How to overcome the back-to-school blues

It’s that time of year again; almost the end of summer and ‘back-to-school’ sales remind us that the new academic year is about to begin.

Undoubtedly, returning to school with a new bag and books can be an exciting time. However, for many, it may provoke feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. It is normal and highly common for children to feel nervous at the start of a new academic year. The feelings could include fears about academic achievement and wider social and emotional experiences; such as anxiety about making new friends, having new teachers, new subjects, waking up early, homework, and so on. If your child is feeling the ‘back to school’ blues, they aren’t alone.

It is natural to feel disappointed that the holidays are almost over and you know that once you are into the swing of the new term, it can feel like you never had a holiday at all!

Here are some things you can do to prepare yourself and your family for the new academic year and return to school feeling confident and relaxed:

1. Positive mindset:

Take some time to remember all the good things to look forward to; what excites you the most? Let the energy of this outweigh that of what makes you nervous.

2. Introspect:

Help your child pinpoint what makes them most nervous about the new year, and what can you do about it. If your child has social anxiety, how can you help him/her? Would a talk with the teacher/carer help? (Of course, the age of your child determines your level of involvement). Narrow in on what is most worrisome and how you can help address that. It’s a great time to get your child talking and sharing about what they love and don’t love about school. Often, it is just the end of a relaxed holiday routine that they dread.

3. Adjust your body clock:

Vacationing comes with sleeping in late, eating out, etc. A few days before school starts, get back into the rhythm of sleeping on time and waking up on time. Make sure to feel completely rested before you start.

4. All things bright and new:

Make shopping for new supplies (school bag, uniform, shoes) a fun exercise for you and your child. Buy materials that spark joy and that you feel like using.

5. Vision board:

A vision board is a collage of images and words that represent your goals and intentions for the new year. You can do this digitally on a blank document or on a large sheet of paper; write down your goals and aspirations, find pictures that resonate with these goals, paste them, caption them, and then put up your dream board/vision board in a place where you’ll see it often. Your dream board is there to remind you of what matters to you. Think of it as a nudge in the right direction. This is a great exercise for older students too.

6. Organise your space:

Take some time to organise your study space, room, bag, and books to help you get back in the ‘zone’ mentally. Remember the importance of a clean and tidy workspace.

7. Plan ahead:

Shivani Kumar, Director of Admissions at Unihawk Global, stresses the importance of planning. “It’s important for students to organise themselves right from the start; be it their study material, classes, extra-curricular activities, or interests. The older students must have their university application planning in mind from the very start so that they don’t have to rush when closer to deadlines. And the younger ones can plan which school events they wish to engage in, based on their area of interests”, she adds.

8. Check and revise:

Go through your notes for any homework you may have missed, and make sure to complete it well in time. Revise and go over the work you’ve already done.

9. Connect:

Connecting with friends before school starts is a good way to check up on how they spent their holidays, share your feelings, and be excited about catching up.

10. Let’s talk about it:

If your child is more anxious than usual, avoiding the issue or being generally positive about it won’t exactly help. It’s important to address the emotion. Children – especially teenagers may not be the easiest humans to communicate with, but it’s necessary that they feel heard. Anxiety is very real. Help your child steer through these emotions – either by showing them ways to manage anxiety or talking to a professional if needed. Simple tools like breathing or journaling can be introduced.

Let your child know that they have a strong support system at home, no matter what happens in school.

Coming back to school is all about transitioning – from a relaxed holiday vibe to organised timetables, from a familiar environment to something new. Even as adults, many of us would remember the feeling of going back to school, reuniting with classmates, opening our new books and stationery, sharing tiffins, and those account for so many of our childhood memories

While dealing with change may not be easy, we all must experience it. When we accept it, embrace it, and see how we can make the most of it, we learn to truly live life in the moment.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com