How to Cope With Anxiety Freshman Year
Janelle was an average college freshman. She grew up in the same city and attended high school with the friends she’d known for years. When she decided to go to college out of state, she didn’t realize how far away college would feel from home, her friends, and her family.
Although Janelle had adjusted to college fairly well, she still finds herself feeling more and more anxious as the school year continues. She regularly feels overwhelmed with how she has too much to do and too little time to prepare. How can Janelle handle her anxious feelings without developing bad habits?
College freshmen face anxiety on a regular basis. While some may need to get specialized attention from medical professions, some can learn how to cope with their feelings of anxiety in simple ways. Below are 4 different situations in which a freshman like Janelle can learn to handle anxiety during this first year of college.
When you feel overwhelmed…
Daniel was an exceptional high school student. In addition to being a mostly-A student, he had a vibrant social life. Now at college, Daniel feels like he can barely keep up with his class load much less socialize. He always seems to be behind and can never seem to catch up. As a result, he constantly worries about how he will survive until break. How can Daniel cope with his anxiety?
If a student like Daniel were to come to my office, I would have a conversation with him where I would listen, ask questions, and offer the following advice.
I would first encourage this student to isolate the problem:
Whenever you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, take a moment to pause. You may not feel like you have the time to take a step back, but you really can’t afford not to take time for some assessment.
You need to figure out what’s the real problem. Maybe you are involved in too many extracurriculars. Maybe you are not eating or exercising. Maybe you are putting too much pressure on yourself to get all As. Whatever the case may be you need to get to the bottom of the problem, which will take some time.
I would second encourage this student to create a strategy for facing the problem:
This often will start with you getting some kind of help. Meeting with your academic advisor, talking with your RA, or having a chat with mom or dad on the phone will help you learn what steps you can take.
Next, learn to say no. Many overachieving high school graduates come to college with the same attitude toward extracurriculars: they can do it all. In college, courses often take much more time, so taking a full load and then adding extracurriculars leaves students buried. You may have to back out of opportunities. Saying no to things you really want to be a part of can be hard but you will feel so much freer once you do.
Then, set aside some time to recharge. You likely have been pushing very hard this school year, and you need to give yourself time to recharge. Recharging looks different for different personality types. Some get energy from spending a night with friends. Others get energy from going to bed early or staying in to read or watch a movie. Find what works for you and plan small amounts of time throughout the week and on the weekend to recharge.
When you don’t know what to do…
Brooke was a conscientious student. She always has had a thorough approach to schoolwork. At college, she doesn’t always know how to face some of these new obstacles. When stuck in between studying for a test and completing a paper, she freezes. She needs to complete both things, but she doesn’t know which one to prioritize. As a result, she feels incredibly anxious. How can Brooke cope with this anxiety?
I can relate to a student like Brooke, because I at times felt this way during my freshman year. Looking back, I would offer this kind of advice to a student like Brooke.
I would first suggest this kind of student analyze the obstacle:
When I say analyze, I don’t mean fixating on the problem (which was what I tended to do). I mean pick the obstacle apart. What are the different components in this decision? What are the parameters? Is there a time limit? How long do you have to make a decision? What are the consequences for making one choice over another?
Be careful, because a conscientious student can get stuck here in a metaphorical no-man’s land. Analyzing the obstacle is important but you have to continue moving forward and make a decision. Don’t allow yourself to become paralyzed.
I would second suggest this student get some advice:
Calling a parent or older sibling to ask for some advice can shed some needed light on your situation. Talking to an upperclassman student you trust and respect can help as well. Ultimately, their advice is just that—advice. You will need to make the call for yourself.
I would third suggest this student make the decision:
Give yourself a deadline. Don’t allow yourself to stay stuck. Tell yourself, “I must decide what choice I will take by the time I arrive at my dorm room.” A deadline has a way of helping push you into acting.
Lastly I would suggest this student later take some time to reassess:
What would you do differently? What were the results of your decision? Do you wish you had acted differently? How can you make a better decision in the future? No decision will be perfect, but hopefully you will get closer and closer to finding what works for you.
