Tips To Deal With The Stress Of Navigating Through College Admissions

Schooling sets the foundation for one's career aspirations. As you move from middle school to higher secondary, there is an excitement to know what lies beyond school learning. Parents can be suggesting some courses for college education and your peers may be discussing their preferences too. A palpable chatter goes around whether in the classroom, tuitions or at your social hangouts. Soon the time draws up to apply for college admissions. Is it all a walk in the park easy or nail-biting jittery?

Experiencing anxiety to get into a good college is natural. The whole process of admissions can be quite daunting and needs considerable preparations beforehand. Your parents would have already worked out the finances, distance, and the quality of education promised by the college that you are applying to. But these are more of the physical logistics of the admission process.

Navigating College Admissions

Here are some simple tips to go through the challenging college admission process.

Keep Calm | Stay calm as anything new does seem difficult but it is achievable. Going in a spiral of self- doubt will only stress you out. So breathe easy, stay calm to be in control of things.

Plan Well | Plan clearly as to which all colleges you are going to apply to. Make a note of their admission process e.g. the date of form issuance, documents to be attached, last date of submitting the application. Listing down ‘things to do’ makes it easier for you to handle this unfamiliar task.

Plan Clearly As To Which All Colleges You Are Going To Apply To

Prioritise | Prioritise the things to be done. This should be a daily practice as it will help you in moving from task to task methodically. If you postpone or procrastinate, the resulting chain reaction can leave you facing a daunting list of tasks.

Keep Options | Options are important as it gives you a wide array to choose from. Do not be bogged down by aiming only for a ‘dream college’ like IIT, NIT, AIIMS, NIFT, etc. There is no perfect match as there are pros and cons in all colleges. Make a list of these and have an open-minded approach to applying for admissions.

Also Read | How A Wrong Career Choice May Impact Your Mental Health

Keep Backup Plans | Have plan B and C as it will keep you prepared for any unforeseen situation arising for your college admission. Preparedness with a backup plan will help you in adapting and making an informed decision in spite of a last minute crisis.

Know What You Want | Know your strengths and interests in the field of higher education that you want to pursue. Do not follow your peer group’s choices of college blindly. Your friends will remain buddies irrespective of the college you all go to.

Listen To Your Parents | Respect your parents’ suggestions as they will be well-meaning too. While it's natural to have differing opinions or to want to assert your independence, finding ways to communicate respectfully and work together can strengthen your bond with your family. Remember that your college experience doesn't have to come at the expense of your family relationships, and finding a balance that works for everyone can be both rewarding and fufulfilling.

Talk To Dear Ones | Separation anxiety will be normal especially if you are going to a hostel for the first time. Share your thoughts with your family. Any transition is a mystery but it needs to be coped with support and positivity. Maintaining positive relationships with your family can be an important aspect of transitioning into college life.

As you are transiting through your schooling life, conversations keep coming up about impending college life. All this excitement and dreaming of a great college life can be pleasant but for some of you it may be worry-evoking, filled with “what ifs”. You may start over thinking which becomes a regular feature and starts interfering with your mental health.

Managing Stress

Let us look at the ways to keep your stress and anxieties at bay at this new start.

Do Not Presume | Stop or refrain from presuming, assuming, or predicting the future as it will only cause stress. Guessing or imagining different scenarios may not turn out to be so in reality and leave you feeling disappointed. By taking proactive measures, you can prevent self-inflicted feelings of disappointment.

Set Boundaries | Decide how much you want to do in a day. Sending out college applications, running around getting the supporting documents xeroxed, attested or checking out the colleges physically can be tiring. Keep a limit to the college-related work that you are going to do in a day.

Sleep Well | Sleep for 6-8 hours as that is the minimum time your body needs to recover and refresh after the entire day’s activities. Lack of sleep will cause daytime drowsiness and lethargy which will impact your productivity negatively. Poor sleep habits also cause irritability, low mood and impaired concentration.

Sleep For 6-8 Hours As That Is The Minimum Time Your Body Needs To Recover

Eat Well | Eat on time as long gaps between the meals will cause acidity, weakness or headache. Your gut is the ‘new brain’ and it needs nourishment for your bodily as well as mental health.

Also Read | How To Identify Depression: Know When To Seek Help

Meet Friends | Socialising as spending time with friends, meeting new people is relaxing and gives you a sense of belongingness. Spending time with people who have similar interests and passions can be a great way to foster a sense of camaraderie, which in turn can serve as a powerful tool for reducing stress.

Additionally, socialising helps you in building up your social capital and networking skills. Social capital helps in keeping loneliness away.

Exercise | Physical movement gives a boost of energy, improves blood circulation and eases stiffness. Sitting for prolonged times or slouching in the bed poring over your laptop, mobile or TV screens is not good for your body or brain. Exercising even for 30 minutes a day refreshes you, gets your heart pumping and releases “happy hormones”. Remember that a healthy body harbours a healthy mind.

College admissions can be overwhelming for anyone and in that momentum of applications; your self-care needs to be focused too. At any stage if you feel that you are not able to sleep well, are getting palpitations, losing appetite or feeling demoralised, reach out to your family, friends or a professional counsellor as timely help will bring relief to you. Follow the tips shared in this article to navigate the college admissions smoothly.

Also Read | What Is Academic Burnout? Here Are Ways You Can Deal With It

Sanjana Seth is a Psychologist and Psychotherapist, registered with RCI, and holds more than two decades of practising experience with the healthcare organisations of the Armed Forces, as well as those operating as private. Mother to two adults, Sanjana has worked extensively for children with special needs and taught Psychology to students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.