Whether this is your first year at TCU or the last, we can all relate to chaotic school environments, and trying to stay focused in the midst of chaos. I am in no means an expert when it comes to extinguishing my anxiety for long, but I know a thing or two about making it better.
Tip 1: Find your space. Find time to get away from the chaos.
When I was a freshman here, I was put into a roommate situation that no one would find ideal. A forced-triple in Sherley Hall was definitely not my first choice, and my roommates and I had our own struggles, but you know what we needed the most? Space. So I found my own space at Frog Fountain, late at night when no one was around. The peace and quiet of being alone at the fountain, looking up at the different colors of the statue and listening to calm indie music was one of the highlights of my freshman year. I spent many nights watching the colors change, emotionally reminiscing on the situations I found myself in, and reflected on the day I had. This helped me so much with my mental health, and gave me the space I needed to find myself.
Tip 2: Leave room on your plate for more of your own needs
When I was a little girl, I thought I wanted to be the fastest speed-boat racer in the world after seeing them on TV. I think I loved how cool they looked and believed that I could do anything. That dream quickly faded once I found other passions, but I always believed that I would be the best at something, and still believe that I can do anything. That being said, my college years have been filled with clubs, leadership roles, sorority events and I thought that I would be able to juggle it all. I thought that I needed to keep myself busy all the time to distract from the craziness of college life and growing up, but never considered the emotional tole it would have on me. I have realized overtime, that my expectations for what college was supposed to be like were holding me back from my happiness. I am not saying that I don’t appreciate all of the experiences I’ve had or friends I made along the way or have any regrets, but I should have considered taking time for myself too. I may be putting too much on my plate, and not leaving room for myself. So, to those coming back to school this year, maybe consider spending more time trying to please the speed-boat racer in you.
Tip 3: Find a place, like a coffee shop or library space, that makes you feel focused and productive
If you can’t already tell from my writing thus-far, I am a very anxious person, and struggle staying focused constantly. There are many days that are hard to even get up for, but there is one combination of things that help me focus: coffee shops and time blocking.
Imagine this: You have a HUGE paper to finish in the next few days, and your writers block is through the roof, so the best thing to do in this situation is get back in bed, and scroll on TikTok or Instagram until three in the morning. Yes, this may keep your boredom at bay, but doesn’t necessarily keep you productive (if that is your goal.)
Instead of doom-scrolling, try this: you can walk into a coffee shop. The smell of coffee and pure adrenaline is injected straight to your brain, you see beautiful plants, dark leather couches and pillows among tables and chairs, and a breath of fresh air washes over you. This is how I feel when I walk into one of Fort Worth’s many coffee shops (check out my coffee shop review article here), where I do most of my studying. Find a place on or off campus that makes you feel relaxed but focused, so you’re able to get your work done. A few other places I love to study at are Ol’ South Pancake House and the pods in the TCU library. Finding your ideal spot for studying is crucial for your time in college.
Tip 4: Try time blocking your daily tasks and activities to feel more productive and secure with how much time you have in your day.
When I lay awake at night, anxious as to what tomorrow’s day will look like, I try to make a daily schedule. Not any old daily schedule, but a step-by-step guide to what my day will look like. I include every single little thing I need to do that day, so I am able to look at it through the day and feel accomplished every time I finish something. Even the smallest things like eating or taking a shower can be hard on busy days, so writing those down while I am time blocking is also important. Here is an example of a ‘time block’ to give you a better idea.
9:00am- wake-up/ take a shower/ get dressed
9:30am- make breakfast
10:00am- sociology class
11:00am- get a snack
11:15am- meet with bio professor
12:15pm- meet Becca for lunch
1:30pm- bio class
2:50pm- go home/ do laundry/ make study guide for bio
6:00pm- make dinner/ eat
7:00pm- Her Campus exec meeting
8:00pm- church college night
10:00pm- go home (be in bed by 11:30)
I hope this method is helpful for some of you. I don’t normally do this every single day, but it definitely helps ease my mind when I don’t feel like I have time in my day to do everything I need to do. Once I time block my day, I tend to feel more empowered and start to believe in myself again.
I hope y’all stay calm and focused when coming back to school!
Keep being you <3 - K