A Safe Place for Students with Anxiety by Natalia

A Safe Place for Students with Anxiety by Natalia - September 2023 Scholarship Essay

Participation can be a determining factor for a grade. Whether it's open discussions, debates, or participating in class dialogue, speaking up can result in anxiety and uneasiness in students. Anxiety is something that I have experienced myself while attending class in person. I was an online student for the first two years of my college career and had trouble transitioning to a university where speaking up in class was encouraged or required. As someone who has experienced anxiety and talking in the classroom, I can be the first to admit that I dread going to class sometimes, fearing that I will embarrass myself or stutter while speaking. That is why, If I had the authority to change my school positively, I would introduce two ways to help those students like me who struggle with anxiety.
The first specific change I would implement to help students struggling with anxiety is allowing students to keep signs on their desks stating their social status cards, with ten being comfortable with speaking and one with being reticent. This way, professors and peers can visibly see what that particular individual status is and if they are satisfied with the conversation that day. I believe this will help students with anxiety because they do not feel pressured to speak and dread speaking in front of the classroom.
The second suggestion for students who are anxious in the classroom is to have a safe space on campus where they can collect their thoughts and talk to someone who might be willing to ease their angst. This place will be open to all students and will only consist of chairs, slight anxiety-relieving tasks like coloring, or stress balls. The space will be a quiet setting where students can bring their social status cards and recollect if they might be having an attack. The safe room will help students regain their composure and return to class when ready.
Anxiety is common in most students worldwide; many people struggle with tension, nervousness, or inability to relax, and providing social status cards and a safe space for reflection would benefit the students and the whole school positively. In the future, I look forward to schools tackling this concern and showing improvements in class participation, student involvement, student grades, and suggestions for improving their school.