Completely stressed and stuck on choosing a uni. Please help.

Okay, so I started my 2nd year of Sixth Form this Monday. They have wasted absolutely no time in piling on the pressure about uni, an area in which I have no idea what I'm doing.

I have ordered prospectus from both Exeter and Bristol and my main subject of interest is Politics and International Relations, possibly studying abroad.

My main issue is that struggle very much with mental illness. I am diagnosed with GAD (Generalized anxiety), PD (Panic disorder) and chronic OCD.. And I have been referred by my GP for a psychiatric assessment for PTSD.

This is all very much disrupts my life and I barely leave the house. I chose to look at Bristol and Exeter because they seem closest and I don't really want to be far from my family. I like the idea of Exeter because it is so close to home and it's a smaller city. But I also wonder whether Bristol might be good for me, however I am not a party-goer and crowds are super distressing. However, I am a perfectionist and I aim to always get A grades. I don't want to limit myself as I don't want to be stuck in a boring 9-5, I have aspirations! I dream of working in the UN perhaps or in Africa with children. Things like that.

Sorry for rambling, any advice is SO appreciated. On anything.. From accommodation to anyone who has studied Politics and if anyone who deals with anxiety too could tell me how they coped/any tips I would be really grateful. Thanks.

First of all - don't let your sixth form get to you. They're trying to induce panic in order to get students to take action.

It sounds like you could really benefit from a gap year - especially if you could use the time to get some experience and reassure yourself that you're 100% on top of your mental health issues and ready to go to university. A gap year doesn't mean spending an entire year doing one thing - you could take the time to work up from short periods away from home to a month or two at the end. (something like http://www.unv.org/youth or http://www.my-work-experience.com/students/united_nations_work_experience.asp sounds like it might be really helpful for you - there's loads of similar schemes ).

That doesn't mean you can't apply this year but you can apply for deferred entry. At the end of the year you'll either have a guaranteed place waiting for you in 2018 or you can see how you feel and whether you've changed your mind at all about where and what you want to study and reapply during your gap year (and because you've already applied with your sixth form's support reapplying on your own in your gap year will be easier).

All universities will offer some level of support to people in your situation, from counselling to special consideration for accommodation. I'd strongly recommend declaring your mental health issues when you apply (under the disability declarations) - that way you'll be plugged straight into the support that's available (and that section isn't seen by the people who decide whether to make you an offer or not so it's all gain no pain).

Hey! Thank you for your advice. Yeah I figured that they might be just trying to get people into action but they were saying we are foolish if we leave it until September! Crazy.

I looked at the UNV website (not sure which one I clicked) but it said that the minimum requirements in cocked being at least 25+ with a university degree and 2 years relevant work experience

I have considered a gap year but forgot that it was an option as it seems quite stressful har everyone else would be going off to uni and I'm not? I'm not sure. However I do see the benefits in perhaps using this time to really try and work my way up to going in 2018, but then maybe I just "do it". Not sure if that would work or make things a lot worse. Hmm