Hi cuddlebunny, welcome to Psych Central!

For me, things look all different ways depending on where I'm looking at them from. If anything, viewing something as big or scary or difficult makes it harder for me to cope with. Logically it seems as if I'd be better prepared if I go into something braced for it to be difficult; sometimes it does work that way but lots of times it doesn't.

An example of when it has worked that way for me: say I'm preparing to drive to the mountains to go camping. I know it's about a four-hour drive and it's going to get pretty hot along the way. I make sure my car has good tires and new radiator hoses. I make sure I have drinking water, trail mix, sunscreen, sunglasses, anything else I might need within easy reach. Once I'm sure I'm as well prepared as I'll ever be, I can let go of worrying and make the trip one mile or one hour at a time. It usually turns out to be nowhere near as difficult as the "worst case" I've been preparing for.

An example of when it's worked the other way: I repair things for a living. If someone asks me to take a look at something rare and valuable that's still in pretty good condition but not quite working as it should, I hesitate to take it on because I could easily make it worse. If, however, something is obviously beyond repair, I feel as if I can't possibly do it any harm -- and I often succeed in getting it to work again, though perhaps by unorthodox means.

Good luck with college or with whatever you choose to do instead!