Feeling like I'm being judged

For me, it might just be the fact that I was bullied a lot during school so I inherently feel this way, but does anyone else feel like they're being judged even for the simplest things? I had to walk across my campus just now and I'm carrying a new laptop bag that makes noise every time I take a step. I immediately became aware of the sound and feared everyone could hear it and as thinking mean things about me. Now I'm sitting in the dining hall alone on my laptop and even though there are others doing the same and not many people here at all, I still feel as if everyone is talking about me. I know it's conceited to think others are thinking about me but I can't help it. It's making me uneasy.

I wasn't bullied and I feel like I'm being judged a lot. Like taking notes in class - if I take more than other people they're thinking I'm stupid for needing to take so many notes, if I take less then they think I'm not paying attention and am stupid for missing important notes. I have a pair of boots that don't fit quite right so the heels drag every time I walk and every time I do wear them I think everyone is paying attention to me and hates me. Or if I came to class late that everyone hated me for the disruption. I could go on and on and I'm still learning all the ways I've been telling myself that everyone hates me (since I've been anxious all my life a lot of it doesn't even register as conscious thought and I really have to be paying attention to catch that I'm doing it).

I've found it helpful to ramble "realistic self talk" to myself until I believe it when I catch myself thinking anxiety-inducing things. Like "they're all on their computers, they're not paying attention to me, they're looking at facebook and homework and reddit, they don't care about me over here in this corner. They're just eating their food and doing their own thing, they probably don't even know I'm here. If they did notice me they're not thinking anything about me I'm just doing what they're doing. It's totally cool."

The most time, I feel the same, when I'm at school or in puplic, it doesn't matter. Even when there isn't anybody, I think, someone is watching me and will judge me because of things, that doesn't matter to the most. In this situations I can't look at people. I do't know, where I'm looking at, maybe on the floor or my shoes, but I don't really see anything.
The I either try to tell myself, that they don't see me, that I don't matter to the other people and that they do other things. It's just the same that Rosivenna wrote, cause i think thats the only thing, that helps me.
I try to concentrate on other things, for example: I'm from Germany, so I always talk German, but I really love English, so when whant to think of something else, I just tell me 'my own story' in English. Maybe it sounds weird, but it's my way.

I'm the exact same way. Rosivenna mentioned note taking, and I can fully understand that too.

I'm always conscious of my surroundings and especially the people around me. For some reason, I always prevent myself from doing the smallest tasks, simply because I don't want to bother everyone else or have them judge me for doing so. For instance, I never got up during a test or in general to use the pencil sharpener in class. It always makes a noise, so I didn't want to distract people or have the attention on me. If there's one thing I can't deal with, it's having a bunch of people looking my way. I always get paranoid thoughts, wondering what they're thinking of me now. Even walking around in the rain causes my shoes to squeak when I walk, and I hate that. It makes me so uncomfortable. I don't even stop to tie my shoes because I don't want to stop, bend down, and block anyone's way. It's ridiculous, no? Yet I still continue to do it.

I could imagine how you must feel with your laptop bag making a noise. If I was in your place, I'd probably be thinking the same thing. However - speaking as an outside person (and I'm sure everyone else would agree), I wouldn't even take notice of it. I don't know how the noise is, but I'm assuming it's nothing loud at all. I probably wouldn't be able to hear a thing! I think everyone is too busy paying attention to themselves than noticing the noise it makes. If you think about it, it's practically impossible to think of a single mean thought to say about you. Thinking that others are judging is all in our mind. It's kinda silly if you think about it, haha. So please. The next time this happens or anything similar, just walk with the confidence that no one is paying attention to that little noise that probably only you can hear. It's no big deal! There are tons of outside noises besides your laptop bag (ie. typing on keyboards, clicking pens, someone coughing/sneezing, someone blasting their Ipod etc). Trust me when I say that NO ONE would even come close to thinking or saying “Omg, look, that girl/guys’ bag made a noise”. It is by no means inconsiderate, nor does it cause extra attention. Maybe if you were blasting your headphones in a quite library or room, then maybe. I find that inconsiderate, and it would draw attention to the person next to you. However, that's not the case.

I should take my own advice, too. Alas, it's easier said than done. I feel that we're always trying to go out of our way to try to please others - not ourselves. Why should we limit ourselves or go the the trouble of completing mundane tasks, especially when they're no consequences? Simple. We shouldn't!