Surviving College Anxiety: A Personal Journey

College anxiety is survivable, and I learned that the hard way. Sophomore year,

I couldn't sleep. My chest felt tight before every exam. I'd sit in the library at 2 AM,

heart racing, feeling completely alone. Then my roommate taught me box breathing.

Four counts in, hold four, out four, hold four. Sounds simple,

but it genuinely saved me during finals week. I also started time blocking,

not just for studying, but for actual rest. Thirty minutes for walks. An hour where my

phone stays off. Game changer. Here's what nobody tells you: that tightness in your

chest, the spiraling thoughts, those physical symptoms? They're real, and they're common.