Coping with setbacks?

I'm forced into a kind of exposure therapy for my social anxiety since tomorrow university starts back up in person (the first time really since the coronavirus happened).

While I'm incredibly thankful for the fact that I now HAVE to face my fears and get back out again, I'm also incredibly scared. So so so scared.

I have successfully worked myself up to going grocery shopping and taking walks around the block again over the past few month since 2022 started. I still have occasional panic attacks while doing that but they happen less and less. But tomorrow (and the days afterwards) will include facing 3 of my fears. First walking to the bus stop, which requires me passing a crossroad where I passed out once and since then have a terrible fear of it happening again and having to rely on strangers to help me. Secondly getting on the bus, which will take me away from my comfort place with a whole lot of strangers sitting in it as well. And thirdly sitting through class.

Neither of those fears have I faced more than once or twice for the past few month. So they're extremely big.

I already managed to confine into a friend of mine who luckily shares my first class and will collect me from the bus stop at university and will bring me back there after class, but that will only help if I manage to get through the first and second fear.

While I do want to do this and push myself to at least get to the bus stop and drive the bus for at least one stop, I also know fully well that I'll beat myself up over it if I only manage one stop and not manage the full way to university (We don't have attendance control. It doesn't matter if we actually show up for class or not as long as we're able to take our exams at the end of it).

So my question towards you guys now would be: how do you handle these situations? Where you do try, but end up failing the big goal?

I want to be compassionate with myself if I don't manage the whole thing and be proud of myself for at least trying and taking the bus at all. Especially since I'll have to try again and again over the next few weeks until I finally manage to do it. But the mean voice in my head is always a bit louder than the nice voice 😅 so does anyone have some tips for me? Or at least has been in a similar situation so I don't feel too alone with it?