[Green Elephant]

My band is extremely important to me. Music will always be my first love, and always will be. I've recently enrolled in school for the fall semester. I'm going to be a graphic designer and my classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

With that being said, I'll be able to practise and give time to the band Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Thursday being the only day I can't do band related things.

I've torn my schedule apart every day since I enrolled, and I've developed such strong anxiety about the whole thing. I know I'll have time for the band, and I've written my schedule down numerous times to show myself that school will not harm my plans with music, only help it. And yet, I have a strong sense of panic in my stomach whenever I think about school, and making time for my band.

I've looked up things onine about anxiety and I connect with all of it, but I can't seem to shake it. I feel absoluty crazy sometimes with the fact that I know I will have more than enough time for band practise, and shows, and the feeling still hangs over my head.

Any suggestions would be so appreciated. Thank you.

[Jake2008]

Maybe the anxiety is not that you worry about the band, or getting practise in during the week, but you are adding to that, and now managing two very important things, instead of one.

I know that seems like an over-simplification, but starting school is stressful. You can memorize your schedule and have yourself completely organized, and still, until you actually show up to school and work through it a few times, you won't feel settled with it.

Give yourself the luxury of not thinking and worrying about anxiety, until you get through the first few weeks of school. Self-diagnosis is always an iffy thing anyway.

Instead, when you find yourself getting anxious, pick up your guitar, and play. That is something that is right there that will help alleviate the stress you perceive to be. That being said, also remember that you are worrying about things that have not happened yet, and going over and over in your mind what will happen, or could happen, or should happen, will have no meaning, because it hasn't happened yet.

When the day come for you to start school, you will have the jitters just like everybody else, and you will get through those first days, intact, and soon it will be routine.

If when it happens, school has begun, and band practise is underway, together, your anxiety will ease as you gain confidence.

It is not unusual to feel the way you do. To have goals, and plot a course to achieve them, is taking a risk, and a jump into the unknown. Try not to beat yourself up with giving in to the anxiety, and instead, find other ways to distract yourself. Maybe put the schedule away in a cupboard somewhere, and not look at it for a few months.

Do something else to keep busy, and tell yourself, literally, that no, you aren't going to get upset about this, because you have no way of preventing or changing the future of events that have not yet occurred.

[cleverhistorian]

You can get help at Family Worship Center Assemblies of God Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin. They have caring pastors who can address your need in a timely way. Please give them a try. Also, you may write your pray on-line at Need prayer, we are here to pray for you. Thank you for asking. I pray that the Lord be with you and answer you need.