Since I didn't already know how to go about being in public and carrying out tasks successfully, I asked my counselor for help and she always gave me the right advice. If I had any issues with my classes or registration she would tell me exactly what to do and what I should do incase things didn't go right. With her help I started completing important objectives and that's when I began building confidence in myself.
Before that I would always anticipate things going wrong, and not knowing how to fix them. Despite being surrounded by people on campus I felt alone since they didn't know me and couldn't help me.
Nothing felt secure or steady for me during this time, so I had to create a structured way of thinking. After I had managed to get all of my classes sorted out I was able to start the semester just like everybody else. This was the first time I felt normal. It was so rewarding to know that I had been successful at something and that first success is what paved the way for more of them.
Now whenever doubt started to creep up on me I would remember that I had been capable of achieving something before. In the beginning I would ask my counselor to help me with everything; she would explain how to do something, where to go, and who to talk to. And before I would leave her office she would always tell me to come back to her if there were any difficulties, and whenever there were complications she would help me fix them. I learned one of my most valuable lessons from her help. I used to believe that if I messed up or failed something it couldn't be corrected, that was that, game over. But she taught me that wasn't true. If things aren't going well they can always be fixed, and this is how I was able to let go of my fear of failure and my anxiety naturally got better.
I also know how to speak up when I'm not happy about something and I found that when I actually speak up people will listen and try to cooperate to accommodate me. Now I can go out and run errands, make appointments, and attend meetings all on my own and I finally felt like a normal functional human being.
Before that I would always anticipate things going wrong, and not knowing how to fix them. Despite being surrounded by people on campus I felt alone since they didn't know me and couldn't help me.
Nothing felt secure or steady for me during this time, so I had to create a structured way of thinking. After I had managed to get all of my classes sorted out I was able to start the semester just like everybody else. This was the first time I felt normal. It was so rewarding to know that I had been successful at something and that first success is what paved the way for more of them.
I also know how to speak up when I'm not happy about something and I found that when I actually speak up people will listen and try to cooperate to accommodate me. Now I can go out and run errands, make appointments, and attend meetings all on my own and I finally felt like a normal functional human being.
