Do you often feel worried, restless, tired, and unable to concentrate? If the answer is yes, chances are that you’re experiencing anxiety disorder—a condition that requires treatment.
Good news: anxiety can be a normal response to certain stressful events like exams, job interviews, performing in front of an audience, etc. Yet, when the symptoms become persistent, overwhelming, and larger than the events that triggered them, most likely, you’re having a problem.
What Is Academic Anxiety?
To put it simply, academic anxiety is the condition caused by the pressures of academic life. And it’s a major health concern among students—many surveys on the subject prove this sad fact.
Among the common triggers for anxiety among students are:
- Tests and exams;
- Getting used to a new environment;
- Meeting new people;
- Facing bullying;
- Financial problems;
- Too many academic tasks.
The last one may seem the most overwhelming, but it’s rather easy to manage. Just learn to spend on each task exactly the time that you think it’s worth. There is even an easier way – delegate some assignments altogether. For example, your writing tasks will be handled perfectly by professionals at https://essaypro.com/ platform. As for the other problems, read on to learn how to cope with them, too.
Tips to Avoid Being Anxious at College
Maintain Healthy Habits
Health should be a primary concern. Some young people don’t yet understand the point, and, as a result, don’t take enough care of themselves. Meanwhile, the worries only grow…
The reasons for worsening health may be as simple as too much caffeine or not enough sleep. Just watch yourself carefully, and you’ll probably find out that at least some of your anxiety’s roots lie somewhere in your (un)healthy routine.
To feel better, do the following:
- get enough sleep;
- avoid overworking;
- eat healthy food;
- don’t drink too much coffee and booze.
For a stronger effect, concentrate on:
- practicing yoga;
- doing breathing exercises;
- going for walks more.
Master Time Management
Effective time-management is super-important, and not just for students. So, the earlier you master it, the better. This skill alone will save you tons of nerves: when you know that everything is under control, you don’t stress out that much.
Also, avoid procrastinating. Remember—however great your plan may be, procrastination can easily kill it.
Don’t Be Online All the Time
Being constantly online may seem natural today, but it’s not. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, when most students studied offline, the problem was not so acute. Still, even then teachers and parents were worried about young people always staring into their smartphones’ screens.
Put off your phone for a while and take a walk or just lay on a couch in silence. You’ll instantly feel relaxed.
Find Time for Hobbies
The academic schedule can be very tight, and you may suddenly find out that you don’t have any time left for your hobbies. Dropping them may seem like an obvious decision, but wait…
Abandoning your beloved hobby will only add to the stress and make you feel sad. Instead, try to figure out how you can find opportunities to continue. You will most probably devote not much time to it, but little is better than nothing.
Embrace Imperfection
Trying too hard to be perfect is counterproductive. It’s better to know your limits and try to push them a little step by step. You only have the time you have, and you can only do what you can.
It doesn’t mean that you needn’t try to be a better version of yourself and should stick with whatever there is and not more. It’s just that you have to set achievable goals and forgive yourself if you don’t manage to be the best in everything you do right now.
Avoid Comparisons
Comparing yourself to others is not always bad. It can be productive when you learn through it. You get to know your strengths and weaknesses, better understand who you have to compete with when you start searching for a job.
But there’s one thing that you always have to remember: there will always be people who are better or worse at something right now than you are. We all come from different backgrounds, have different abilities and opportunities, and that’s normal.
Ask for Help When in Need
It’s not uncommon for students to be too shy to seek help. But the situation is getting better as the stigma ebbs, Associated Press review found.
Over the last five years, the number of university students seeking mental treatment has nearly doubled, while the enrollment level has not changed significantly. So, you don’t need to hide your problems—you’re not alone in it!
Final Words
Being a student is not easy. Apart from a heavy academic workload, students have to deal with a lot of other problems. This can be very stressful and even lead to an anxiety disorder.
In order to avoid it, follow the tips above and always remember that there’s nothing more precious than your health. It’s more fragile than you think, so stay calm, positive, and enjoy your student years as much as possible!
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