Tips for Dealing with On-Campus Anxiety
By Ryan Henry
Returning to campus this fall was a shining light after a long five months of quarantine at home. It felt like a fresh start for our college experiences. However, there is an air of unpredictability and uncertainty around the new Villanova normal. Online classes, take-out dining halls, and our portable chairs make this semester more unfamiliar than ever before. As students, we can’t help but think about the unknown future, which can cause stress and anxiety. I want to suggest a few tips to help us all cope with the on-campus craziness this semester.
1. Keep Your Body Happy
You had to expect this to be on the list in one way or another. We are in the middle of a global health pandemic after all! Pandemic or not, maintaining a healthy body is the number one step to a healthy mind. Keep your body moving and endorphins flowing between your online classes by taking a walk around campus. Reserve an appointment at one of the campus fitness centers. Camp out in your portable chair for a nice study session in the sun for your daily dose of vitamin D. In addition, one of the most important aspects of physical health is your relationship with food. I’m not saying to eat clean 100% of the time; there’s a pint of ice cream sitting right next to my computer right now. The key is to listen to your body. If it’s a salad today and a donut tomorrow, that’s totally fine!
2. Invest Your Spare Time into Your Self-Care
Everyone has been saying recently, “Use this time wisely! You’ll never get it back!” That being said, these times are stressful. You may feel pressure to join virtual clubs and projects to fill every waking moment of your day. Start new projects and be extra productive if that makes you happy, but also understand that it’s more than okay to step back and invest your time into self-care. If you have a free afternoon on a sunny day but aren’t feeling your workout class, give your body time to rest! Our bodies are under so much stress returning to college and adjusting back to our routines, all while adapting to this new normal. Keep listening to your inner monologue, and use your extra time in a way that lessens your stress.
3. Smile (with your mask on!) at People
These days can often seem pretty isolating with the masks, the six feet of distancing, and the threat of quarantine always over our heads. Being alone the majority of the time can trigger our biggest anxieties. But what I’ve learned these last couple months is that we can’t stop connecting with one another. Just because we have a mask on while we walk to class doesn’t mean we can’t exchange a smile with someone. A smile can be seen in your eyes, or it can be more about a gesture of kindness than a physical smile. I was walking around West Campus and smiled when I saw a sweet old dog and his owner walk by. That simple smile led to a conversation that made my day, despite it just lasting a few minutes. I have made so many new friends and gained new opportunities these last few months just by exchanging a smile online or in person. Without offering a smile to Be Well Nova a few months ago, you probably wouldn’t be reading this article right now. Don’t stop smiling; we need lots of smiles to get through this together.
