Anxiety and Class Participation (1 Viewer)

[starbabiez]

Hi, I'm new here and this is my first post although I've occasionally followed the forums as a guest for the past few years. I'm a fourth year law and business student at Griffith University Gold Coast campus.

I have a problem when it comes to law courses that require class participation for 10-15% of marks. I suffer from extreme anxiety in classroom situations. Not sure when it started but I know during high school and one of my first university classes, I have been put in the spotlight and been highly pressured or harassed by the teacher for an answer.

Whenever I get asked a question, my body just shuts down. My stomach drops, my heart starts beating really really fast, my vision seems to narrow and I can't focus my eyes (it feels like I'm going cross-eyed lol..) and I feel like I'm going to pass out. It's a horrible feeling and sometimes I cut tutorials because of the fear of going through that experience.

I'm thinking of maybe getting some homeopathic drops for anxiety as they have helped a friend of mine who gets anxiety for auditions, but I'm debating over whether I should discuss this with my tutors as a number of classes this semester have class participation marks. I don't want to try and get out of it, and I can usually participate by raising an issue or a question or comment when I feel able to, but this anxiety is really debillitating and I really don't want to be cutting class.

What are your thoughts ? I hope I've put this in the right section, apologies if I should've posted elsewhere. I appreciate any responses

x

 

[Rasengan2dabalz]

Are u serious?

Harden up, everyone makes mistakes, there apart of a learning experience so dont fucking have a sook if u think ur ganna fuck the question, just answer it to the best of your knowledge, fuck every1 else, they probaly dont know it either. Theres no point in living life if u only do stuff u know ur ganna do right.
But yeah
in the words of chopper
Harden the fuck up

 

[melsc]

Try answering a question you know before being put in the hot seat. Volunteering an answer before being intimidated might help.

 

[starbabiez]

Melsc, thankyou for your reply. Sometimes I do this but I find it extremely difficult in classes where the teacher takes on the Socratic method and selects students to answer particular questions.

Rasengan2dabalz, I would sincerely appreciate it if in future you decide to answer my questions, you answer constructively and on a topic you have knowledge and understanding of. I appreciate that many people don't understand how debillitating anxiety can be and how it affects the thought and speech patterns so I'll assume that you are one of these people and will forgive your unnecessary aggression and simplistic repy.

And the reason I raised the issue of discussing it with the teacher is not to get out of answering questions because I don't think anyone should get grades they haven't worked for, but seeing as it is teacher harassment that has been a major contributing factor to my anxiety, it will mean they understand my situation and can maybe help me with building my confidence so that I can ovecome the anxiety. Because teachers are there to help with all aspects of learning and not just knowledge.

But of course, it's all too easy to just say harden the fuck up.

 

[melsc]

You might also try talking to a counsellor, my uni has a free counselling service as I am sure they could teach you some relaxation strategies to deal with the anxiety

 

[starbabiez]

That's a really good idea, thankyou, I hadn't actually thought of that. I'm pretty sure my uni also provides a free counselling service so I will look into it.

x

 

[Rasengan2dabalz]

But of course, it's all too easy to just say harden the fuck up.

Well, growing up i used to stutter alot (still do sometimes but once in a blue moon). It caused fuckloads of problems like getting nervous, being antisocial in fear of people teasing u because of your stuttering, not joining in on group discussions etc
but i got over it
and by getting over it and my fear of people judging me, by stuttering has pretty much disappeared
so all in all hardening up is the best thing for a person when they have anxiety/stuttering/humiliation/public speaking etc problems.
Not saying u should, how u tackle ur problem is ur choice but take it or leave it.

 

[starbabiez]

Thanks, I appreciate your response. I apologise if I took your comment sensitively or to heart. I know I need to 'harden up' and I've taken this approach successfully in early high school in drama and public speaking and excelled dramatically as a result. I'm glad it has also worked successfully for you.

After a lecture today in Criminal Law 2 with the 1 lecturer who turned me off class last time (as she uses the Socratic Method and can be extremely intimidating and tbh, downright abusive and humiliating but I digress..) I learnt that a lot of my fear stems from the fact that my usual learning method is that of 'observing and listening then reading' contra to 'reading, preparing and participating' (required for a socratic class) and that I'm just going to have to change my study pattern to adapt to the lecturer's teaching style.

I guess I feared upsetting my own routine but it's something I am going to try, as I also discovered today that the more I prepare, the more I can participate... It only took an hour of extreme anxiety, bordering hyperventilation, physical shaking and near nervous breakdown (lol not even joking..) until I realized that I can do anything if I just try and that means I can survive this class if I take the right approach.

Blah blah blah... but thanks, being able to talk about this with someone else has certainly helped - in easing my mind and worries, and changing my perspective.

x