How To Deal with Anxiety As A Student | Blogs
You may be expecting a formula for getting rid of anxiety, right? I am sorry to disappoint you if that is why you are reading this article. The purpose of this article is to offer tips on how to manage anxiety as a student.
Anxiety according to the Oxford Dictionary, is a mental condition characterized by excessive apprehensiveness about real or perceived threats, typically leading to avoidance behaviors and often to physical symptoms such as increased heart rate and muscle tension. Some anxiety is caused by genetics, having a history of mental health in the family, while some are caused by caffeine and medications that have side effects.
Anxiety is not entirely a bad thing, even the best performers get stage fright before performances. Anxiety is what helps us meet deadlines. A healthy dose of anxiety can tell us that we are pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone. Naturally, humans would prefer to avoid pain, however, pain is the antithesis to pleasure it is simply unavoidable.
A good tip for managing anxiety is understanding what makes you anxious and training the brain to react differently to things that stress and induce anxiety. This process is called Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a psychotherapy used to treat anxiety disorders.
It is normal for a student to feel anxious when they have a test, exam, or presentation coming up. The best way I have been able to cope with the anxiety and panic attacks when it comes to homework is to start early, by starting early I mean reading my syllabus at the beginning of class to understand what is required for the class, understand the class material by studying way ahead before an assessment due date and finding someone in class to study with or talk to. This may seem commonplace, but most students do not read their syllabus, which is a recipe for disaster and a problem shared is a problem half solved.
Similarly, procrastinating is never a good thing. Most students who procrastinate seem to undermine the importance of time in a competition for a task. The best way to avoid procrastination is to do little bits of the required work. The starting work doesn’t have to be perfect, but it means you have enough time to perfect the work.
Good sleep and mindful meditation. Sleeping is very good for the brain. Most students underestimate the importance of sleep, become burnout, and can barely perform at optimum levels. Medicines can also be used to treat anxiety disorders including anti-anxiety medicines and melatonin which help people sleep better.
Outlined tips for managing anxiety as a student;
- Reading the syllabus
- Avoid procrastination
- Huge therapy and mindful meditation
- Going for a walk or Run
- Being active on campus and finding your tribe, keeps your mind busy.
- Enrolled Tri-C student, you can contact the Counseling Center for free counseling sessions.
