating at times. A few days ago, I sat down with my therapist to discuss this anxiety and she gave me some great advice that I thought I’d share.
One of the roots of my anxiety with regard to extracurriculars and career plans is comparing myself to other people. If I see someone applying to a top-notch internship or posting on LinkedIn about the various accomplishments they’ve already completed, it’s hard to not compare your own accomplishments and wonder if they’re up-to-par with everyone else. My therapist made me realize that, in life, there will always be someone “doing more than you,” whether it be taking more classes or applying for more internships. That doesn’t mean that you’re not doing enough, it just means you’re on a different path. Once I came to this realization, it gave me more peace of mind that the extracurriculars that I am personally involved in are also achievements to be proud of; I think that mentality is something that anyone can benefit from.
I’ve found that another cause of my anxiety is due to always feeling overwhelmed. Whenever I start to look for internships to apply to, or career paths to follow, the large number of opportunities can seem daunting. I often don’t even know where to begin, and that in itself can seem overwhelming. After receiving advice, I learned that the best way to cope with this stress is to take it one thing at a time. It might sound self-explanatory, but it really does help. Instead of scrolling through Handshake or LinkedIn and finding 20 internships that you feel like applying to, start with one application and go from there. Ever since I learned to start small and not take on too many things at once, it has helped lower my anxiety.
A third piece of advice that resonated with me was the reminder that it’s okay to ask for help. Again, it sounds obvious, but it really does help to turn to others when you don’t know where to start. Personally, since I’m in a sorority, I’ve found that the more I turn to my friends in the house for advice, the easier it feels to maneuver the internship and study abroad application processes. I’ve also started to take advantage of Cal’s advisors and career center for help. The more advice you ask for, the easier it gets to pave your path for the future.
Lowering your anxiety is easier said than done. But, just acknowledging that it’s there is a good first step. It’s valid to feel anxious and stressed as a college student, to feel the constant need to keep up academically and professionally. The next step is to learn how to lower those stress levels; at the end of the day, your mental health is just as important as any internship or class. Whenever you feel anxious, just remember: you are doing enough.