Why does my old journal from college bring up such intense anxiety now?

I found a stack of my old college journals last weekend while cleaning out the attic. I thought it would be nostalgic and maybe even comforting, but instead, reading through them has triggered this wave of anxiety I didn’t expect. The entries are from a time when I was juggling way too many responsibilities - classes, a part-time job, and trying to maintain friendships. I’ve been feeling mostly okay these days, but flipping through those pages felt like stepping back into that overwhelmed mindset. I’ve tried distracting myself by limiting the time I spend reading, but even a few pages can leave me restless and uneasy for hours. I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced unexpected anxiety triggered by revisiting past writings or memories? How did you cope with those feelings without avoiding your history completely? Is it normal for something that used to just be memories to suddenly feel so heavy and real?