HOW TO COPE WITH STRESS IN THE UNIVERSITY

manage anxiety at school — Manage Anxiety at School

The start of the "UNIVERSITY" phase of life can often bring great excitement and exhilaration for young people. Unfortunately, it can also be a source of great apprehension, stress and anxiety. Homework, exams and the crowds and very social nature of UNI can be very difficult to handle. At some point, everyone feels overwhelmed and anxious about being in the UNIVERSITY.
This has been the case for myself so I have decided to share a list of coping strategies which I have found to be quite useful to manage my anxiety at school. Obviously, these strategies will not work for everyone…but if they at least give one person something they can use to make their life more manageable…then I will consider this to be a success.

1. Get to know your teachers:

This is critical. Your teachers are always there to help you and are fantastic people. You need to utilize them. If you don’t approach them and ask for help when needed, they cannot assist you. I have always found my teachers to be a huge help. Whether it be sitting me at the back of the classroom so I can quietly leave if needed, to giving me extra time to get assignments done and teaming me up with peers. They are a great resource.

2. Utilize your Guidance Department and Administration:

Remember to always get to know these individuals and have meetings with them before the school year begins so you can have mutual understandings. They are there to help and the assistance they can provide is exceptional. The more help the better and it pays to create your own team as you manage your mental health issues at school.

3. Have a Backup Plan:

When dealing with your mental health at school, always have a backup plan. This could include a safe place to go for help, or a call to your parents or relative for assistance. Use this plan when you are overwhelmed and may be able to sense a breakdown coming.

4. Stay Organized:

Easier said than done I know! However, if you start to become disorganized and fall behind, the stress and anxiety will begin to creep up on you like a cloud and it will become stifling and overwhelming. Doing well at school can really increase and enhance your mood in many ways. By staying organized and on top of things you will be helping to make that happen. Doing well and being passionate about something can really help boost the self-esteem.

5. Keep your Friends Close:

They can be very valuable allies at school and will help to ease things for you. If you do not have any friends at this point in time, try to keep an open mind and it is very likely you will find some.

6. Join Teams and Clubs:

This has always been a very hard one for me as I have acute social anxiety. However, by forcing myself to do this I found that I was able to build up my own resilience. Not only that, but it will help to make friends and increase self-esteem and self worth. It is a hard one for many of us though.

7. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff:

Once again, this is much easier said than done. However, we all have things that make us very anxious which are really not worth our time. Remember to try and not to sweat the small stuff. The odds are those small things will probably work themselves out.
These are just some of the strategies I have used to make my school experience…and life… more manageable. In the end, school is what you make of it. Your experience will often depend upon how you are able to adjust and use your coping strategies
via:akokitelounge