Academic Performance Anxiety

[Mariee]

Hi,

I am studying a master’s degree and recently I have found that my fear of failure is starting to impact on my grades. I have been to see a counsellor and have been given meditation and breathing exercises, but I’m not so sure how helpful it has been for me specifically. My peers have really been excelling and I feel as though I am out of my depth. I was prepared to be average among the group as my convener told me the class would be the ‘best of the best’. However, I am finding that it is just making me feel like I can’t do it. I have moments where it gets so intense that I can’t really see a way of getting through it, but somehow I do pull through and wonder why I was so stressed. Worrying about failing and adding huge fees and time on to my degree is exhausting. Writing this post makes it seem like such a small and silly thing to worry about, but it’s something I can’t seem to get out of my mind. If anyone has had similar issues please share with me what helped you.

Thank you,

Mariee

[HA1]

Hi Marieee!

It was sooooo long ago that I did my university studies so whatever I say is well dated.

But, I went through exactly the same thing as you starting with my Bachelor degree.  To give context, I left school prematurely after failing consecutive years of high school.  Instead I went backpacking.  

Much later, when I decided to go and study at Uni, I suffered massive anxiety from term 1, year 1.  I never excelled, but I managed to pass and went on to have (what others call) a successful career.  I guess what got me through was (paradoxically) the need to work my way through Uni.  When I was not studying I had to work.  The point here is that it took away any opportunity to dwell on my anxieties.

Just one persons story.  

K

[Loz7254]

Hey Mariee, 

I am a student at the moment and also an athlete. I also tend to worry about things, you're post isn't silly it can be very stressful completing a degree and the fees involved, I feel the same way. 

I have found what has helped me both in elite level competition and in daily life is when I feel overwhelmed and it gets to a point where everything builds up I stop and say to myself "think about what I can control" because at the end of the day we only have control of our own actions thoughts and feelings. So take control of those actions thoughts and feelings!

This puts things in perspective for me and helps me stop worrying about outside factors. You can only control your own performance at uni, everything else that is happening is out of your control and if you worry about these things it becomes to much! 

It also helps to take action if you are worried about your grades. Think to your self what can I control to help this situation. e.g. sit down and study, even just try to control the words going around in your head (you can change your thoughts however hard it may seem) sit down and do something like studying to ease the anxiety and stop your mind from thinking too much to where it gets to a point where you feel like its too intense.

 Whenever I find myself thinking negative thoughts such as "I can't do it" I stop myself and replace that thought with a positive one "I can do it" I believe negative thoughts limit you before you even begin! If you believe you can do it you increase your chances by 100% from the very beginning positvity breads positivity and negative thoughts also bread negative thoughts so it helps me to stop the bad thoughts in their tracks and change them by verbally or mentally saying a positive thought in place of a negative one!

Im not sure if this will help but I have been using this for years so I hope it can help you as well. 

[Chris_B]

Hi Mariee, have you heard of our online program The Desk?

It's designed for tertiary students and includes a lot of resources, including:

• Modules to develop problem-solving and self-management skills. Topics include getting things done, staying calm, staying connected and feeling good.
• Tools to help with everyday issues such as relaxation, challenging unhelpful thoughts, using feedback constructively and problem solving.
• Quizzes about different areas of life such as relationships, physical health and mental wellbeing.
• An online Coffee House for students to connect with other students, share experiences, music, art, recipes and more
• Links to information and support services to help deal with a range of common issues.

[NOOP]

Hi Mariee Done four degrees including a masters and there was always at least one academic who gave the “best of the best” and/or “it’s a privilege to be in my class” speech.  Two comments:
1 Those, from my experience, who gave those speeches expressed more about themselves than their care level of you as a students
2 Reality is to get the qualification you only need to pass. Most jobs you need the qual – but it is you the person / the interview that gets the job … not an academic’s opinion.

Suggest a combination:
1 Distraction(s) / time out … train ur brain to go ur nirvana/heaven  – as Loz and Chris B suggests when things get heavy … for me it was my kids and music. Did learn some 1000 Latin names for plants using the sound track from the movie the mission
2 Ask yourself the question: Would this "best of best" survive in the real world?  You judge the value of their ego-centric POV and then reassess how you view their opinions.
3 Develop ur own attitude: if the answer from 2 is no … then work you butt off to prove them wrong = ur mission =  ur goal = being positive about urself … so at grad u can say xyz  …. But more importantly u can say I did it despite xyz
4 Get enough sleep … find a focus that helps you re-channel back to sleep when the brain goes bonkers in the middle of the night. My G-ma had this expression ‘crude, rude and unrefined’ that and ‘learning’  myself not open my eyes when it is dark was my way to redirect the brain

In hope - pete

[Mariee]

Hi Chris B,

Thank you so much for the suggestion! I had not heard about the desk until you mentioned it (very new to this), so I checked it out and it looks like it will be quite helpful.

🙂

Mariee