I’ve always been more than just shy. Making phone calls, ordering food and going to parties can seem as difficult as climbing a mountain. This is social anxiety, shyness on steroids, the horrible fear that I’ll look like an idiot in any setting. But it never really affected my everyday life until college.

In grade school and high school, we see the same people every day, in several classes. That sort of familiarity lends itself easily to friendship. But in the university setting, it isn’t that simple. Different people occupy each year, each semester, and even each day. With an inability to speak up or go out of my way to meet new people, campus life can be difficult. I have trouble creating new lasting connections, and the ones that are made I am often insecure about. But there is something you should know if you, like me, suffer from social anxiety: No one, especially people on a college campus, really cares that much about what you’re doing. We all just want to have fun and make it through the semester. It’s difficult to keep that in mind, but it is an essential truth to gaining an apathy for the opinions of others about oneself.

Though social anxiety has influenced the past year in my life in a lot of ways, I’m very fortunate to have found a few close friends, and I think that’s the key. If you’re the type of person who isn’t going to go out and meet someone new in every class, having just one or two people to confide in is essential. My advice? Take advantage of some of the events and organizations on campus. Even meeting up with people through apps like Yik Yak (if you are safe about it) can take some of the challenge out of connecting. There is bound to be something that interests you, and like in grade school, many of the people in clubs will remain the same. Having that constancy will no doubt lead to some lasting connections. Social anxiety is not your friend, so go make some if you can. Good luck!