This week life is pretty much continuing as normal. Essay results are slowly dripping back in and I’m beginning to prepare presentations which make up the coursework for my modules this term. As someone who is absolutely terrified of presenting, this week I will talk a little about confidence and anxiety at university and how I am dealing with it.
It’s easy to fall into the background at university; there are so many talented people with the confidence to show it off it really is a skill worth investing some time in. Think of this as an opportunity of a life time, yes you could cruise through it in your comfort zone and be fine but with confidence it could be so much more. I suffer from quite bad anxiety, I struggle to walk into rooms if I think people will notice, I get anxious at having to make any phone calls and if I’m slightly uncomfortable with something I retreat back into my shell and may point blank refuse to do it. First year I was so over whelmed that I barely did anything aside my work and missed out on a lot of experiences and friends because of it, whilst I watched others setting up businesses and getting out there. If there’s any advice I would give my first year self it would be to just do it.
Not only does confidence affect the social experience you will have but the academic one too. I would never have taken modules that involved presentations as coursework and so would have missed out on the topics I wanted to do. Neither would I have had the confidence in myself to learn the necessary mathematics or asked for feedback to improve my work.
The only way I found to get out of my first year box was to force myself into situations where I was accountable for certain tasks that I knew I would be scared of when they came about, but that gave me time to prepare for them. For example by running for treasurer I could start off lurking in the periphery of a dark room at RocSoc and slowly build up to being on the doors taking money or booking coaches. By taking modules you know there will be presentations for in the future weeks you can start early and practise so that by the time you get to it you do the best job you can. If there is an option not to do it then it won’t happen but forcing yourself through it will eventually build up that confidence until you have a choice and still do it. It may still be terrifying but I no longer feel angry at myself for being the person holding me back.
I realise this doesn’t apply to everyone, possibly no one but me, but I felt that if it encourages anyone to step out of their comfort zone then it is in some way beneficial. Lancaster University offers classes to help you, for example through the Lancaster Award I attended workshops on confidence and interview success which gave me that extra support in doing things which other people see as every day and easy. There are also plenty of people you can talk to such as academic tutors, the nightline or college representatives depending on what you need to help you feel more able, either academically or socially. Being at university is a chance to take all of your best assets and really develop them so don’t miss out, I know it’s easier said than done but it is doable and completely worth it.