How to get into veterinary school?

Why do I get anxious and nervous everytime I think of school or being in a classroom? How Can I stop it!?

• I'm 16 years old turning 17 in a couple of days. I dropped out of school last year in 9th grade because of social anxiety. When I started middle school in 6th grade it was around the time where I started going through puberty and I gained massive weight. Students started teasing me and picking on me because I was overweight and I always wore the same clothes. Like everyday somebody would make fun of me because of my pimples of my fatness. I could never get used to the school enviroment and the classroom setup and the teachers because I wasnt used to such a different change and different school coming from such a small elementary school where I knew everyone. Eventually from all this teasing and almost being bullied, I became really paranoid. I started getting scared to go to school and was afraid to go out in public and be out around strangers, I was even scared to visit relatives. I started thinking that everyone might be staring at me and people might be judging me. In school I would never turn my work in because I was scared of getting out of my seat to walk up to the front of the room in front of everyone just to turn it in. My grades started dropping to all F's and I started skipping school. I ended up failing 6th grade and repeated it. The same thing went on that 2nd year of 6th grade. In 7th and 8th grade I was skipping tons of days and my grades were all F's and Incompletes but they passed me because of my age. Then 9th grade came and after two months, I dropped out. I couldnt take it nomore! I would come home crying! During those years (6th grade through 8th) I went to truancy court 3 times and it didnt do any good. My parents tried all they could do but I never told them what was wrong with me and when I did they would think I was lying and it was just a pathetic excuse of not going. I talked to the counselors and assistanct principal and they even said it sounded like "social anxiety". After I dropped out last year, I bought a treadmill and started excersising all year and started cutting back on eating. I lost a lot of weight and feel a little bit less self conscience. Even though i'm still chubby a bit, i'm still smaller than before. Since ive been out of school, I can see the world more different now. Before I was trapped in this prison where all I did was school work and get made fun of. I thought there was nothing in life to live for except going to school and getting made fun of and teased. I see things that I want to do in life and stuff but I feel that school isnt for me. I SUCK at academics and ive never passed a test in my WHOLE life in school. The only tests ive passed were spelling tests. I can read and write and spell great. I have beautiful handwriting too, its just I suck in academics! The other day I was watching a school program that had my school on it and I saw a bunch of students. My gut started getting butterflies and I felt anxious. Its like everytime I see a program on TV from my school, I GET nervous and anxious. I'm thinking about taking GED classes at this vocational school here in the district and I have to call this woman on Tuesday. Right now i'm getting nervous as hell because I dread being in a classroom studying taking GED classes and I dont want to study on my own. The GED classes here also are for people 20 and over and i'm only 17 but they might be able to take me they said. I'm kinda scared and nervous that i'll be the only teen there! and i'm wondering if they'll be immature or not. I'm just like so anxious and nervous. Its the same feeling I used to have every night when it was time to go to bed and I would be scared to death to go to school the next day. I know that I have to get my GED atleast and it has to be done or else I wont have nothing in life, no good job, no career, etc. I'm just scared that i'll give up because I dont like the classroom atmosphere or something like always! I had pure confidence thinking about this and I keep pushing myself to go through with it, but after it being real and me having to call this woman, i'm getting really nervous! I wont be able to sleep until I call her in 2 days! So how can I stop this? I know that people arent looking at me but I cant help it. How can I stop from being nervous in a classroom?

• Answer:

  I can relate to your story about being anxious and being scared to go to school. It all started in middle school for me too. Although, I am still academically doing well. I am sixteen and a sophomore in high school. I don't know what kind of programs your school has, but I talked to my guidence counselor and she put me in this program at my school this year. It is almost like a special ed. class, except its not for extra help in academics. It simply for students who can't handle the regular school environment. I basically stay in one classroom for the entire day along with only 10 other students with similar problems. There is one teacher and an aid. My schedule is shortened and I don't have to walk with other students in the hallways between periods. I go from 9am-2pm versus a regular schedule 7:45am-2:50pm. They realize being strict only causes un-needed stress for us, so they are very lenient about being on being EXACTLY on time for school. They even understand having a bit more absences than the average student would because of our circumstances. I am lucky enough to have this program at my school. I recommend you talk to your guidence counselor some more and find out if your school has any special ed. type of program you could try. It has helped me tremendously and I feel much better about going to school everyday.