"The cliche is that the beginning of each college semester is a time for fresh starts and excitement, parties and cheering at college events. However, there are many who struggle with beginning-of-semester anxiety (we'll call it BSA here, but that is not an official diagnostic term). It is normal for the beginning of the semester to feel challenging. Both students who report having an anxiety disorder ( one in three college students) and students who have no diagnosed anxiety may struggle with BSA."
"There are many logical reasons for anxiety to be heightened at the start of each semester. For example, no daily routines are yet set, classes can seem overwhelming, and it is unclear which people and places can be counted on to provide support. We start the semester with many questions which can cause BSA: "Who do I eat with?" "What's my path to walk to class?" "How do I like my professors?""
Beginning-of-semester anxiety (BSA) commonly affects both students with diagnosed anxiety disorders and those without diagnoses. Anxiety increases because daily routines are not yet established, classes feel overwhelming, and sources of support and social patterns are unclear. Common anxious self-talk includes catastrophic and identity-based statements about studying, organizing, belonging, and social cues. Strategies include recognizing BSA self-talk, observing anxious thoughts without judgment, naming thoughts with curiosity, and using non-judgmental self-talk. Focusing on creating healthy routines and manageable strategies can reduce anxiety and make the start of the semester more navigable.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]