Surviving Social Anxiety in College

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For anyone with social anxiety, college can be an extremely daunting period of your life. To many, the quintessential “college experience” equates to four years of parties, crafting life-long friendships and joining a multitude of clubs or organizations. For someone with social anxiety, the sheer thought of that much socialization is enough to send them into a state of panic. Fortunately, VALLEY has the key to not only surviving—but thriving— throughout your years as a college student.

Facing your FOMO

The fear of missing out, more commonly known as “FOMO,” is usually the primary reason introverts and socially anxious people tend to force themselves to attend events where they know they will be uncomfortable. While pushing yourself out of your comfort zone is never a bad idea, it’s crucial to know when you may have gone too far. It’s important to remember that missing a single party or night out with friends will not impact the trajectory of your life, and the feeling of missing out will pass. Take the time instead to log off social media, reconnect with yourself and spend time doing what makes YOU feel happy and relaxed.

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Finding Comfort Within Yourself

We all have those days when cozying up in your bed under a mountain of blankets with your favorite movie playing sounds a lot more enticing than going out. However, on a college campus surrounded by thousands of students who are going out with friends and hitting the town, it can feel like you’re not experiencing everything college is supposed to be. VALLEY is here to tell you that the best thing you can do for yourself is put your needs first, no matter what. Instead of wallowing, indulge in self-care and learn how to enjoy your own company. It is essential to keeping your brain and body healthy, especially as a college student. VALLEY recommends putting on a face mask, going to the gym, grabbing a new book or rewatching your comfort show on Netflix.

Remembering that Social Media is a Highlight Reel

With TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and the dozen other social media apps that exist nowadays, it is almost impossible to stop comparing everyone else’s life to yours. Social media makes it that much harder to protect your brain from the anxiety-inducing posts that come every weekend of college students partying and hanging out with their huge groups of friends. However, it is extremely important to remember that your friends and classmates will rarely, if ever, share their lowest moments on social media. Even those who seem the happiest have probably experienced a number of days where they felt lonely, anxious or unhappy. College is not an easy time for anyone, no matter how perfect their Instagram feed may seem. Remember that no matter how lonely you feel—you are never alone!

Tweet us @VALLEYmag to let us know how you deal with FOMO, social anxiety or stress in general!

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