Anxiety is ruining my studies

[unigirl1994]

Hi everyone, I'm currently in my second year of uni studying creative arts and I wanted to try and get some advice regarding my anxiety because it's becoming a huge issue in regards to my studies. I have social anxiety (not officially diagnosed) and I hate going to uni because I'm afraid of having to interact with my teachers and have them criticize my artworks. I find that the amount of work I have to do by the end of semester completely overwhelms me every time, and I end up putting it all off until the last few days (or the night before). I end up giving in barely satisfactory work and scraping by with my marks. As I type this I have  assessments due in a few days, both which are still incomplete and have components missing from them he to me not getting them done. I hate going back to uni out of class times and avoid it at all costs because I don't want my teaches to be angry at how far behind I am. I have been told by some, during reviews of my ongoing artworks that they feel worried about my final result, and should do more or else I will fail. Still, despite this I do not and hand in incomplete works. I have tried to make myself do things quicker when I get them but I just cannot seem to keep it up. I do not know how to stop my procrastination and it's making me feel depressed , worthless and like I don't deserve to be studying. I want to do better but I don't know how. Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.

[Neil_1]

Hi there Uni Girl

I’m not much into studying or the like, and my son who’s 16yo struggles to get his things done.

But here’s some suggestions that you “may” find helpful.

Is there someone that you can work with from your course – kind of “two heads” better than one thing?   They might also be able to help with planning and organisation.

Are you able to dissect the tasks up and have a kind of wall chart that shows what needs to be done and by when?    And place on it, milestones that need to be met along the way – eg:   when a particular assignment is due;  or when the next exam (if you have them) is going to happen?   That way, it’s listed and things won’t suddenly creep up on you.

Is it possible to try and set aside a couple of hours (or even just one) at exactly the same time of day, so you will (or can) get into a routine – but to give yourself, say Friday and Sunday night’s off.   Remember also here – these are only suggestions for you.

One last one – if you could set an alarm to go off at that time of day and for you to have your work/study area ready and prepared to use ahead of time.

Again, as I’ve said, just some suggestions – even if ONE of them helps, then that would be great.

Kind regards

Neil

[unigirl1994]

Thanks for the great suggestions Neil, they all sounds great and il be sure to try some 🙂

[faeriedust88]

Hi Uni Girl,

How are you r studies going?

Good on you for going to uni  - especially when you have an anxiety disorder, uni is hard and especially harder for somebody who suffers from anxiety - it's definitely not easy and I take my hat off to you for trying!!  Good on you and keep it up!  Start small - with a few little things (like mentioned above) and slowly these things should help make your life a little easier at uni.

As for the social phobia, there are so many insecurities that pop up in our lives while at uni - know that you deserve to be there as much as anyone else deserves the opportunity to be studying at uni - you are there for a reason and stay strong - you are in your second year - well done!! You can do this!!!

Are you into complimentary therapies?  Have you heard of Bach Flower remedies - Rescue Remedy - it's a flower essence you can take - you can buy online or at a health food store - it is excellent to use in times of extreme anxiety - a uni lecturer of mine used it before lectures to calm the nerves and swore by it.

Do you have a Student Support Centre at ur uni?  They usually have free psychology sessions for student and are very experienced with the fears uni students go through - maybe book a session and try some of the techniques they offer.

I hope you managed to get all of your assessments in, is your semester finished now?

Best of luck!

🙂

[unigirl1994]

Hi Faerie, thank you for replying 🙂
It definitely hard being at uni with a mental illness as it rules every aspect of it for me and is starting to make me hate it. I feel sometimes as though I don't deserve to be there if I'm not doing well enough but I suppose that's just the anxiety ruling my thoughts.
I have tried the remedy drops before but was not a huge fan (the taste was gross and also didn't work for that long) though I've been told the lolly version is better by a few people and will try those next I think.
I discovered recently that my uni has free counselors so I am thinking about seeing one when school resumes to get in a better headspace and learn how to manage my time and assessments better as well as not feeling hopeless all the time.
I did manage to get all my assessments done and whilst I know they weren't great due to the anxiety and procrastination, I think I will pass them all (hopefully!).
Thank you for the great advice and kind words 🙂

[faeriedust88]

Hi Uni girl!

It sounds as though you are open to trying different techniques to help you rise above your anxiety.  I think that's what it is all about - I'm not sure if anyone ever cures themselves 100% of anxiety - but it is about becoming aware of yourself, listening to your body and building a toolkit of things that you can use in times that cause you stress and anxiety.

Yes! Try the lollies - great idea - a friend of mine carries a tin of them in her bag - that way you can have one whenever you start to feel anxious and no-one will ever know ur taking rescue remedy - actually - you've just reminded me that I should get some for myself - just incase 😉

Now that you are on hols - take this time to reward yourself and treat yourself to some relaxation therapy - like a massage, yoga class or long walks in the sunshine.  

