Anonymous

Photography by Jalencia Pouge

If you’re reading this, don’t let your anxiety define you. 

I’ve spent so many years allowing my anxiety to control me. I’ve let it hold me back in social situations, so afraid of saying something wrong that I couldn’t even open my mouth to speak. My heart would race in classrooms, my hands would get clammy before having to introduce myself, and I’d spend time rehearsing what I was going to say so that I didn’t mess up. When I got to college, the pressure only grew heavier. Suddenly, there were deadlines stacked on top of each other, a college campus filled with strangers, and the constant pressure to make every moment count. 

As I progressed through college, I learned an important lesson: anxiety doesn’t automatically mean something bad is going to happen, it just means my nervous system is just hyperactive. And while that’s exhausting, I’ve gained the ability to push through moments where I’d much rather turn around and walk away. I’ve had to learn how to breathe, ground myself, and ask even for help when the weight felt too much to carry alone. 

I’ve also realized that talking about my anxiety is one way to cope. For so long, I kept it bottled up because I thought no one would understand. But once I started opening up to friends and mentors, I learned that I wasn’t the only one. There’s so much comfort in knowing we don’t have to run and hide when our anxiety tells us to. We still have the power to show up each day, even if our hands are shaking.

So, if you’re reading this and you’re struggling, I want you to remember that your anxiety doesn’t define you. You are capable of so much more than you realize, even on the days when your chest feels tight and your voice is shaking. Each time you choose to continue on despite your anxiety, is another moment you’ve conquered. 

Anonymous, University of South Carolina

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