Back-to-School Anxiety
Why It Happens and How to Feel More Grounded
Why It Happens and How to Feel More Grounded
The end of summer often comes with mixed feelings.
For some people, returning to school or university can feel exciting: a fresh start, new routines, new people and new opportunities.
For others, it can bring a wave of anxiety.
Thoughts about new classes, academic pressure, social situations, unfamiliar environments or simply having to return to a structured routine can make the weeks before going back feel overwhelming.
This is often described as back-to-school anxiety, and it can affect children, teenagers and university students alike.
Back-to-school anxiety is the worry, nervousness or distress that can appear before returning to education after a break.
Some level of nervousness around change is completely understandable. Going from a relatively flexible summer routine back into schedules, deadlines and expectations requires adjustment.
For some people, however, the anxiety can feel much stronger.
It may show up as:
Sometimes the anxiety begins several weeks before school actually starts.
There is rarely just one reason.
For some students, the main concern may be academic pressure. They may worry about exams, grades, workload or whether they will be able to keep up.
For others, the anxiety may be social.
Questions such as “Will I fit in?”, “Who will I sit with?” or “What if people judge me?” can become difficult to switch off.
Transitions can also be particularly challenging.
Starting secondary school, sixth form, university or moving to a new school means navigating unfamiliar places, people and expectations.
Even returning to the same school can feel difficult after weeks away from the usual routine.
One of the difficult things about anxiety is that it often takes our attention away from what is happening now.
Instead, the mind starts trying to predict what might happen.
What if I don't know anyone?
What if I can't manage the workload?
What if I embarrass myself?
What if something goes wrong?
These thoughts can feel very real, even though the situations we are imagining have not happened yet.
When anxiety becomes intense, bringing attention back to the present moment can help interrupt this cycle.
When people feel overwhelmed, they do not always respond with obvious panic.
Sometimes the response is the opposite.
A person may feel emotionally numb, detached or as though they are moving through the day on autopilot.
They may find it difficult to concentrate during lessons, lose track of conversations or feel disconnected from their surroundings.
These experiences can sometimes be associated with dissociation.
Dissociation can occur when the mind distances itself from an experience that feels stressful or overwhelming. Mild forms of dissociation, such as daydreaming or becoming very absorbed in something, are common. However, more intense or frequent experiences can interfere with everyday life.
For students experiencing high levels of anxiety, recognising feelings of disconnection can be just as important as recognising more obvious signs of stress.
Grounding techniques can help shift attention away from anxious thoughts and back toward what is happening around you.
One simple exercise is to use your senses.
Pause for a moment and notice:
5 things you can see
Look around and name five things in your environment.
4 things you can feel
Notice physical sensations such as your feet touching the floor, your clothes against your skin or the chair supporting your body.
3 things you can hear
Pay attention to sounds nearby, even very small ones.
2 things you can smell
Notice any scents around you.
1 thing you can taste
Notice the taste in your mouth, take a sip of water or have something small to eat.
The purpose is not to force anxiety to disappear.
Instead, the exercise reminds your brain: I am here, in this moment.
Anxiety often grows when something feels unpredictable.
Making parts of the school experience more familiar beforehand can reduce some of that uncertainty.
For example, you might:
You do not need to prepare for every possible situation.
The goal is simply to make the first few days feel slightly less unknown.
After the flexibility of summer, suddenly waking up early and following a full schedule can be difficult for both the body and mind.
If possible, begin shifting your routine a few days before returning.
Try going to bed slightly earlier, waking up closer to your school-day time and eating meals at more regular times.
Small changes can make the transition feel less abrupt.
Thinking about an entire academic year can feel overwhelming.
There may be exams, assignments, presentations, new friendships and dozens of unknown situations ahead.
But you do not have to manage the whole year today.
You only need to manage the next step.
That might be preparing your bag.
Then travelling to school.
Then walking into the building.
Then getting through the first lesson.
Breaking something intimidating into smaller steps can make it feel much more manageable.
The first day does not have to feel perfect.
Neither does the first week.
It can take time to adjust to a new routine, environment or group of people.
Feeling nervous at the beginning does not necessarily mean that the entire year will feel that way.
Try to give yourself some space to settle in rather than judging your experience immediately.
And if anxiety, dissociation or distress begins to interfere significantly with school or everyday life, speaking to a trusted person, school wellbeing service or mental health professional can be an important next step.
Your mind may be trying to prepare you for every possible thing that could happen.
But you do not need to solve situations that have not happened yet.
When your thoughts start racing ahead, bring your attention back to where you are.
Notice your surroundings.
Feel your feet on the ground.
Take one slow breath.
And remind yourself:
Right now, I only need to deal with this moment.
At Ground Me, we focus on understanding dissociation and helping people reconnect with the present moment. If stress or anxiety sometimes leaves you feeling disconnected, spaced out or as though you are functioning on autopilot, learning grounding techniques may help you feel more connected to yourself and your surroundings.
Bilge is a mental health practitioner and co-founder of Ground Me, a mental health platform focused on increasing awareness and understanding of dissociation. She has over five years of experience providing therapy and holds a Master's degree in Mental Health and Clinical Psychology from London South Bank University.
Through Ground Me, Bilge aims to make information about dissociation more accessible and help people recognise experiences such as feeling disconnected, being on autopilot, struggling with concentration, or feeling detached from themselves or their surroundings.
Ground Me is designed to support people in understanding dissociation, recognising changes in their level of dissociation, and accessing grounding techniques that may help them reconnect with the present moment.
Ground Me is not a diagnostic tool and does not provide a medical or mental health diagnosis. The information provided through Ground Me, including its website, app and educational content, is intended for informational and wellbeing purposes and should not replace professional medical or mental health advice, assessment, diagnosis or treatment.
If you are concerned about your mental health, your level of dissociation, or symptoms that are affecting your everyday life, consider speaking with a qualified healthcare or mental health professional.