Kind of sounds like you have too much on your plate. Your profile says you're 19 years old and that is the age you should be having fun in your life. Believe me, life's stresses will be there waiting for you as you get older.

Can you take some of this stuff off your schedule? Make plans to get together with friends & family? You need to take care of yourself first, or you will burn out. Take a look at your schedule and see if there's anything you can cut back on. And plan some fun time for yourself on weekends or week nights. Do something you enjoy doing. And go see your friends and family and plan fun stuff with them.

hello josh. welcome to the forum.

i'm 69 and dealing with all of the things hanging over my head without driving myself crazy in the process remains a daily challenge. feeling fulfilled without being stressed about looming deadlines all the time has gotten easier with practice, but it remains a daily challenge.

i treat that challenge like a question of balance. my favorite meditation for achieving that balance is riding a bicycle. the more interesting the ride, the more bumps and obstacles i will encounter. my balance needs to be adjusted for every bump and obstacle, but if i relax and flow with the go, i am rewarded with the feel of the wind in my hair, etcetera, etceteri.

but i gain even more balance from participating in my therapy support network. life is a bit more complicated than riding a bike and it helps to have the support in venting and sorting the confusions that keep knocking me off the proverbial bike.

steadying support while you find your own ways of coping with the anxieties and stresses of life. welcome aboard. vent freely. sort often.

We’re all firefighters at times in adult life. As you grow you’ll become more able to roll with it all. You sound really organized and solid. I’m impressed!

I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t sound glib. I know it’s hard to cope with stuff at times, but I do want to tell you the positive is that as you get older it seems you start to have more internal resources and habituation for dealing with stresses. It’s like you can go to a place of action and out the worry on hold. My therapist has also talked about this.

Welcome to DS. You have a lot on your plate but honestly, adult life is having a lot on our plates. Today I am overwhelmed by just all the chores I have to do in the house, needing groceries, etc. Simple things to some but a cascade of things in my life.

So what I might suggest that works for me is to make a list of tasks you need to accomplish today or this week, and keep a paper calendar for school. Write out the dates on the calendar when tests are or papers are due. Write out your study and work schedule. Schedule each day, down to when you do your laundry and eat. Maybe this sounds too intense and not free spirit enough but it helps keep my anxiety at bay because I know what needs to get done. I find satisfaction or happiness crossing off each thing on the to-do today list.

When I was in grad school (graduated 2018), every Sunday or Monday, I wrote out exactly what I needed to do that week. I scheduled my week out. So I had a piece of paper saying chapters 1-5 in this book, study for test in this course, write this paper, research that paper, etc. It helped me feel less anxious because I knew what to do. Also I started my research for my papers way way in advance of when it was due. That allowed me to relax. I might have an extra 30 minutes in a day and I'd do some research for my paper. Having that research allowed my brain to start an outline and ideas for the paper. Then I used the research for my initial writing of the paper. All of our papers had to be research based, in a certain style, which was not the style I used in work jobs.

Lastly, pen to paper for your schedules because it helps the brain shift gears and then relax to put it on paper.

You think you need to socialize more? But you are busy right now. Lots of your peers are kind of lazy if I am honest and you can't base your own life on how they lead their lives. Some of them are totally supported by their parents, have deep pockets, and you need to work and study hard. This will be a benefit to you as time goes by. You will be more ready for "real life" and working and preparing your future than they will.

Feeling fulfilled. Hmmm. I am not sure how to answer this. I think it might be a myth. Feeling fulfilled is really about purpose in life. What you might mean is you want to socialize more and that is perfectly okay to have this as a goal. I don't know how many humans go through life feeling fulfilled unless they are helping other human beings in some way and doing something purposeful to help others in life, or to connect to the Creator, whatever makes our souls sing.

Hi Josh! It sounds like you may be experiencing some anxiety about time. I feel the same way about finances lately. When I think of going out with friends, I think of spending money. But we actually need friends and fun in our lives. It sounds like that's what you want too. It is important to keep up with your studies. Did you take too much On your plate, as others are suggesting? If so, lighten that load after spring break. Keep chatting with us. Lots of knowledge here. By the way, if you do think that you are experiencing anxiety, there are supplements that you can take that will calm you. I take magnesium, Ashwagandha and L-theanine. I'm also on Keto and getting decent sleep. Today I couldn't find my cell phone after leaving the gym, but I was cool as a cucumber searching for it. I found it in a peculiar spot that I could only see by opening the passenger door.

