20 days until I start UNI

[WillyB]

I start uni on the 20th of September and I've become very concerned. About a month ago i stopped my anti-depressants, since then ive lost interest in the subject i was to be studying but hope i would pick it back up when i started. Now after a tough weekend at a festival i feel as though ive completely relapsed to what i was like 6 months ago, a wreck. Im completely terrified that i wont be able to go to uni any more if i have another full on break down and just cant face it. All the thoughts and feelings are back which i hated and which took me so long to get over, theres no way i can get over whats happened in the past few days before the 20th. What on Earth do i do??

Does anyone else currently attend or have attended UNI with their anxiety and obsessional thinking? or how did you feel about starting it with your anxiety?

thank you for any replies.

[Vixxy]

Hi I attended university 8 months after a massive breakdown. I was barely in recovery when the start date came around and I was so very nervous. In fact on the morning I was due to go I was shouting at my boyfriend telling him there was no way I was going in. Needless to say he told me to calm down and I went in. Im so glad I did!
youll be so busy with university life that you wont have much time to be anxious. :)

[unspoken]

Hi. I had undiagnosed anxiety through school, particularly around exams and things. It actually got worse during uni, but that's not something you should worry about as it was to do with my particular situation.

Are you moving away to uni or living at home? I don't know what you're studying but many subjects are rather different to how they were at school. Don't worry about losing interest in the subject, it'll come and go. Most people who go to uni these days aren't wildly passionate about their subject.

I went to uni in 2006, I did find it quite hard at first being among so many strangers. Everything seemed to be about drinking and staying up late and doing as much as possible. I didn't have the energy to be out as much as the people around me were. I felt a lot of pressure to have 'the time of my life' and make millions of new, lifelong friends in my first term of uni.

Bear in mind that it may take some time for you to meet the people who you will stay friends with. I found that people made quick friends with the people around them, but they mostly didn't last. By midway through 2nd year, I had a good bunch of friends, most of whom were from my course rather than my Halls.

It is scary, starting uni. There are so many people there though that every type of person is represented. Anxious people are represented too. Perhaps get in touch with the university counselling service, student support and a GP when you arrive, or before you arrive, and talk to them about your problems. For academic work, you can get extensions and other allowances to help with any problems you have if you let them know. Socially, it's not easy, but try to talk to people and if they don't seem interested in you, it's their loss. I met a lot of idiots at uni that I'm glad I don't see any more but I also met some great friends.

Make sure you don't get isolated if you're moving away from home. Talk to your friends and family and also the internet can help, until you settle in and get to know people.

[eeyorelover]

I went back to school 20 years after high school and was petrified!!
The first couple of days I was anxious in class and really had issues staying focused.
But after that I did really well and LOVED it!
I think the key is to not push yourself too hard at the beginning and expect to feel like 'a fish out of water' so to speak.
I got through the rough spots by reminding myself that it isn't easy for anyone, not just those who have anxiety, and that it's not SUPPOSED to be easy.
It's a challenge and sometimes there will be missteps.
It's tricky to find the balance between pushing yourself to do your best while not pushing yourself so hard that you either get burned out or make yourself sick!

I know you're scared! And truthfully, everyone is apprehensive when starting uni!
But please don't let that apprehension keep you from at least trying!
Keep in mind that you have a goal and try to focus on that rather than the scary stuff :)
REMEMBER you have a support system here that you can call on whenever you need to!!
xxx
Sandy