How to cope with social anxiety?
I'm going to be doing an Oxbridge research programme in July, which involves me working with tutors daily to create a research paper on a topic of my choosing. I originally was going to go a summer school, but that has been obviously cancelled, and they don't offer an online school programme in my subject.
So basically - I am terrified. I can cope somehow with face to face communication, but the fact that it'll be online makes me want to cry. I know I will regret it if I don't do the programme, and it will look good for my application, but how do I cope with this anxiety? I've tried to talk to my mum about how much it worries me, but she seems to think that I don't want to do it because lockdown has made me lazy, but it's really that it just scares me to the point I want to cry.
It'll be for two weeks and only an hour everyday directly communicating to my tutor, along with some independent research. I wish I could go forward with it, but I'm not sure if it's worth this much anxiety (and I'm still two months away from it, I can't imagine the kind of stress I'll have right before it). Any ways to cope?
So basically - I am terrified. I can cope somehow with face to face communication, but the fact that it'll be online makes me want to cry. I know I will regret it if I don't do the programme, and it will look good for my application, but how do I cope with this anxiety? I've tried to talk to my mum about how much it worries me, but she seems to think that I don't want to do it because lockdown has made me lazy, but it's really that it just scares me to the point I want to cry.
It'll be for two weeks and only an hour everyday directly communicating to my tutor, along with some independent research. I wish I could go forward with it, but I'm not sure if it's worth this much anxiety (and I'm still two months away from it, I can't imagine the kind of stress I'll have right before it). Any ways to cope?
Original post by majakowalska1
I'm going to be doing an Oxbridge research programme in July, which involves me working with tutors daily to create a research paper on a topic of my choosing. I originally was going to go a summer school, but that has been obviously cancelled, and they don't offer an online school programme in my subject.
So basically - I am terrified. I can cope somehow with face to face communication, but the fact that it'll be online makes me want to cry. I know I will regret it if I don't do the programme, and it will look good for my application, but how do I cope with this anxiety? I've tried to talk to my mum about how much it worries me, but she seems to think that I don't want to do it because lockdown has made me lazy, but it's really that it just scares me to the point I want to cry.
It'll be for two weeks and only an hour everyday directly communicating to my tutor, along with some independent research. I wish I could go forward with it, but I'm not sure if it's worth this much anxiety (and I'm still two months away from it, I can't imagine the kind of stress I'll have right before it). Any ways to cope?
So basically - I am terrified. I can cope somehow with face to face communication, but the fact that it'll be online makes me want to cry. I know I will regret it if I don't do the programme, and it will look good for my application, but how do I cope with this anxiety? I've tried to talk to my mum about how much it worries me, but she seems to think that I don't want to do it because lockdown has made me lazy, but it's really that it just scares me to the point I want to cry.
It'll be for two weeks and only an hour everyday directly communicating to my tutor, along with some independent research. I wish I could go forward with it, but I'm not sure if it's worth this much anxiety (and I'm still two months away from it, I can't imagine the kind of stress I'll have right before it). Any ways to cope?
Try focusing on how this will benefit you.
Don't worry about how you come across.
Do only what you need to and then gradually you shall become more confident.
Good luck.
Well, you could figure out why it makes you anxious. Other than that, change how you view it. It's a challenge, take it as one. You have the resources to complete said challenge, really the only thing getting in your way is the anxiety. Be kind to yourself and see it as something that can benefit you if you push through it not only from the POV that you completed it, but also proving to yourself that you can cope with the anxiety it caused. If it starts to escalate then doing distraction techniques or doing something like exercise or creative outlets to release the anxiety could help too.
You'll be okay. New things can be scary, but it doesn't mean they're bad or harmful.
You'll be okay. New things can be scary, but it doesn't mean they're bad or harmful.
