Coping with App Cycle Stress

[dulapeep]

Let's not beat around the bush - the application process can be stressful as heck! I'm a reapplicant and I told myself that I'd be satisfied when I finally got an II; yet now that my interview has passed, I find myself worrying near constantly about what the rest of the cycle holds for me. I just don't want to fail again. On these forums, I frequently see people advising stressed applicants to "get better coping skills", but rarely do I see actual advice on how to cope with the stress and anxiety that this process can sometimes bring. If you're seeing this, maybe post some advice below for your fellow SDN-ers on how you ground yourself during moments of doubt and worry! In other words, how do you stay grounded, calm, and focused during this time in your life?

I'll go first - when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I like to use grounding exercises like belly breathing, the "5-4-3-2-1" exercise (list 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste), and even sudden temperature changes like eating an ice cube or drinking hot tea - anything to bring me out of my head and into the present moment. I also like following guided meditations on Youtube, repeating affirmations, and focusing on the things in my life that aren't application-related like exercise, music, crafting, and time with friends!

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[deleted1114112]

I think contextualizing your application helps. For example LM 73, if you spend an ounce of time in the school threads here you'll see LM >80 who got 10 II's in Aug-September....also people swimming around here with 15+ II's with no context but if you read their history they're a upper bracket URM with a 520+ and a nature pub (literally). This is just not the norm.

For most of us our cycle will probably 'ramp' up or II's will start coming starting a bit later into the cycle relative to the people I mentioned. My limited sample size of ORMs with ~515s/3.8s got nothing in August/early Sept and have started getting a few (including 'top' schools) last and this week. You still might end up with 10 II's, too.

 

[nicesecrets]

Let's not beat around the bush - the application process can be stressful as heck! I'm a reapplicant and I told myself that I'd be satisfied when I finally got an II; yet now that my interview has passed, I find myself worrying near constantly about what the rest of the cycle holds for me. I just don't want to fail again. On these forums, I frequently see people advising stressed applicants to "get better coping skills", but rarely do I see actual advice on how to cope with the stress and anxiety that this process can sometimes bring. If you're seeing this, maybe post some advice below on how you ground yourself during moments of doubt and worry! In other words, how do you stay grounded, calm, and focused during this time in your life?

I'll go first - when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I like to use grounding exercises like belly breathing, the "5-4-3-2-1" exercise (list 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste), and even sudden temperature changes like eating an ice cube or drinking hot tea - anything to bring me out of my head and into the present moment. I also like following guided meditations on Youtube, repeating affirmations, and focusing on the things in my life that aren't application-related like exercise, music, crafting, and time with friends!

Honestly OP, just delete SDN/reddit for a week or so. You will feel like checking it constantly, but if you have finished your interview, nothing good will come from waking up tomorrow to a bunch of As/Rs and holds and then stressing about whyyy you haven't heard back yet and what that might mean. If you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, just take a small break and do all the calming activities you mentioned..

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Try to stay busy

 

[dulapeep]

Honestly OP, just delete SDN/reddit for a week or so. You will feel like checking it constantly, but if you have finished your interview, nothing good will come from waking up tomorrow to a bunch of As/Rs and holds and then stressing about whyyy you haven't heard back yet and what that might mean. If you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed, just take a small break and do all the calming activities you mentioned..

I'm realizing that my message wasn't super clear - I was hoping for the thread to serve as a place where people can discuss stress-relief skills, calming activities, etc (although don't get me wrong I'm v stressed at all times and probably should delete SDN)! I so often see messages of "just cope better" without examples of how to do so. Just wanted to have a list available if someone searching SDN wanted some advice from people in the same position!

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

I'm realizing that my message wasn't super clear - I was hoping for the thread to serve as a place where people can discuss stress-relief skills, calming activities, etc (although don't get me wrong I'm v stressed at all times and probably should delete SDN)! I so often see messages of "just cope better" without examples of how to do so. Just wanted to have a list available if someone searching SDN wanted some advice from people in the same position!

Going to the gym after work helps me. Do an hour on the treadmill while watching Bloomberg. By the time I get home, I’m usually too tired to stress out that much

At the beginning of the cycle I was much more stressed. Now I’m less stressed. I think gym or running helps

 

[nicesecrets]

I'm realizing that my message wasn't super clear - I was hoping for the thread to serve as a place where people can discuss stress-relief skills, calming activities, etc (although don't get me wrong I'm v stressed at all times and probably should delete SDN)! I so often see messages of "just cope better" without examples of how to do so. Just wanted to have a list available if someone searching SDN wanted some advice from people in the same position!

Ahh ok! I'm not sure if people here have seen early Grey's, but the "dancing it out" that they used to do actually helps me a lot! I also just like to hang out with family/friends who aren't in the same app hell rn, so that I have fun activities/conversation not at all centered on this