# do you feel uncomfortable walking around campus or just me?



## onlylordknows (Apr 27, 2004)

I've been like this since high school, my paranoia from high school has scarred me for life
maybe because I'm always alone
if I was with friends, I wouldn't feel so self conscious walking on campus
I don't want to be seen, and I don't want to come across someone I know. 
I fear that they will judge me negatively even though it's not true. I can't help but think this way ... :rain


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## itsmemaggi (Sep 26, 2005)

Fortunately for me, my campus is VERY small -- only three buildings in which classes are held. But I still hate walking around. I keep my head down, sunglasses on. It helps. Sort of.

xoxo
Maggi


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## cakesniffer (Nov 11, 2003)

I don't mind walking around, as long as I am familiar the area. If I have to go to a building or floor that I've never been to before, I get panicky. Like on Wednesday I have to go to the Art Dept. to do our finals and I've never been there, so of course I'm worried about going. I like sticking to the places I frequent the most.


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## ColdFury (Nov 6, 2003)

Very uncomfortable


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

yes, but not as bad as in high school.


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## Jim (Nov 11, 2003)

I'm pretty uncomfortable walking around campus most of the time, especially between classes when I have to navigate through the huge crowds. I always manage to look like a dork by tripping on my shoelaces, bumping into someone, or nearly getting hit by a bicycle. It may sound strange, but I even feel weird seeing people that I know and like, especially if they're with someone else. My SA "alarm" really goes off when that happens; I've been known to purposely avoid people who would probably be happy to see me.


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

Jim said:


> It may sound strange, but I even feel weird seeing people that I know and like, especially if they're with someone else. My SA "alarm" really goes off when that happens; I've been known to purposely avoid people who would probably be happy to see me.


it doesn't sound strange, just familiar . . .


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## lohu (May 11, 2006)

i know how you guys feel! I always feel uncomfortable walking from class to class across campus. its not so bad if there are not very many people around, but if it is in the middle of the day when lots of classes are held i get nervous, and feel uncomfortable. It probably sounds weird, but i feel a little better if i have somewhere to put my hands as i walk, like in my hoodie pouch or holding on to my bag. I feel really uncomfortable walking with my arms by my sides, i worry that i look really conspicious walking like that. 

I have noticed that by the end of the semester, when i have walked the route loads i feel more comfortable, and if i am having a good day then it is not so bad, but i am always worried i will see someone i know and i won't quite know how to talk to them, like if i should just wave, or say hi and keep going or if i should stop and talk. 

It seems like my uncomfortableness is shared by others which makes me feel a little better


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## GraceLikeRain (Nov 9, 2003)

I listen to music while walking around campus and find that doing so helps a lot.


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## whiteclouds (Mar 18, 2004)

It bothered me in the past, but not anymore. I don't know what made me change, I just got used to it, I guess. I stopped caring about strangers in school. They all look alike to me, just typical college students. Sometimes it annoys me how much alike they look. They are all just slight variations of the generic male or generic female. That's probably why I don't see them as important, I see them more like robots LOL.

I don't mind wandering the halls or the campus grounds alone. I got so used to being alone that I think nothing of plunking myself down at an empty table in the middle of a crowded, noisy cafeteria to read or eat my lunch alone. None of them know me anyway. None of them give a darn whether I exist or not.


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

lohu said:


> It probably sounds weird, but i feel a little better if i have somewhere to put my hands as i walk, like in my hoodie pouch or holding on to my bag. I feel really uncomfortable walking with my arms by my sides, i worry that i look really conspicious walking like that.


i worry about how much i swing my arms. i tend to not swing the left as much as the right, so i try to consciously control the amount of swing, but i feel so uncomfortable that it must look awkward!


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## bluegirl (May 14, 2006)

*students*

OMG.. u won't even believe how uncomfortable I feel walking around in my campus. I hate it , I hate it I hate it so much.. I have no friends. It was not this bad in high school. And I feel like I am reaching to the dead end. I couldn't study and couldn't attend the classes b'c of social anxiety and depression. By the way, I go to UTSC ( university of Toronto at Scarborough). I had been always a good student and now (from 2005) I can't seem to function in the school at all. Recently ( they haven't published yet) I got suspended for a year. DUZ ANYONE KNOW HOW IT FEELS? i CRY AND CRY BUT WHAT GOOD IS IT GONNA BRING? i DON'T SEE HOW ITS GONNA END AND i WILL START CONTINUING SKOOL LIKE A NORMAL PERSON LIKE B4.