Why “should” you? Being a college student doesn’t mean you “should” be out with friends. You are transitioning from being under the roof of parents who were basically in control of your life to becoming totally dependent on yourself, your own decisions instead of mom and dad. You’ve got choices to make here. What are your priorities, what is most important to you, how do you want your life to progress. It’s really up to you. Instead of thinking “I should....”, I suggest you think “.what is most important to me?” We get caught up in thinking we “should” do this or that, but it’s not based on reality. One can only do so much and if we try to take on more than we can give proper attention to, our more important goals suffer in the process. Realize that you have limitations on what you can handle at any given time, there is no shame, it is a reality. It is also prioritizing what you want to achieve versus what is less important to you. Superman was a character in a movie, he is not real. We as humans have limitations and it is wise to recognize that and adjust our thinking accordingly. We simply cannot have it all, because some things will suffer at the expense of others.

welcome I got the friend request but I am 66yrs old and not all that interested in teenage men.....or women for that fact too....since I am so much older I know I will not relate to much of your stuff going on....been there done that differently I was into drugs and alcohol bigtime when I was your age and I still wet the bed at that age too....so not much for you to relate with my past life either....sorry i am going to pass....

Hello, Josh!

It is great you are in college and are so capable to handle all the adult pieces of this transition to academic and work duties as well as career planning and training.

Daily/Monthly pre-planning and to-do lists were key for me in grad school and work to stay on top of deadlines. For academic tasks I calendered myself with at least several per term I could tackle ahead of deadline so I had more freedom to get others done with less pressure or on occasion do some social or rec activities. You I imagine have apps that can make schedules or to-do lists easily, but I am pretty visual (and predate the PC) and just scribbled this on a paper calendar or notepad. This worked well at university and jobs then and later.

The good news is that setting your deadlines before the instructor or business generated deadlines gives you a little more freedom to polish your work before the deadline, or take some well-earned breaks for self rewards and self care. Some of what you may learn at university is that like running a race the folks who handle that best pace themselves and don't always run full speed. If you take on too many hours of class you may get a diploma sooner, as I did, but potentially learn less in that rush and take some health risks in the process. You are of an age to have the energy to do many things at once, but as mentioned by another DS person, finding or learning your own balance is a big part of being a young man rather than a boy.

Sounds to me that you are doing well with all your adult pursuits. Have fun!

I can relate to you, I just graduated from college and during my college days, I recall feeling the same way. In order to make things better and reduce stress and anxiety , I started learning time management, which helped me balance my studies, college and leisure activities. I also used to read mental health blogs ( at your mental health pal) which also helped broaden my perspective on life besides providing me tips and tricks to maintain a good mental health and cope with stress and anxiety.

Hey there! It's normal to feel overwhelmed and stuck in a rut as a college student. Balancing various responsibilities can be challenging, but there are ways to manage it without driving yourself crazy.
First, it's essential to prioritize and create a schedule or to-do list to organize your tasks. This can help you stay focused and ensure you're addressing important deadlines while making time for other activities.
Additionally, taking care of your mental health is crucial. Consider the resources and tips in the article on student mental health crisis at https://yourmentalhealthpal.com/student-mental-health-crisis/ . It offers insights into understanding and overcoming such challenges.
Moreover, exploring mental health books targeted towards students can provide valuable guidance and support. You can find some recommended books at https://yourmentalhealthpal.com/mental-health-books-for-students/ . These books may offer strategies to alleviate stress and enhance overall well-being.
Remember, it's okay to take breaks and prioritize self-care. Finding a balance between academic commitments and personal fulfillment will create a more fulfilling college experience. You've got this!

Hey there! It's normal to feel overwhelmed and stuck in a rut as a college student. Balancing various responsibilities can be challenging, but there are ways to manage it without driving yourself crazy.
First, it's essential to prioritize and create a schedule or to-do list to organize your tasks. This can help you stay focused and ensure you're addressing important deadlines while making time for other activities.
Additionally, taking care of your mental health is crucial. Consider the resources and tips in the article on student mental health crisis at https://yourmentalhealthpal.com/student-mental-health-crisis/ . It offers insights into understanding and overcoming such challenges.
Moreover, exploring mental health books targeted towards students can provide valuable guidance and support. You can find some recommended books at https://yourmentalhealthpal.com/mental-health-books-for-students/ . These books may offer strategies to alleviate stress and enhance overall well-being.
Remember, it's okay to take breaks and prioritize self-care. Finding a balance between academic commitments and personal fulfillment will create a more fulfilling college experience. You've got this!