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Are you worried about returning to school? This post will provide you with some top tips to ease your worries about returning to school!
Having been out of school for so long it is normal to be feeling a little anxious about returning. Many children and young people are sharing this worry and are worried for all different kinds of reasons! Some being: feeling safer at home, worried about seeing people that they don’t want to see, lockdown has been hard and they are not mentally ready or prepared to return to school, worried about walking back into a classroom, worried about the many changes to their school environment and their school day.
However, there are so many positives about returning to school. Schools are going above and beyond to ensure the safety of everybody at the school. Going to back to school will allow you to regain structure and routine, you will gain access to much more wellbeing and lesson support and you will be able to interact with others! Try to recognise and focus on these positives to distract you from your worries!
If you become overwhelmed with worry, or don’t know where to start, it might help to write
down how you’re feeling. By completing something like a ‘Worries Journal’ it can help to relieve your mind of your worries, help you to see your worries more clearly in order to come up with solutions.
If you are faced with a worry, rather than ignoring the problem it is important to address them. This will help you to understand your worries and will help you to think of solutions.
Circle 1 – What is the worry?
Circle 2 – Do you know the causes/triggers?
Circle 3 – Can you think of anything that may help?
Circle 4 – Reflect- Did the solutions work?
Talk to an adult that you trust. For example, a parent/carer, teacher or tutor. Access support from your friends. Can you buddy up with a friend in your tutor, class or bubble to support you in school?
When you return to school and you feel that your worries are taking over, focus on taking deep breaths in order to relax your mind. Again, try to re-focus and think of the positives!
Kooth is an online counselling and emotional wellbeing platform for children and young people, accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop and is free at the point of use. Other sources of online support: YoungMinds, Childline, 42nd Street.
It may take you a while to settle back into a school routine and overcome the nerves and anxiety that you may be feeling. However, it is important to communicate your worries to others and address them to stop them from escalating.