THANKS EVERYBODY,
Ip****a


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## meli (Jan 26, 2006)

*Re: students*



bluegirl said:


> OMG.. u won't even believe how uncomfortable I feel walking around in my campus. I hate it , I hate it I hate it so much.. I have no friends. It was not this bad in high school. And I feel like I am reaching to the dead end. I couldn't study and couldn't attend the classes b'c of social anxiety and depression. By the way, I go to UTSC ( university of Toronto at Scarborough). I had been always a good student and now (from 2005) I can't seem to function in the school at all. Recently ( they haven't published yet) I got suspended for a year. DUZ ANYONE KNOW HOW IT FEELS? i CRY AND CRY BUT WHAT GOOD IS IT GONNA BRING? i DON'T SEE HOW ITS GONNA END AND i WILL START CONTINUING SKOOL LIKE A NORMAL PERSON LIKE B4.
> 
> THANKS EVERYBODY,
> Ip****a


WOW I KNOW JUST HOW YOU FEEL. My first year in college was exactly like you described, because of the social anxiety and depression I also couldn't do well in school...it was a struggle everyday. However, today (2yrs later) it is a little better, I don't live on my campus anymore and I've gotten straight A's since. Although this helped me improve my grades, it still does not help with the uncomfortable and awkward feeling when walking around campus. I start thinking all the irrational thoughts....."maybe I'm walking funny", "I hope I don't trip and fall", "Why is everyone staring at me", "is there something on my face", "I'm going to avoid this person because he/she is with someone i don't know." Also, I don't go to the cafeteria/dining hall because there's too much people in there so alot of the times i stay hungry, and I would avoid going other places just to avoid having to walk around on campus and having people see me. My anxiety varies from day to day and all i can do when I wake up is to hope for a better day, and hope it goes ok. Its sad when you think about, but what can you do :stu


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## ccccc5225 (Apr 12, 2006)

because of this reason I've droped out until now.


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## whiteclouds (Mar 18, 2004)

*Re: students*



bluegirl said:


> OMG.. u won't even believe how uncomfortable I feel walking around in my campus. I hate it , I hate it I hate it so much.. I have no friends. It was not this bad in high school. And I feel like I am reaching to the dead end. I couldn't study and couldn't attend the classes b'c of social anxiety and depression. By the way, I go to UTSC ( university of Toronto at Scarborough). I had been always a good student and now (from 2005) I can't seem to function in the school at all. Recently ( they haven't published yet) I got suspended for a year. DUZ ANYONE KNOW HOW IT FEELS? i CRY AND CRY BUT WHAT GOOD IS IT GONNA BRING? i DON'T SEE HOW ITS GONNA END AND i WILL START CONTINUING SKOOL LIKE A NORMAL PERSON LIKE B4.
> 
> THANKS EVERYBODY,
> Ip****a


That happened to me too. I used to be an "A" student, until I got hit-up with depression. It got so bad, I flunked all my classes one semester. I could not function. I could not get out of bed. I left school on medical leave. I eventually recovered, and I just started going back to school again. It is difficult getting back into the groove, but I am starting slow by taking just 2 classes at a time for now.


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## pokey (Dec 18, 2005)

I hate walking in the middle of the quads and cafeterias... I always try to take the less crowded pathways. I just find it so akward to walk past people sometimes. but I hate to say it's way easier now than in high school. because college is so much bigger, I think, "I'll never ever see this person again, so they won't remember me."


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## lyssado707 (Oct 29, 2004)

omg. yea. I hate walking around campus. I feel like all eyes are on me always, and it feels like people are always going to judge me or think I'm weird. I also worry people can tell how nervous I am and think I'm crazy or something. Oh well. School's out for the semester anyways


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## biz_e (Nov 21, 2005)

Yeah, I'm afraid I feel the same. It's awful, isn't it? It really affects my work 'cos I often can't pluck up the courage to go to the library or anything. It's the same outside of uni though, and it's often meant I don't eat for a few days.


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## peace81 (Apr 23, 2004)

me too, and it's a long walk from one building to the next.


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## roswell (Feb 4, 2006)

lohu said:


> It probably sounds weird, but i feel a little better if i have somewhere to put my hands as i walk, like in my hoodie pouch or holding on to my bag. I feel really uncomfortable walking with my arms by my sides, i worry that i look really conspicious walking like that.


Wow, yes. That is exactly my sentiment. I feel like such an awkward lurch when i have nowhere specifically to put my hands. Well... sometimes i can walk around entirely unconscious of how i'm walking, but sometimes it's so uncomfortable and i just have no idea what to do with my arms. I guess it usually depends on the level of my SA.

Also, i sometimes feel like i don't really know what to do with my face. Like, say i'm just waiting in a line or in a waiting room with other people around me. I don't really know what precisely the proper expression is that i should have on my face. I suddenly start to feel every tiny little muscle on my face and none of them know what they're supposed to do. It's a very uncomfortable sensation. :con


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## umbrellagirl1980 (Dec 28, 2005)

back when i was a student, i used to feel very uncomfortable walking across campus. a few times i chose to skip class rather than have to face walking through the busy campus center on the way. i couldn't bear the thought of being visible, of being there in the middle of so many eyes.


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