Off to university? Don’t get caught in a school daze

If you’re anxious, there’s help, Dr. Katherine Fleming writes.

Transitions can be tough at all life stages. And many young people across Canada are in the process of a major one: starting university or a post-secondary education for the first time. Many are going away from home, often far away, and leaving friends, family and familiarity behind as they embark on their post-secondary adventures.

This time of transition can be an exhilarating or highly anxious time — or, more commonly, a combination. Young people are going through multiple changes that can be viewed both positively and negatively. For instance, it may be exciting that you’re leaving home and gaining independence. But it could be anxiety-inducing to separate from a familiar and safe environment and with decreased face-to-face parental and academic support.

Anxiety is a normal response and is useful when it is manageable at university. It helps students finish projects, study for exams and get essays in on time.

Anxiety shouldn’t reach a point where it’s interfering with daily life. If the student’s worry becomes crippling to the point he or she is having suicidal thoughts or engaging in self-harm, professional intervention is a must.

But before it reaches that point, there are ways to cope. These are tools for students fearing their anxiety levels are getting unmanageable:

Get to know yourself. Pinpoint your anxious

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thoughts, write them down and be as specific as possible. Be a scientist and analyze the situation that brings on the most distressing thoughts and identify how your body reacts to these thoughts (things like increased heart rate or shortness of breath).

Put things in perspective. Once you have a

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better understanding of your triggers, thoughts and emotions sort out how true or realistic these thoughts actually are. The idea is to think objectively rather than just negatively, and to put worry into perspective. Those suffering from severe anxiety usually perceive a situation as more threatening than it really is.

Expose yourself to the feared situations. If

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you are worried about taking tests, mimic the conditions before hand. If you are worried about how you will navigate the campus, walk it before the school year starts with a guide.

Get more effective. This would include enlisting

■ support from those that can help you. If you are taking a class in calculus and find the concepts too difficult, seek out a math major that is offering tutoring.

Don’t forget the basics. Exercise daily, even

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if it’s for a few minutes. Eat nutritious meals at regular times and make sure to get enough sleep.

Talk to someone. Let your parents, or a

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trusted professor or teaching assistant know how you’re feeling and why. University student health centres offer counsellors and doctors to help students cope and problem-solve.

Avoid avoiding. Running away from a stressful

■ situation will make things worse in the long run. If a particular class turns out to be something other than you expected and causes anxiety to the point where you stop going, be proactive. Don’t wait until Christmas when your absences lead to failing the course.

Set more realistic expectations. If you are

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used to doing well in high school, be realistic that the competition just got tougher and professors may be more conservative in giving higher grades or praise. You might need to set more manageable goals for yourself.

Parents can help prepare, too. Mom and dad

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can check out mental-health resources available at the campus before their child leaves. If possible, talk to the floor rep in the student’s dorm or get their contact information. And if your child does reach out to you, reassure him or her that there are no negative consequences to opening up about struggles.

Get help. Anxiety B.C. is a great advocacy

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group for people with anxiety and is free: anxietybc.net. If you or someone you know is in crisis, pick up the phone and call 1-800-7842433, 310-6789 or 911.

A broader dimension of university, no matter what year you’re in, is the pressure to figure out what to do with your life after graduation. It’s a mighty question that can ramp up anxiety. After all, a student might ask himself or herself, isn’t that what you’re there for?

But rare is the student who knows his or her exact career path at this stage. To have to choose your life trajectory in your late teens is not realistic. University is a time of growth and exploration. Take it year by year, semester by semester and day by day.