Going back to school can stir up a mix of excitement and nerves. After a summer of freedom and diversely-filled days, routines suddenly shift and social pressures return. It’s absolutely to be expected that young people are starting to feel jittery about new classes, friends, teachers, and expectations.
We hope that both young people and their adults can utilise this blog to help them navigate through the first few weeks of the new school year with more confidence and calm. In this blog you will find practical advice, simple strategies, and reminders that you’re not alone in this.
Recognising Your Feelings
Starting a new term often brings a swirl of emotions. We know that this is coming, and we can prepare for it. Take a moment each morning to pause and check in with yourself:
- What am I feeling? Anxiety, excitement, uncertainty? Accept your emotions without judgement, and remember that everyone – both your peers and adults – experiences days that feel more difficult than others.
- Write down one thing you’re looking forward to and one thing you’re worried about that day.
Acknowledging your feelings is really important. When you better understand what’s bubbling inside, it can help you to choose how to respond. Have a think; are your worries based on something that is within your control, or your influence, or out of your control or influence? This might help you better understand:
- Which things you are spending your available energy on – and you can do something about
- And which things are outside of your direct control.
It often turns out that many of the things we perceive as ‘nothing can be done about that’ turn out to be at least within our influence and we can do something about them.
Tips For Going Back To School
School might be very different to how it was last academic year. Here are some of the things that can help you feel calmer (maybe even joyful?) and more prepared about the next school year:
Give yourself time to adjust to being back at school. It’s okay if it doesn’t feel comfortable at first. Even when you’re back at school, allow yourself each day to do something you enjoy. Now, what could that be? Have a think.
Go stationary shopping! What do you love? Flowers, kittens, tropical destinations? Why not find different stationary – from notebooks to sticky notes – that incorporate these little joyful reminders into their design. As these objects are something you will often have around you throughout your school day, they can act as nice reminders that you are carrying something with you that sparks joy in you.
Ask your parents, guardians, or teachers about anything you’re not sure about. This could be about things you’ll need at school, who will be your class teacher, or anything else that’s on your mind.
Building a Resilient Routine
Some people dislike the thought of a routine, as they believe it represents all the ‘boring’ things that they have to do or attend.
Whilst in reality, the routine isn’t about rigidity. It is about creating small anchors in your day that can help you feel calmer, more in control, and safer:
- Morning stretches or breathing exercises to start your day calmer and kinder to yourself. Have you ever tried rectangular breathing? You inhale through the nose for 4 seconds, and slowly exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds. You can repeat this as many times as you feel you need to until you feel that it’s working for you.
- Scheduled breaks between study blocks. There are ‘calming’ and ‘alerting’ activities that you can do, depending if you need to help yourself calm down (go for a short walk, read a book, draw, give your pet a cuddle, etc.) or wake up (play video games, sing and dance, etc.).
- A winding-down ritual before bed: reading books from your favourite genre, journaling, or listening to music.
Over time, these anchors become signals to your mind and body that you’re safe and capable of handling whatever comes next.
Connecting with Your Community
You don’t have to face back-to-school challenges in isolation. If possible, reach out and forge connections:
- Form a study buddy group or see if your school hosts lunchtime games club for students.
- Join a club that shares your interests.
- Talk with a trusted teacher, coach, or school’s wellbeing team if things feel overwhelming. They are there to support you and/or direct you to a professional who has worked with young people in similar situations before.
Every conversation you have with them allows others to better understand what support you might need to help you build resilience.
You’ve got a whole community supporting and rooting for you!
And remember: Your mental health is just as important as your grades.
For Parents
Here are some tools that can help you support your young person during the back-to-school time:
- Start a conversation. Here are some useful phrases you can use (please remember to adapt these to your young person’s age):
- ‘How are you feeling about school starting soon?’
- ’What feels hard about going back to school? Equally, what feels exciting? It is definitely possible to have different feelings about one thing or event.’
- ‘It’s okay to ask for help, and I am always here if you need to talk.’
- Explore the school campus/grounds with them, especially if they are starting to attend a new school. The worry of the unknown can greatly influence how the young person might be feeling as the new academic year approaches.
- Encourage them to explore what clubs and activities their school has to offer, especially if it is something they enjoy in their personal life. Equally, if you are noticing they are intrigued by trying out something new, support them and help them research said topic or club.
- Meeting your young person’s teachers early in the year can help ease your own anxiety about their new school. This also allows you to communicate with the teacher about your child’s needs.
A new school year brings new adventures and challenges for both students and their adults. Working together with your young person’s school can help provide a safe and stimulating environment where they can thrive academically and socially.
So, let’s all step into the new school year slowly, knowing that it will take time for everyone to adapt to the new routine that combines your own work, home life, and now school. Your young person is looking at you, and your role modelling and encouragement can help them to feel calmer, braver, and motivated to try. And what an empowering feeling that is to have in you as you are making your first steps down the school corridor, towards your classroom, starting a new school year where anything can happen. You’ve got this!
For online resources to support your young person visit our resources page for a list of apps and websites Helplines and Apps – Cup-O-T: Wellness and Therapy Services