Surviving stress and anxiety at Winthrop

Sam Ross/ The Johnsonian

Starting college is already stressful enough with moving into dorms and tougher classes, but keeping on top of multiple projects and commitments can hinder the learning experience for students with anxiety or disorders like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. However, as someone who has ADHD and is a senior in college, there are multiple outlets to help make this hypothetical mess into success.

One way to reduce anxiety and improve yourself in college is interacting with your classes’ professor outside of class about your respective assignments. Scheduling appointments with your professors can allow you to find out what you missed or ask for clarification with a concept that you are confused about. Communicating with your professors in person or by email can also help you find out what you need to focus or improve upon for future projects and exams.

Another way that students can alleviate their anxiety is by making sure they keep up to date with their classes and projects. An example of how to do that is by making a schedule of each week either on paper, a day planner or a check-list created on Microsoft OneNote. By seeing a checklist, you would be able to take a deep breath and collect your thoughts on what needs to be done. Be sure to keep up to date with your assignments to avoid getting overwhelmed with your classes and find some time to relax. If you’re stressing out, stop for a moment and relax by taking a walk, watching an episode of your favorite show or collecting your thoughts.

One of the best ways to curb anxiety is by finding a quiet place to take notes and work on your assignments. While some of your notes from your lectures will be available on your professors’ websites or Blackboard, it would benefit you if you took notes ahead of your classes to familiarize yourself with the concepts in the lectures. Some good places around Winthrop to take notes are the break rooms in buildings such as Owens, Kinard and the Dacus Library. These places provide a quiet spot for students to take notes and review their assignments. The library also provides study rooms that can be reserved by students, so you can lock yourself in to take notes and prepare for your exams.

Finally, Winthrop University offers both Counseling Services on campus in the Crawford Building as well as an Office of Accessibilities in the Bancroft Annex 307. Counseling Services provides Individual and Group Counseling sessions for students to discuss symptoms and partake in weekly sessions to review the day. The Office of Accessibilities not only provides students with disabilities the opportunity to discuss with their professor on accommodations in class, but can also help with tests for those who have anxiety. This is done through the testing center, which students can register for online so they can take their tests in a quiet environment and take as much time as you want instead of the allotted time a class provides.

There are multiple ways to alleviate anxiety through the different resources that Winthrop provides and your own time management. It’s important to know that as you start college, you are not alone when you struggle with your classes. Winthrop University is here for you, so have a smart and active year as classes begin.