Everything is back to normal… right?
“Back to school” looks very different this year. After being online for over a year, students are finally back on campus. Yet many questions are still unanswered. How are we supposed to jump back into this new normal? How do we safely socialize again? How do we keep up with a job while being on campus all day? All this change is causing more anxiety and stress than the usual school year.
Among the students on campus, about 93% say they prefer being in-person to online. Many are excited to be on campus again because the pandemic limited a lot of their experiences. However, others answered less confidently and said while they prefer in-person classes, they have some reservations.
Although you get to “meet more people and make friends in classes”, some students have to navigate transportation. One said: “I work every day after class and have to take the bus back to my apartment. Sometimes the bus is late which makes me late to work so I try to ride my bike, but it’s pretty dangerous because of the amount of traffic in the streets.” For those students who have jobs during the semester, it can be difficult to adjust their schedule around their classes.
Not only do in-person classes call for time management skills, there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed: social anxiety. This topic is commonly misunderstood and often overlooked. During zoom classes, the lack of social interaction caused isolation. Studies show that many young people experienced depression during this time. But, the drastic change of going back to a campus with 70,000 students may cause the silent majority to experience anxiety— whether that be while walking into big lecture halls with hundreds of peers or attending football games with thousands of fans.
How can we create a smoother transition and have a healthy mix of socializing and recharging? Creating balance is key. Joining organizations and getting involved is a great place to start. In fact, A&M prides itself in all of the organizations and opportunities this school has to offer, but you also need to make time for yourself. One student commented that she loves to “wake up early and journal before the day is started”. Whether it’s journaling, working out, or meditating, it’s essential to one’s success to prioritize alone time. Last year, there was a vast surplus of time spent alone. This year, we have the opposite challenge: carving out time to rest and recharge.
Rather than fighting anxiety and stress, it’s important to learn how to deal with it because, according to Dr. Andrews from a Psychiatric Care Center in California, “the thoughts you resist persist”. He discusses the 333 Rule, which advises you to first take a look around you and name three things you can see. Then, take note of what you hear around you or in the distance and name three distinct sounds. Finally, move three parts of your body: fingers, toes, ankles, etc. Taking note of your physical reality will help ground you in the present. This method can calm you down and ease your anxieties, while making you aware of your current surroundings.
It’s a wonderful thing that we can all see each other in real life again, but we must prioritize our mental health first. Remember to spend quality time alone and don’t overexert yourself. By taking care of yourself first, you can then succeed in other aspects of your life.
Written by: McKenna Madis, Photography: Olivia Garza, Design: Cassidy Schippel