By By: NICOLE HASSINGER
Staff Writer
@HassingerNicole
Nervous and eager, we plan our class schedules. We look for the quickest ways to get through the lull of first classes, the awkward first impressions, breakdowns from stress, and the overthinking that comes with a new semester of college.
We get the syllabi and jot down barely legible notes, praying for our classes to be easy. We rack our brains to remember facts. We binge watch our favorite shows, and keep ourselves as sane as possible as we reel through this stage of our lives—college.
In such an anxiety-inducing environment, a student could lose her mind. But as the semester progresses, realize that a few simple tips can help you keep your mind while perhaps even maintaining your GPA.
As the semester progresses, it is important to maintain contact with your professors. Don’t let that single grade bother you. Many professors have office hours that are flexible and designed for students to take advantage of.
Don’t ever be afraid to talk to your professors if you are having an issue. Oftentimes, they are more than happy to accommodate your needs and give you tips to keep on track with the rest of the class. You may bomb a test or miss a few points on a big paper, but that is the perfect opportunity to seek help.
Another way of coping with stress could be blowing off some steam at the Student Activities Center on campus. The SAC has a fully equipped gym, a track and basketball courts available for students to use when they are enrolled in classes.
The SAC is open from 6:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday.
IUSB also offers counseling in the Administration Building on Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and by appointment on Friday. The Counseling Center is free to use for students, and they offer help for a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, coping skills, grief, academics and others.
Recently, a good friend gave me advice that has stuck with me. She told me to embrace my anxiety and over-analytical nature. She told me to spin my nervousness into a drive for success. I have made a commitment to follow her words to better myself.
Anxiety can affect anyone. However, different people manage it differently. If we put anxiety on the backburner, it won’t just go away. Life doesn’t work like that. When issues are left behind, they don’t vanish, they snowball.
Learning how to juggle college life is the key to finishing strong. Each semester you finish is another semester closer to your career. Even when you get there, nervousness will be waiting. Finding outlets that work for you will keep you grounded and level in emotions, in the same way that fixing problems before allowing them to spiral out of control is better for everyone involved. Your way of coping may be different than mine, but as long as we are meeting the same goal, the journey there is irrelevant.