When you can’t sleep…
Aaron is typically not a worrier, but the stress of college is starting to affect his sleep. He finds himself awake worrying when he should still be sleeping. This is new for him, because he’s never had trouble sleeping before. What can Aaron do to cope with his anxiety?
There are many things that could be going on in a situation like Aaron’s, but there are a few things he can try to handle his anxiety and get a good night’s sleep.
This kind of student first needs to prioritize exercise:
Exercise can have a tremendous impact on your sleep. Not only can exercise help you stay healthy physically, but, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it can help you stay mentally healthy. Dr. Charlene Gamaldo, the medical director of John Hopkins Center for Sleep, claims that not only can exercise help you fall asleep more quickly, but it can also improve your quality of sleep.
This kind of student needs to eat well:
When life gets busy, healthy eating is often one of the first things to go. Caffeine, sugar, and lactose are often found in foods that are quick grab and eat. However, Harvard Health Publishing points to these kinds of foods as being obstacles to a good night’s sleep.
This kind of student needs to plan his sleep carefully:
Nap too late in the day for too long and you may find that you struggle to go to sleep around 11 or 12. Regularly depriving yourself of sleep will have long-term effects. In an article for The National Center for Biotechnology Information, Hershner and Chervin state: “The consequences of sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness are especially problematic to college students and can result in lower grade point averages, increased risk of academic failure, compromised learning, impaired mood, and increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.” Make getting adequate rest a priority if you want to lessen your anxiety.
When you can’t focus in class…
Kayla is usually a pretty focused student. She genuinely enjoys many of her college classes, but as the semester gets closer and closer to finals she finds that she is often too stressed, tired, or distracted to focus in class. Her anxiety gets to her in class when she thinks about all the things she needs to accomplish today. With assignments, work shifts, and personal issues floating around in her mind, she can’t seem to stay focused. How can Kayla cope with her anxiety?
I can empathize with a student like Kayla, because I often felt this way in college. Too much to do and too little time, I would find myself zoning out even when I wanted to pay attention. Here are 5 things I would suggest a student like Kayla do.
I would first suggest this student work to come prepared to class:
Often your anxiety comes from feeling unprepared. Do your best to study for your quizzes, complete your reading, and review your notes before arriving to class. When you arrive at class then you can then focus on getting in the right headspace for facing that quiz or test.
I would second suggest this student remove distractions:
Your cellphone is probably your #1 distraction. Turn your phone on silent and place it out of sight. Removing the distraction of text messages and emails will help you stay focused. Other distractions are often out of your control, like the person in front of you who is live-streaming his or her favorite football team’s game. Do your best to avoid sitting behind or next to this student.
I would third suggest this student sit close to the front:
Because you can’t control how distracting classmates are, removing distractions from your eye-line may mean sitting up front. In addition to removing visual distractions, this will help you engage in the lecture. You will feel more likely to ask and answer questions the closer you are to the front.
I would fourth suggest this student takes notes with paper:
This may sound extreme, but laptops or tablets are filled with distractions, even good distractions. Emptying out your inbox, responding to the text from your parent, and completing your assignment for your next class period are all important things you need to do. During class, however, is not the best time to do these things. Try taking notes with pen and paper and see if it helps you focus better.
Caring for yourself is important. Taking care of your body and mind needs to be a priority, but often coping with anxiety looks like going on unhealthy spending sprees, overeating, or seclusion. Sometimes buying yourself a new piece of clothing or getting a cup of coffee can improve your mood, but ultimately these coping mechanisms don’t deal with the real problem.
When facing these different situations, take some time to get to the root of your anxiety. Are you afraid of failing? Are you fearful of what others think of you? Are you finding your identity in your grades? Only when you address these deeper issues will you find relief from some of your anxieties.
The above tips will only help you cope with anxiety, but they won’t entirely remove your anxieties. Learn to face the cause of your anxiety head on and use these simple tips to cope with the day-to-day anxiety you feel.
