When the fall school semester is approaching, you’re likely feeling sad that your summer fun is coming to an end. It’s also possible that beyond feeling down, you’re also feeling anxious.

School is often a significant source of anxiety for adolescents. Research shows approximately 50% of U.S. middle-school students and 75% of high school students say that schoolwork leads to them “often or always feeling stressed.” Anxiety is the body and mind’s response to stress.

School can cause you to stress about more than your grades. It can also involve friendship issues, self-esteem struggles and difficulty balancing your extracurricular activities. In this blog post, we’ll share some tips and tricks for anxiety to give you confidence in your ability to have a successful year.

6 tips for managing back-to-school anxiety 

When you’re experiencing back-to-school anxiety, it can impact your emotional, mental and physical ability to handle everything new that is coming your way. Managing anxiety can help you embrace challenging subjects and classroom changes. It can also prepare you for potential opportunities, such as clubs, sports and the performing arts.

If you’re experiencing anxiety as you’re returning to school after summer break, here are six tips that are worth testing out:

• Acknowledge the reality — Validating your feelings can go a long way in reducing your anxiety. By acknowledging the realistic hardships that come with going back to school, you can feel more in tune with your emotions without the negativity that comes from judging them when you’re feeling anxious. You can also gain support from loved ones who can validate your feelings and help you gain perspective on your reality.

• Focus on the positives — Along with validating any negative thoughts about school, it’s also important to look at the positive aspects that will come from going back. You can adjust your mindset when you think about the exciting parts of returning to school. Maybe you’ll reunite with friends you didn’t see over the summer or be able to take new classes that you’re interested in. You can even start up a new club.
• Learn breathing techniques — One of the best ways to reduce anxiety, now and once school has started, is to learn how to relax your mind and body. Breathing techniques can effectively give your mind a break from anxious thoughts. They also help lower your heart rate and balance your oxygen levels for better concentration. Effective breathing techniques for anxiety include box breathing, diaphragmatic breathing and lion’s breath.
• Jump-start a routine — Of course you want to make every second of your summer count. But getting prepared a week or two before returning to school can make a big difference in your anxiety. If you start a routine beforehand, your mind and body will already feel confident in their ability to continue those good habits when you return to school. This can include going to bed at a specific time or putting aside an hour to read every day,
• Prioritize organization — Gathering school supplies gives you the opportunity to get many of the tools you need to be successful in the upcoming school year, especially when it comes to organization. Lack of organization can be one of the driving forces of anxiety for classwork. Getting yourself organized ahead of time will make you feel more prepared and confident in your capabilities. You can start scheduling time to study in a calendar, color-code your folders and create a first-day-of-school checklist.
• Set attainable goals — Anxiety often comes from doubting our own strengths and assuming worst-case scenarios. Writing down realistic goals before the school year starts will help you recognize what you’re capable of. You may also feel motivated to keep working toward them, despite anxiety trying to be a roadblock in your way. Examples of goals that can be attainable for many students can be, “I’m going to get at least B’s in all of my classes” or “I’m going to join one club.”

Lightfully can help reduce back-to-school anxiety

While going back to school after summer break can cause you to feel anxious, learning effective ways to manage those feelings can help you work toward being the best student you can be. However, if the tips above don’t help, or your anxiety has become overwhelming, you may need further support. 

If your anxiety is interfering with your overall quality of life, talk to your doctor about your concerns. They will likely refer you to a specialist for a potential anxiety disorder diagnosis and treatment options.

At Lightfully Teen, we offer levels of care that can help students struggling with anxiety, including an Intensive Outpatient Program, which consists of evidence-based, clearly defined, data-driven and whole-person-centered care.

Change is possible. If you’re ready to take the first step to alleviating back-to-school anxiety, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.