Before I dive into the contents of this insightful article I would first like to acknowledge the college students who have made it into a new year. As a second-semester sophomore, I can completely understand the complex emotions one may feel as you pull through one semester only to fall into the next.
 You may feel a combination of achievement, anxiety, anticipation, excitement, and dread, all at the same time. I want to be the person to remind you that the intricacy of your emotions as a student is very normal, which is why every aspect of it should be used as fuel to get you through the next semester.
I am very sure many of you have experienced symptoms of what I like to call “brain fog” especially as you reach that area of academic burnout and emotional exhaustion. My own experiences and self-awareness have taught me to recognize my anxiety, attention deficit, procrastination, and lack of concentration, as soon as they begin to arrive within my consciousness.Â
This gives me the redemptive opportunity to combat these characteristics before they dig me into a ditch that is difficult to climb out of.
All of these natural but detrimental characteristics are what I recognize to be the foundation of brain fog. They are impactful emotions that can easily cloud your judgment, proficiency, perseverance, and confidence.
 Typically, I find myself in this state of mind quite often as a student, which is why I decided to dedicate time to solving and managing this ongoing battle within my mind’s will and emotions.
It is my personalized equation for success, and it is quite simple if you ask me. Through self-evaluation and many trials and errors, I have realized that every negative emotion can be combated and arrested by a positive action. Let me explain further.
Action Resolves Anxiety
Whenever I find myself drowning in the essence of anxiety, I instantly have to acknowledge what area I may be lacking in, and why that specific lack is manifesting itself as anxiety. I have noticed that when I experience that overwhelming sense of nervousness it is because I feel unprepared, or not as prosperous in a certain area of my life.Â
If I am anxious over an exam or a grade in a certain class, I take the time to apply more effort to that specific course by studying or gaining extra assistance.Â
By doing this I am intentionally taking action, to override that uncertainty with confidence. Even if the anxiety shows up in my social life, I will purposely put myself in settings that require me to socialize and be more involved, replacing that self-doubt with self-assurance. Anxiety leaves when I continue to work even if I am afraid to fail.Â
 Procrastination Represents The Fear Of Failure
This leads me into my habit of procrastination. If 2024 taught me anything it is that my procrastination represents my fear of failing. In my mind, not starting is easier than starting and failing. This is why I continuously remind myself of this powerful mantra which is “Failure is not an option”.Â
This does not mean that I will not fail at all in life, but it is a reminder that regardless of how much I fall short, as long as I have breath I have another opportunity to succeed. This is why I should never allow myself to be stagnant in my procrastination.Â
By continuing to be proficient I give myself a chance to succeed and that feeling of success always overrides the fear of failure. Combat your dormant mind by reminding yourself that the only way to not fail is to develop a grit mindset. This is a mindset that represents one’s ambition, passion, and perseverance. It means to hit the ground running, without distraction, or disruption.
My Attention Deficit is a Product of my Addiction to Social mediaÂ
I’m sure this may be a humorous sub-heading to read, however, it is the most effective and accurate lesson I have learned thus far. We are part of a generation that has a ridiculous amount of screen time and normalizes short attention spans.
 This makes it extremely easy to recognize your inability to focus for a long period without interruption as normal. When in fact, social media is eating at our prefrontal cortex, making our attention span weaker and weaker.Â
I realized that I can’t develop the characteristic known as grit, especially if I continue to scroll through 15-second videos on TikTok for hours throughout the day. Doing this weakens my ability to consistently focus, and ultimately disrupts my long-term goals that require time and patience to achieve. So, I have recently learned to combat my low attention span with reading.Â
Whether it is a romance novel or a non-fiction bibliography, reading takes time, patience, effort, and consistency. All the characteristics that build one’s attention span. From my experience reading has transformed my mind, allowing me to slow my thought process down, and dwell in the intricacy of every word and phrasing that completes a book.
 It is impossible to rush through a book and truly understand the main idea of it. This is why I have used reading as a tool to build my attention span back up.Â
My personalized method for combating brain fog is not meant to be hard, or difficult. It is a matter of teaching my mind how to be an asset and not a liability. I have learned that the complexity of our thoughts, and emotions can either drag us into a deep ditch, or it can be the fuel that pushes us to an abundant amount of success.
 Regardless of what stress-inducing situations may arise this year and semester causing you to fall victim to the case of brain fog, you must know that if there is a will, there is always a way to overcome it.