It’s something you hear all over campus; anxiety is everywhere. But shouldn’t it be? Shouldn’t college and classes and new people and homework and organizations to join and losing sleep and your new eating habits make you anxious? That’s the thing; college gives people anxiety. Anxiety is basically a synonym for college. But the thesaurus gives synonyms such as worry, concern, and apprehension.

Everyone knows that; everyone knows that anxiety is a thing. But some people don’t understand the extent of this obstacle. I’m here to tell you that if you’re dealing with anxiety you’re not alone. People all over the world are struggling with anxiety, but in the past few years, records of anxiety have skyrocketed on college campuses. If you struggle with anxiety, you are not alone. I’ll say it one more time for the people in the back. If you struggle with anxiety, you are not alone. But just because it’s becoming more common doesn’t mean you’re less important, or that your fight with anxiety matters any less than the next person.

I’m so tired of hearing people say that anxiety is a part of college so it’s not a big deal. It IS a part of college and it IS a big deal. So many people walk around feeling trapped in their emotions with no escape, but because it hasn’t been officially diagnosed by a doctor it’s deemed as non-existent, an excuse to use to get out of plans, a justification for missing class, and a made-up handicap.

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, the “simple” definition of anxiety is “fear or nervousness about what might happen” but that sounds a little… well, simple. And I feel like that’s how people think of it. It’s just a nervousness, and everyone gets nervous so what’s the big deal? But that’s exactly my point. People don’t see it as anything more than just the average nerves.

The more complex definition of anxiety is “an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it.” That sounds a bit more complicated, but it’s probably still not making any sense to you.

I decided to dig a little deeper into the definition. I asked around for “one sentence of how your anxiety makes you feel.”

Here are a few of the responses I got:

“Chinese soldiers have pins in their uniform to keep them from moving or falling out of posture and that’s what anxiety feels like. It feels like I can’t move or breathe the way I want to because of a needle that could stab my carotid artery.”

“So I feel like I’m drowning in self-doubt to the point where I feel like my body is malfunctioning or something and I can’t stop it or control it.”

“It feels like I am free falling without any control over my body while simultaneously feeling every emotion amplified.”

“My anxiety is like a voice that only says negative things and you can never turn it off, even if it’s unrealistic… I have anxiety about giving you one sentence because I want to give the best answer and don’t want to disappoint you… An example of pure anxiety.”

That sure sounds a lot worse than just a little nervousness.

Next time you hear someone saying they have bad anxiety or are anxious about something, take a moment to remember the quotes above and try to be understanding, while they’re just trying to function in society.

For people with anxiety, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again;

Whatever you do, know that you are not alone in your everyday undiagnosed battles. You, and the other 40 million adults 18 years and older in the United States, are not alone. Anxiety disorders are the most common in the U.S. so don't be afraid to talk to someone about it, or write about it, or sing about it. Focus on powering through the stress, enjoying the day, and enjoying this beautiful life you've been given.

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” –Amit Ray

^“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6