Back to School time…feeling anxious about that, you’re not alone.

 By Jo

Ah summer holidays, the time of year where we can relax and spend time doing the things we love. Maybe you’ve been clocking levels on your latest game, hanging out at the beach, chillin’ with your pets. Or if you’re anything like me curled up with a book and eating delicious ice cream! I find the most magical thing about summer holidays is being able to forget about, or put down my worries from the year.  

But alas the weeks are passing by and another school year is upon us. We know school can be a tricky place for many of the young people we support. So believe me when I write this…… you’re most definitely not alone if you’re feeling a bit anxious (or let’s be real, totally freaking out!) about going back to school.

 So why do so many people feel so stressed when it’s time to think about going back to school? Well, here’s what I’ve heard from many of the teenagers I’ve worked with as an Occupational Therapist.

·      Past experiences at school with other students and teachers may not have been so great. Maybe they’ve been teased or bullied, and so it makes sense that there would be significant worries about “what if this happens again? Is it easier for me to stay home to protect myself?”

·      The whole having conversations with other students, trying to get to know people, trying to manage tricky friendship and dating situations is well, A LOT!!!! School is a super social place both in the classroom when we’re working together, and in the schoolyard at break times. So, if you’re not feeling confident in social situations, it would make sense that school would be a super anxiety provoking place.

·      Learning differences and finding it tricky to get organised can make school super stressful for young people. Particularly if you don’t have the right support plan or people in place to make learning feel more possible for you!

·      Asking for help can be haaaard! Even if you have some ideas in mind about what things might help you to make school less worrying for you, feeling confident to advocate for yourself and tell people what you need doesn’t come naturally to many people.

·      Sensory overload at school can be FULL ON! Schools are busy places where the environment can feel too loud, like there’s too much to look at and take in, there are people all around (sometimes getting in our personal space in cramped locker room situations) and to be honest if I think back to my high school days quite stinky and smelly! Sensory overload at school is real and can add another layer of return to school anxiety for many people.

·      So much newness! Returning to school means transitioning to new routines, which are likely to be very different to how you’ve spent your summer holidays! There are things like new teachers, new classmates, new timetables, new classrooms and the list could go on. Often one of the biggest drivers of anxiety for people is unexpected and new situations, and the start of the school year is a big ball of newness.

 For me, it makes a lot of sense that feelings of return to school anxiety might be quite high at the moment!! But despite its challenges, we know that school is important. First and foremost, it’s where we do a lot of our learning about the things we might need to help us on our way in life (whether that be to work or further study). But when it goes well, school can also be a place that helps us connect with others and build relationships – two things that the research tells us are good for our mental wellbeing.

 So, what can you do to help manage return to school anxiety. Here’s some ideas below:

Share your yucky feelings

-       You know the saying “sharing is caring” well I’d definitely recommend that telling someone about how you’re feeling is good self-care for YOU! This could be a sibling, a parent, a friend, a mentor or if you feel comfortable a wellbeing person at school.

-       Perhaps make an appointment to speak with a mental health care professional about your anxiety and worries, they can help you plan individualised strategies to help you through this tricky time.

-       Consider joining online forums to help you feel less alone.

 Get help to let the school know what you need to make return to school easier

-       If you have some ideas in mind about what might help you ease back into school and make it go as smoothly as possible throughout the rest of the year, get some support from a parent or support person to put together a school support plan.

-       This might include strategies to help you stay organised with your studies, ways to manage your anxiety at school, quiet spaces you could go if you’re feeling overwhelmed, ways to communicate when you’re stressed.

 Balance the stress of return to school with other enjoyable activities

-       When we’re dealing with anxiety, self-care is sooooo important. It’s important to have balance in life between the things that challenge you and might cause anxiety, with things that make you feel good.

-       So make sure when you get back to school, make time in your life to do things you love -  play games, create art, exercise, watch your fave movies, listen to your fave tunes, or curl up under a blanket for a nap.

 Tackling the tricky social side of school

-       If the social side of school feels really hard or you’ve had bad experiences with being teased or bullied by peers, consider ways to help build up your social confidence again.

-       At The Social Confidence Collective, we can help you develop your own Roadmap (plan) to build your social confidence and manage social anxiety. Our groups are designed to provide you with supported and safe opportunities to practice being around others. The strategies you learn in groups will be useful in other social situations like school.

If you’d like more information about how The Social Confidence Collective can help you to build up your social confidence, please reach out at hello@socialconfidencecollective.com.au