Academic Stressors: Making the transition to the new school year

By mid term in the first semester, most or all of us are settling into the new school year, which means that most are all of us have experienced some combination of the following:

• Overwhelm. Classes are harder than last year for the most part, and maybe even a lot harder. Either way, the course load is typically a lot more than whatever schedule summer held, even if you were working full time.
• Stress. With overwhelm often comes feeling stress and even anxiety. 
• Fatigue, even downright exhaustion. Being “on” for an academic day is an adjustment, even if you can handle the course load. And then you have to go to extracurriculars, maybe a job, and stay on top of the homework? Yep, it’s tiring for sure.
• And of course there’s the social stress. Even if you have a great social network it can still be an adjustment to being around people more, and if you don’t have a great social network, that is a whole different set of stressors, right? 

So how can you help yourself adjust to the new school year? 

First: give yourself time. Be patient with yourself.

All of these feelings are completely normal. Even if you are typically generally successful in school, you’re still going to have an adjustment period. 

It’s normal to be exhausted the first few weeks as you adjust, especially if you are still trying to hang on to summer activities and enjoy the time outdoors for as long as you can.

So: do what you can to take care of your energy. Prioritize rest perhaps a bit more,  stealing a nap here or there and getting to bed earlier than your usual bedtime. As always, do your best to fuel your body well. 

Establish a routine early

It is certainly easier to maintain a routine than start a new routine, so the sooner you can get into a rhythm, the more you’ll set yourself up for success over the year. 

It doesn’t have to be complicated or super structured or rigid. Simply consider looking  at your schedule and trying to map out:

• What is work time?
  • Work can be your job, your school work, or your sports or extracurriculars. 
• When is fun time?
  • Make sure to prioritize time to let off steam, whether that’s on your own doing things like gaming or watching shows, or time with friends or family
• When is self care?
  • Just as you want to prioritize rest, be mindful to schedule in time for your workouts and time to take care of your mental wellness!

Set reasonable expectations.

Be honest with yourself about what classes will likely be easier and which will be harder. Honor your unique brain and your strengths and weaknesses. Rather than beating yourself up over the areas where you struggle, be grateful for those areas that come easier and willing to put in the extra effort on the harder ones.

Be ready to give your best to all your classes but be kind and patient with yourself in the classes that are harder for you, and enjoy showing off your strengths in the classes you enjoy and that come easier! 

Set some goals for your grades, but also recognize that your best is good enough, as long as you know you’re giving your best. 

Recognize early if you may need a tutor, start seeking them out so you have someone on call or know who you’ll call if things get tough.

Be proactive in order to set yourself up for success. If you know that you’ve been challenged in math or chemistry in the past for example, consider looking into tutors sooner than later, just to be safe. Sometimes tutors fill up, so it’s not unreasonable to reach out even before you need them, especially if you know you have struggled in the past! 

Try to build relationships with your teachers and counselor early.

Again, this is about being proactive and giving yourself a leg up. Do what you can to let your teachers know you are invested and care. You can do this by asking good questions in class, showing up for study sessions, and when you feel like you need extra support, reach out directly and simply ask if they can point you to resources. All of these are small steps that make a big difference in helping your teacher, professor, counselor or advisor see that you truly want to succeed and are willing to do what it takes to do so.

The start of the school year is exciting but also exhausting and demanding. Be kind to yourself as you make the adjustment, and remember: Ready to Hope workshops, clubs, and even our social media are all here to support you.

You can find out more about our workshops by getting on our email list below!

Or follow us on social!

Either way, know that we want to hear from you. It’s the reason we’re here, doing what we do. 

Until next time: make it a great school year, and don’t forget to have some fun along the way!