Attending New College - Pre-College Anxiety

Post Reply New Topic

Hi,

I am going to a new college and I must admit that this is a big change for me. I am diagnosed with Asperger's and have been since I was three years old. I am going there to pursue a Bachelor's degree in broadcasting within Mass Communications to achieve my professional goals for the future. I have been going through mild panic attacks in the last week and I'm just trying to keep calm before the arrival to there for orientation.

The college I'm going to has received controversy after receiving protests involving an incident with a professor that objected to a tradition that has been held on the main campus since the 1970s. I'm a Centrist-Libertarian and I respect other people's beliefs and keep an open mind to other people's opinions. But the kids who caused the destruction to property, shouting and other actions that would jeopardize a person/people. It is still mind-blowing to me that in most campuses in the United States want you to conform to their social or political views or you're considered "bigoted, racist, etc." I believe in the norms of common courtesy and polite society which helps with interactions interpersonally with neurotypicals.

Is there any advice or tips that anyone can give me when having pre-college anxiety or when you are on campus going through school?

Hi, good luck with college and your professional goals!

I'd try to focus on three things to keep yourself focused and help with the anxiety, for example:

1) I know how to skim a chapter ahead of time and thus get more value out of a lecture, and I can do this within a broad range of several days ahead of time all the way to when I'm sitting in the seat waiting for the class to begin,

2) I know how to respectfully visit a range of groups (your Libertarian experience gives you an in!). If you wish, you could also visit a range of other groups, and perhaps just matter-of-factly tell them, I'm a Centrist Libertarian just like you told us here.

3) I'm a pretty good billiards player and I'm easily respectful of other players.

Your three may be different. I would counsel modest expectations on groups. For example, most leaders have a full plate and don't really welcome new energy. Most members already have a full plate of friends. Now, saying that, I hope the very first group you visit, you meet some good friends! It's just not hugely likely by the set-up, but I always encourage people to graciously welcome good luck.

Easy steps to reduce anxiety...

Stop reading the news.
Stop watching the news.
Don't go to political events.
Limit your TV to PBS dramas.
Read more books.
Walk a lot.
Shed nut jobs and psychopaths from your existence.
Stock up on food.
Get a full home generator.
Try to work from home if you can.

Cheers

Just focus on your studies and ignore the politics. You do get a lot of those types at uni, young idealistic people who think they can change the world or something. When they grow up and start paying taxes they not only realise that they can't change anything, but that everything the believed at uni was simply down to naivety.

But I digress. Yeah, just focus on what you're there to do, you don't have to get involved with anything political and just steer clear of politically minded students, you're going to find all sorts at uni so stick with your own.