The shift from high school to college may seem challenging and intimidating. You may feel frightened and alone, but rest assured that hundreds of other students are in the same situation.
There are several things you can do to help relieve the mental, emotional, and physical impacts of college application stress and care for your well-being in this challenging period. A bit of self-care can go a long way to relieving your anxiety. With that in mind, here are some things you can do to lower anxiety levels while applying to college.
1. Stay Motivated
Applying for college can be challenging, and it’s easy to feel that you can't keep up. There are numerous things you have to do, and it usually seems like you're going around in circles doing the same thing.
It’s best to have a goal in mind, especially regarding your grade point average (GPA). It’s generally better to have a high GPA, especially if you’re applying to Ivy League colleges or want to attend law or medical school in the future.
Be sure to review the GPA requirements for every school you’re looking to apply to. Estimating your possible GPA is also good practice for determining which classes you need to work on. This helpful GPA tool can calculate your cumulative GPA, which is essential in your college applications.
Remembering your goals is essential in keeping you on track as to why you want to go to college, especially if you have a dream school in mind. Goals keep you going whenever you feel like giving up and guide you whenever you start to feel lost.
2. Stay Organized
The fall semester can be stressful for high school seniors. There's pressure to maintain good grades and, at the same time, expect to get college admission. You can easily get overwhelmed by the heavy workload and your personal expectations. To help prevent this, you'll need to make a list to help you get organized.
List down all the tasks that need to be done and set a deadline for each one. You can break down bigger tasks into smaller ones to make things easier for you. Setting a schedule for when each task will be done will help you ensure they’re done on time and avoid last-minute cramming. This can help manage your stress and anxiety levels.
3. Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help
While it may be initially frightening, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help from the people you know you can count on. Juggling multiple school responsibilities, extracurriculars, and college applications can be exhausting. Having a support system you can rely on is essential for your overall well-being and mental health.
Navigating through this whole process alone is tough, regardless of how prepared you are. Thus, don’t close yourself off when your family and friends show their support toward you. Their presence can motivate you to keep you going and may even help you with some steps of the application. Remember, your parents and older siblings have already gone through this route.
4. Take A Break When You Need To
Taking a break will enable your mind to relax and not get overwhelmed by the volume of tasks and responsibilities. It may seem counterintuitive, but taking a break can boost your concentration as you aren’t constantly running on high-stress levels. Furthermore, taking a break is a form of self-care that keeps you from developing anxiety or depression.
Just because you have goals doesn’t mean you no longer deserve to have time off and relax. Breaks will help you take a breath and recover your energy, which is crucial in maintaining quality and productivity. It can also give you a clearer mind during exams.
5. Spend Time With Your Friends
In your senior year, your friends are likely going through the college application process too. Thus, it’s highly likely that you might share the same emotions as you go through the same situations. Even just a few hours of talking over your shared experiences can give you solace and a sense of camaraderie. As the saying goes, a shared problem is a problem half-solved.
Don't underestimate the power of spending time talking to your friends. Talking about your shared experiences can give you some ideas about managing stress and anxiety. But you don’t always have to talk about school or college applications—hanging with friends is one of the best ways to loosen up and divert your attention.
Conclusion
Applying to colleges can be nerve-wracking and exhausting, but you can make the process manageable. Have a clear idea of your goals and use it to stay dedicated to getting into your dream college. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed along the way, but remember that taking breaks is just as important as committing to your tasks. By managing your stress and anxiety levels, you’ll navigate this arduous journey with less pressure.
