I have always done my best to maintain a stellar academic record. I took pride in my GPA, in seeing the grades at the end of each term, and being able to maintain a great relationship with my professors. However, it was not easy. In fact, this semester, my anxiety levels skyrocketed and I was able to trace the roots of the spike to my academic stressors. I found myself facing a semester worth of graduate school applications, classes, lab work, and a thesis project, and I was in a constant state of exhaustion. It became harder and harder to keep up with assignments and deadlines that I would have easily met in earlier years. I felt overwhelmed and reached out to the Counseling and Consulting Services (CCS) at OSU. I am so glad that I did. Engaging in therapy helped me work on coping skills and manage my anxiety so that I was able to catch up on my work and actually start meeting deadlines again.
As students, we are expected to juggle so much through college. For many this can be a huge cause of stress. Small amounts of constant stress can also build up over time and push us to a point where the smallest tasks can seem daunting. It is not talked about often, but this is an issue that is much too prevalent among students today. In fact, part of the reason it is so common is because many of us want to portray that we are on top of things and that we are very capable students. Even the most amazing and capable people can struggle from anxiety due to work or school or anything else. I am hoping to talk about it, and my struggle with academic anxiety to let my fellow anxious beans out there know: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Academic anxiety can present itself in so many different ways. For me, it manifested in a fear of failure and overwhelming thoughts that clouded my motivation. For others it could mean self-degrading thoughts, physical symptoms (quickened heartbeat, sweaty palms), or even avoidant behaviors. The good news is, there are tools and mechanisms we can use to help overcome all these symptoms and manage this anxiety!
The first step is to know where you can go for help. To my fellow students at the Ohio State University, CCS is an amazing resource. They do not just do counseling sessions. They have short workshops and seminars on how to manage anxiety, information on where you can get academic help and more. Another amazing resource for my peers in STEM classes, the Dennis Learning Center. There is almost always a TA or at least other students struggling with the same class that you are in. Two heads are better than one! Last, and I know this can seem intimidating, but talk to your professors! Part of why my academic anxiety felt so overbearing is because I wasn’t asking for help. It can feel really nerve-wracking to email a professor explaining your situation to ask for an extension or to ask for accommodations, but nine times out of ten, the response will be supportive, encouraging and empathetic. It also takes a huge weight off your shoulders to let them know where you are at.
Reach out if you need support! There are people ready to help 🙂
Citations:
Understanding academic anxiety – cornell university. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://lsc.cornell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Understanding-Academic-Anxiety.pdf
Nicole J. LeBlanc, M. A., & Luana Marques, P. D. (2019, August 27). Anxiety in college: What we know and how to Cope. Harvard Health. Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/anxiety-in-college-what-we-know-and-how-to-cope-2019052816729
Pizzie, R. G., & Kraemer, D. J. (2019). The Academic Anxiety Inventory: Evidence for dissociable patterns of anxiety related to math and other sources of academic stress. Frontiers in Psychology, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02684
OSU Counseling and consultation service. Counseling and Consultation Service. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://ccs.osu.edu/
OSU Dennis learning center – study smarter. Dennis Learning Center – STUDY SMARTER. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://dennislearningcenter.osu.edu/