Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, clinical anxiety can interfere with daily life, such as school performance, relationships and ability to work. Everyday language minimizes and even normalizes anxiety disorders. Let me tell you this: anxiety is no joke. However, if joking about your anxiety makes it easier for you to deal with, go for it. Here is a list of 100 things that give me quite a bit of anxiety:

1. Driving. Too many idiots on the road...

2. Parallel parking

3. Parking at a crowded mall at Christmas time.

4. Driving when it's snowy/rainy/hail/dark... BASICALLY DRIVING.

5. Going to work.

6. The possibility that I could be late for class.

7. Walking into a room like a classroom.

8. Asking for help at a store.

9. Going to the doctor, especially if I need my blood drawn.

10. Dancing onstage

11. Speeches. Even those in front of like three people...

12. Registering for college classes.

13. Turning in essays and projects.

14. EXAMS

15. When I have anxiety about my procrastination, which leads to more procrastination because I am distracted by my anxiety itself.

16. Psychiatrists

17. EMERGENCY ROOMS

18. Using my credit card and hoping it doesn't say "insufficient funds."

19. Any sleep loss...

20. ...or sleeping in too late/too much.

21. My alarm clock. The fact that I may not hear it in the morning...

22. Talking to professors.

23. Running in public. Are people going to watch me? Judge me?

24. Sweating. Then sweating more because you have anxiety about your sweat being visible/smelly, etc. Vicious cycle.

25. Dorm showers

26. Public bathrooms, especially bar ones–gross.

27. Ordering at Starbucks.

28. Yellow traffic lights.

29. 5 o'clock traffic on a Friday.

30. Talking to my boss or co-workers.

31. Tinder & Bumble convos.

32. Telling people I have clinical mania or depression or anxiety.

33. Posting a selfie and wondering if it's good enough.

34. Syllabi

35. Seeing an uphill path while on a bike.

36. Stopping at a red light that is on a hill, with a car right behind you, and are certain that you will slide back and hit that car.

37. Writing Facebook statuses.

38. Being vocal about my mental illnesses on social media.

39. Playing the violin.

40. Pointe shoes

41. Having to have to ask for a dressing room.

42. Trying on bikinis.

43. Trying on bras.

44. Being in expensive stores.

45. Alcohol

46. Gym equipment

47. Going to a Zumba class by myself.

48. Writing formal emails.

49. Cover letters

50. Job hunting in general.

51. The thought of applying to grad schools and not getting in.

52. The idea that I'm not good enough.

53. Talking to brilliant people.

54. Talking to not-so-smart people.

55. Office hours at college.

56. The idea that I'm just wasting time.

57. Shaving with a new razor.

58. Eyebrow waxing

59. Haircuts with a new stylist.

60. Going to someone's place for the first time.

61. Meeting someone's parents.

62. Meeting the boyfriend's parents.

63. That spider that you saw and now have no idea where it went.

64. Knots in my hair

65. Being in a bathing suit in public.

66. Constructive criticism

67. Spanish class

68. Organic chemistry graded homework

69. Sex

70. Picture Days–am I smiling too hard??

71. Chipped nails

72. Singing in front of others for the first time.

73. Award ceremonies

74. Sharing my photography, drawings or art online.

75. Any symptoms + looking them up on WebMD.

76. Fires

77. Big prescription pills that I can barely swallow

78. Cigarette smoke

79. Any sign of illegal drugs, like the smell of weed.

80. Parties

81. People binge drinking.

82. Colds

83. Late buses.

84. Relying on another person to be on time.

85. GROUP PROJECTS

86. The sound of a gun pop/fireworks/some random shit in the middle of the night.

87. Walking alone at night.

88. Low cut shirts

89. Short dresses

90. Poker and trying to remember the rules/how to play.

91. Checking my bank account.

92. Pumping gas

93. New car noises...

94. When others comment on my looks.

95. Having uneven eyeliner on.

96. Smearing my lipstick

97. REALLY HOT beverages!

98. Moving days

99. Packing

100. Making this list!

There are so many things that trigger my anxiety. It varies in degrees, from slightly anxious to full on panic attack level. Maybe something as easy as getting a blood draw is no big deal for you, but it literally causes another person (such as myself) to pass out. It's easy to joke about someone's anxiety, but keep in mind that for the affected person, the anxiety is very real and at times all-consuming.