Anxiety and Back-to-School Season: Identifying and Overcoming Your Anxiety this Season [No Matter Your Role]
Searching for a matching backpack and lunchbox (both must have unicorns, according to my five year old), refreshing my email to check for school news for said five year old, trying to salvage what is left of summer, and wrapping my mind around all of my own back-to-school tasks have all but taken over my mind and time over the last several weeks. “Ahh, it’s too early for that” when seeing the school supplies section come together in Target on July 5 has quickly turned into “Ah, I hope they aren’t out of all the things on this school supplies list.” This time of year looks different for all of us, but back-to-school season is officially in full swing. And the shifts in schedules, weather, and pace-of-life can bring with it a significant amount of anxiety around this time of year.
In my experience, high levels of anxiety around this year can stifle my ability to enjoy the latter half of summer, lean into the changes, and feel excitement about the upcoming season. And you don’t have to be a student or teacher to feel anxiety at the end of August. Even if you are not “going back to school” personally, there are many roles we can have that can elicit anxiety during the back-to-school season
Roles you may experience anxiety in during this back-to-school season
New college student/new to the workforce/new to a trade program - So many changes are happening at this time of life: moving away from home, becoming more independent, adjusting to a work or college class schedule, trying to find your way socially when you aren’t necessarily just plopped into a building with people who are the same age
First fall NOT going back to school and not knowing what you want to do next - This time of year can highlight the void you may feel when encountering the fact that you actually don’t have a huge to-do list, a class schedule and due dates to put into your calendar, classes to prepare for, textbooks to buy. When you transition out of this season and into something either entirely new or if you are in an “in between,” your anxiety can creep in and start making you feel like you are missing out on something or that you are not “doing enough.”
Teacher - If you’re a teacher – whether you’re a first year teacher or veteran teacher – the to-do lists and shift in schedules can be paralyzing at this time of year. Professionally development, prepping your classroom, lesson planning, and getting schedules in order are all tasks to complete before the school year even starts.
Parent of a school-age kid- This is my first year with a school age kiddo, and I’ve had back-to-school dreams on her behalf for the last two weeks straight. Making sure we have all of the school supplies, getting school clothes for the first time, anticipating how she will do with a full day of learning, if she will make friends in her class, have time to finish her lunch, click” with her teacher: it all keeps me up at night. And in hearing from friends, parents of students I have had in class, and my own parents, the anxieties are still there for parents of older kiddos, too.
Someone who wants children (or who wants another child), but doesn’t have them yet: I empathize with this role so intimately. Feeling like your friends or family members are gearing up for all of the above stuff with their kid(s) while you long for a child can be the root of so much anxiety and sadness at this time of year. The beginning of a new school year can feel like another missed milestone, a reminder of a “club” that you don’t feel like you are a part of.
So many others: Even if your experience doesn’t fit into one of these categories, this time of year can bring on or intensify anxiety for a multitude of reasons.
If you experience a heightened level of anxiety during this time of year, I first want you to know – me too. And truthfully, I have had plenty of back-to-school seasons, including moments already in this current one, where I feel like I may just crumble under the weight of my anxious thoughts.
If this is, has been, or could be you, here are a few reminders and things that may be helpful as you move in and through the back-to-school season.
4 things to try if you’re suffering from back-to-school season anxiety
Acknowledge your anxiety and identify the source: Sometimes we try to distract ourselves or numb out in the face of the mounting anxiety we are feeling. While it may feel good to sidestep our anxiety in the moment, neither of these are helpful longterm. Taking time to acknowledge what you are distracting yourself or numbing out from is both helpful and healthy. This can be a good starting point for alleviating your anxiety.
Make a physical to-do list: If some of the back-to-school anxiety is sourced from a mounting list of responsibilities and tasks, make a list of the things you actually need to get done. Transferring it from your head to paper or a note in your phone helps make the mountain feel more surmountable. Once you have done this, prioritizing the items on your to-do list is the next step to helping you organize your thoughts and tasks in a way that chips away at your anxiety.
Connect with others who are in or have been in similar roles: Other parents, teachers, friends who are starting college or a program similar to yours, friends or acquaintances who are also in a season of uncertainty or longing. Time and time again, I find that one of the biggest anxiety alleviators is getting out of isolation and into community with the right people, emphasis on right. Investing in the wrong community can heighten anxiety and mental health struggles further, so take your time when determining who to pour into.
Seek professional help: This one often makes the list, and for good reason. Trying to shoulder the burden of anxiety - during the back-to-school season or otherwise - on our own can be nearly impossible. And even if you can power through it alone, talking to a professional about coping strategies for you specific situation can be life-changing.
Uncoupling your anxiety from back-to-school season
Your anxiety does not have to be in the driver’s seat during this back-to-school season. Whatever your role is during this time of year, know that you don’t have to suffer at the hands of anxious thoughts each year. From someone whose anxiety has been and still sometimes can be in the driver’s seat, acknowledging and addressing it is the first step towards working through it. I hope that you are able to connect with a person, community, or professional who make you feel seen, heard, and understood, and I hope that this time of transition is gentle on you this year.
By: Erika Muller, Assistant for Wildflower Therapy LLC
All images via Unsplash
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