You could also try breath work - breathe in for 4 secs, hold for 4 secs and breathe out for 8 secs.  This technique switches your fight flight system and calms the nervous system.

Congrats on getting all of your assessments in!!  That wouldn't have been easy - but you did it!!  Well done!  And at the end of the day - it really doesn't matter what marks you get - you are giving it your best and your working through your anxiety as well - so really you are achieving 2 things at once - well done!!  

My uni motto is  'P's equal degrees' -  right?!!

Take care. 🙂

[A_is_love]

Hey Unigirl!

I'm not going to say I know exactly how you feel, but I will say that I was in the exact same position as you during my second year of uni (my psychology degree- ironic huh?) and although I didn't put a label on it back then, looking back on that period of my life, it was definitely anxiety. I thought I was a failure all the time. I kept leaving my work to the last minute and doing tasks in a really half-hearted way, making my anxiety symptoms worse, and although I had support from lecturers and uni buds, I couldn't shake that fear of failure as well as punishing myself for "letting" things get this bad.

Although I have finished that course, I am currently completing another one in counselling, and from personal experiences, it's really up to you how you can approach this period of your life. You sound really passionate about your course and you've acknowledged that your anxiety is getting in the way. This is a great first step, because you've realised where you are at, and that you want to change.

I am HORRIBLE with time management and procrastination at times, but what helps me and keeps me focused is breaking big tasks (like a really huge assignment) into smaller manageable tasks&set times for myself. My fast heartbeat, sweaty palms and sinking feeling in my stomach hits me as soon as I think about all the questions and essays I have to write. But as soon as I wake up in the morning, I make a list of small tasks that I need to do, As soon as I finish a small task, I feel confident because A) this little task is one step closer towards the goal of completing a big assignment and B) I can now treat myself with a little reward for completing the task and not letting my procrastination get the better of me. Treating yourself will motivate you further.

Another helpful technique is communication. Tell your family, friends, announce it in a status on Facebook! on the progress you've made towards your assignments. Not only will people encourage you to keep going giving you a boost on your journey, but it will also motivate you to complete tasks so you can announce to the world you've kicked that assignments' butt! It's like exercising in groups; you all motivate each other on your goals!

I highly recommend uni counselling. They'll teach you techniques in managing time better & techniques for calming anxiety symptoms. Its free too!

Good luck & all the best for your studies. You're not alone, and I will be thinking of you 🙂

[Country_Gal7]

Hello Uni Girl,

I can relate to how you are feeling. I am in my second year of my Social Work degree and i've been struggling this past year. I also have social anxiety and have been diagnosed this year for it. I often find myself only going to uni to go to classes and that is it. I have only recently started making friends in my degree and i fee i woudn't have been able to if i hadn't reached out for support. I don't think i would be at uni today if it wasn't for going to headspace and becoming aware of how to manage my anxiety. I also have a fear of talking to the teachers. I have recently failed two of my three courses last semester and i have been told by my partner to go speak to my teachers about how i can improve and what i did wrong but ive been getting super anxious just at the thought of going and seeing them. 

Well done with staying at uni and battling the anxiety. As A_is_love has suggested the university has great services such as counselling that would be helpful, not only with your anxiety but also if you ever need an extension to complete work. I also recommend speaking to Headspace, they have provided great support and information surrounding understanding my anxiety and managing it. 

All the best with your studies and know that you are not alone 🙂

[redbrigade]

Hi unigirl

I want to encourage you to engage more with your lecturers and tutors. For some people it seems daunting, and others don't even consider it, but it is really one of the keys to improving yourself at university.

You should let them know about your issues first and foremost (and your student support services will probably do that but it's far better to do it yourself). But your teachers are human too. Just so you know - I teach ancient history and suffer from depression and anxiety. You would be surprised how many academics have at least been on antidepressants, and it's a particularly stressful job. 

Now, particularly with assignments, know that you can see your lecturers and tutors for feedback on them before you hand them in! So many of my students don't know this! In fact in the entirety of last semester only 2 students came to me personally for help, even after I encouraged them. Please take that step, and go to your teachers for advice.

Best wishes

[redbrigade]

Country_Gal7 said:

 i have been told by my partner to go speak to my teachers about how i can improve and what i did wrong but ive been getting super anxious just at the thought of going and seeing them. 

Hi Country Gal!
I just want to reiterate to you what I've just posted to unigirl.
See your teachers! There's no reason to be anxious. Your teachers will really appreciate that you took the effort to talk to them to see how you can improve. There is nothing we want more from students other than this!