Transferring in COVID’s World

Transferring during the pandemic is draining for anyone, but especially for those with social anxiety. By: Austin Medina Transferring schools is possibly one of the most nerve-wracking things you can do in life. You are leaving behind familiarity for a world that is completely unknown to you. I transferred to Millikin in the fall 2020 semester. I was a transfer student surrounded by people who have known each other for years, so I felt like even more of an outsider. My social anxiety did not make it any easier.

I am currently in my senior year at Millikin. Starting this year had my anxiety skyrocketing as it is my first year actually on campus instead of doing online classes from my room. I nearly had a full-blown heart attack on my first day. I know in my head that I have had classes already with most of the people I see every day, but I cannot shake the fear I feel. I still have to take deep breaths every morning before I step into my first class, and I am mentally exhausted when I get home. I am taking steps to get used to seeing in-person these faces that until now I had only seen through a computer screen. This is still a battle I struggle with on a daily basis. I am fortunate enough that I have classes with a lot of people who I had classes with previously while on Zoom. That has made the transition easier to an extent, but there are still a good number of other students in my classes who I have never seen before. I have managed to start a few conversations with some new people (while internally freaking out), but that is a rare occurrence. It’s not all bad, though. I am enjoying this new experience of being on campus and having a “normal” college experience again. I look forward to seeing what the rest of this semester has in store as I meet new people and work through the last year of my college experience. Tips for Dealing with Anxiety Breathe. Take the time to breathe and calm your mind before and/or after being in stressful situations. Find ways to unwind. Video games, music, podcasts — find something that you enjoy to help take the edge off. Sleep. Anxiety can be very draining mentally and sometimes physically, too. Be sure to get some rest and recharge your body and mind.