Taming the back-to-school worries

Back-to-school can be a tough time for students of any age – grade school, high school, college – and their parents.  It carries with it anxiety about the social and academic events of the coming year.  Thoughts such as: Who are my teachers?  What if they don’t like me, give me a hard time?  What will the other kids be like?  Will they be friendly and like me?  Will I fit in, or be a social outcast?  Who’s my roommate going to be?  I’ve never lived with a stranger before.  Will we get along?  What are my academic subjects?  What if they’re too hard and I’m not good at math, english, or science?  Will they think I’m a moron?  Do I have the “right” laptop, notebooks, pencils or other supplies?   What clothes should I wear – I’m not sure about the latest trends in 5^th, or 8^th, or 11^th grade or college life.  And on and on.

Anxiety is a very powerful force, particularly for students anticipating the school year and people, places, situations that are unfamiliar.  It’s a feeling of excessive nervousness, apprehension, and worry about future events.  The intensity, duration, and frequency of the anxiety or worry is out of proportion to the actual feared event and causes distress.  So, how can you as a student or a parent of a student deal with it?

Preparation is a good first step when dealing with back to school issues.  If a student knows what to expect and has all of the tools at his/her disposal ready to get started, that will help a lot.  Try to find out in advance who some of the teachers, classmates, or your roommate are and text them.  Visit the school if possible, or do a virtual tour, to become familiar with the academic buildings, classrooms, and grounds.  Buy your computer and school supplies a few weeks early so that you’re not running around at the last minute.  For a student who lives at home, set up a desk or dedicated homework area in a quiet and comfortable spot.  Perhaps you can get a list of this year’s classes to mentally prepare for what you will have to do.  

Think about how to manage the social scene at school, how to introduce yourself to others and make new friends.  A parent may want to practice this with a grade-school student.  Plan in advance how to deal with bullying or social cliques that exclude others.  Perhaps you might want to join an athletic team or after-school club of interest to you where you can meet others.  

Once your preparation is done, think about how to manage stress or anxiety if it does arise.  Practice doing deep breathing exercises.  Parents can do this together with their children.  Get some funny 

movies to watch or read a funny book.  Humor is a great de-stressor and a coping mechanism many people use.  Have a hobby or pastime besides classes that relaxes you.  Once school starts, try to keep to a regular schedule and write it in an agenda or calendar if necessary.  This includes getting regular sleep, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, not staying up until 2:00 am.  Eat regular meals that are healthy and balanced, and don’t skip meals or just eat take-out or junk food.  Get some exercise on most days of the week, whatever it is you like to do.  Stay connected to your friends and family, and don’t isolate yourself in your room or the library.  Stay well!

Susan J. Noonan, MD, MPH, a part-time Certified Peer Specialist at McLean Hospital, is a consultant to Massachusetts General Hospital and CliGnosis, Inc. She is the author of Managing Your Depression: What You Can Do to Feel Better and When Someone You Know Has Depression: Words to Say and Things to Do. Additional resources can be found on her website, www.susannoonanmd.com. 

The start of a new school year is upon us, and our authors have taken to the blog to discuss the past, present, and future of the education landscape in the United States and abroad. From administrative imperatives, to advice for parents, to student mental wellness, our authors will examine education from every angle. Check back with us for more from our JHU Press back-to-school series.