1st Class Anxiety: the Phenomenon

Journal Issue #1: First Class Anxiety

How do college students feel when they enter the first class of a course? Calm, easy, cool? Or anxious, excited, overwhelmed? Reality shows that college students are not as cool as they look outside but are under tremendous high anxiety such as feeling very “nervous” “anxious” “overwhelmed” or even “scared” or “fear” on the first day of class. Below are several examples:

Anxiety is the one best word I can use to describe the first meeting of any class I have enrolled in. Human Development is no exception. -- Nana, January 17, 2008, EDCI 4322-01

Honestly, I was scared when I was going to class. On blackboard, before attending class, I read the class syllabus and got scared and nervous of all the work that must be done. When I first saw the teacher and noticed she was Asian; I said to myself, "Oh dear, this class will be hard, and she seems very strict and mean."-- Cary, Jan 15, 2008, EDCI 4322-60

…at first I felt scared and overwhelmed and I thought that I would not be able to keep up with the class-- Cathy, January 17, 2008, EDCI 4322-01

For me, there is always that initial feeling of fear (when you enter a new classroom) and wonder ‘what will the class be like.’ It has always been very important to me to make sure that I understand what I’m supposed to do, so that I cannot miss a step.-- Mina, January 17, 2008, EDCI 4322-01

I felt very excited about coming back to school, but I was surprised at how nervous I felt because I didn’t expect to feel that way. I felt completely new and a little bit scared for some reason.-- Rose, Jan 15, 2008, EDCI 4322-60

To read more about 1st Class Anxiety:
1st Class Anxiety: the Phenomenon

1st Class Anxiety: Why?

1st Class Anxiety: Good or Bad?

1st Class Anxiety: the Solutions

1st Class Anxiety: the Reality