Dear fellow college student with anxiety, I feel you.
I grew up in a family where anxiety and depression were prominent but I felt like I was lucky to not have struggled with those particular disorders. During the summer I started to notice how anxious and overwhelmed I was getting in certain settings. It started with feeling anxious if my space wasn’t clean or I was around an area that wasn’t didn’t feel organized. I had always been a pretty organized individual but it was starting to consume my mind.
Coming back to college and being in a new apartment, I thought that my anxiousness about cleanliness would go away being that I could control my space and my roommates are clean but it didn’t stop there. As the semester started and the calendar started to become full, I got super anxious on Sunday- Sunday Scares if you will. I would even plan my day to a tea in my Sophie Lee planner and still feel so nervous and anxious about how overwhelmed I could become throughout the week.
Anxiety during midterms and finals is a different type of anxiety. I let school consume my thoughts and don’t allow myself to relax and enjoy the moment. It can be so overwhelming to think about passing classes, studying, and being able to understand the material. One thing I started doing to assist my anxiety about midterms is to assign homework for certain classes on certain days, for example: On Tuesdays, I would do biology work for the entire week.
I know while having anxiety many people prefer to not be alone but I’m quite the opposite. While navigating anxiety and even at times anxiety attacks- I prefer to be alone and decompress while taking long deep breaths. During times when my anxiety levels are high, I tend to need more self-care than usual. I will spend time redoing my nails and feet, watching lots of youtube, going to the gym, and waking up early to be productive.
I found this article on Beyond Blue, it talks a lot about different ways to help cope with anxiety and things you can do to help navigate. Here are 10 strategies you & I can try right now to help manage.
- Slow breathing
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Moving slowly- being present
- Healthy/balanced lifestyle
- Small acts of bravery
- Talk nice to yourself
- Plan worry time
- Get to know your anxiety
- Learn from others
- Be kind to yourself
Although these tips are sustainable and able, anxiety is a disorder and you do need to seek professional help if it’s difficult to manage or you have harmful thoughts.
If you are a Winthrop Student here are some resources for professional help.
- Counseling Services is located on the second floor of the Crawford Building
Fall and Spring Semester:
Monday-Thursday, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM
Fridays, 9:30 AM-5:00 PM
- The WCCC is located at 147 Withers on the Winthrop University campus at 615 Eden Terrace in Rock Hill, South Carolina
Appointments can be arranged in person or by calling 803/323-4783. Day and evening appointments are available.