I am glad that you reached in to us about this! Returning to school can be an incredibly stressful time of year. As you very well know, there are countless things that you have to start worrying about again once school starts ranging from managing friendships to academics. I am sure that you are not alone in feeling anxious for the upcoming school year.
Preparing for the start of a new school year can be a difficult task leaving you not knowing where to begin. I think the most important thing for any student returning back to school after a long break is to get our sleeping schedules back on track.
It has become commonplace for people our age to “brag” about how they’re surviving on so little sleep but that is not okay!
The key to lowering mental stress and anxiety is to take care of yourself both psychologically and physically.
On the psychological side of things, it is important to reflect on your strategies for self-care. The fact that you’re thinking about this now and reading this is a great first step! Reflecting on what your coping strategies are now will help you identify what works and what does not. This way, you will be entering the school year prepared for whatever comes your way!
In terms of not getting the schedule that you had hoped for it can be an incredibly stressful experience. For the high school students, I would encourage you to see your guidance counselors and express your concerns to them. Hopefully they might be able to at the very least address the largest concern you have with your current schedule. For the post-secondary students it is a little trickier. I would encourage playing with your schedule to enroll/waitlist in the courses that you would like. If all else fails, you can always try visiting advising services or emailing the professors themselves to see if they can offer you any suggestions.
If you are still stuck with an undesirable schedule, there is unfortunately not much that you can really do but make the best of it. Having friends in your classes can make what would otherwise be an unpleasant class much easier to deal with. And dare I say it? Perhaps even fun. At the end of the day, give it a shot and try meeting some new people in your classes because you never know! However, if it is still awful for you it could be time to revisit counselling/advising services again to see if anything can be done.
If you would like to talk to us for more support, I would encourage you to reach out to us at our 24/7 call line at 403-264-8336. If you are not a fan of calls, feel free to send us a text at 587-333-2724 or go onto our website to access our chatting services. You are also welcome to email us if you would prefer that instead. We are here to listen to you! If there is any imminent risk, please reach out to us immediately or call 911.
Warm regards,
ConnecTeen
