Going back to school after the holidays

Going back to school after the holidays can be difficult. You might be really excited to get back to school, catch up with all your friends and start the new school year. Or you might be sad that days of sleeping in, going to the beach, and having extra time on your hands are over until the next holiday.

No matter what you might be feeling, here are a few tips that can help you get back into the right headspace for going back to school and get you motivated for the new school year.

How going back to school might affect you

At the beginning of the school year it is not uncommon to feel:

• stressed or anxious 
• excited - time to see friends again, get new stationery and cover books
• sad or down - holidays are over
• pressure or expectations from yourself or others
• physically sick, including headaches or migraines
• concerned about work load.

If you are experiencing these feelings it is important to look after yourself. Take time out to do something that you enjoy. Even though you may not feel like it, exercising and eating well can help. 

It is also possible that you might be worried about going back to school because you have been bullied in the past, and are worried it might continue. For tips on what to do if you are being bullied check out the fact sheet on Bullying - what to do if you are being bullied.

If you are finding how you are feeling is affecting your day to day life, it is a good idea to talk to someone you trust. This may be someone like a friend, school counsellor or family member.

Suggestions for making going back to school easier

It may help to remember you are not alone, it is likely that other people have similar feelings to you. Some suggestions for making the move back to school as stress-free as possible are:

Set yourself some goals for the year - A good way to get motivated for the new school year might be to think about the things you might like to achieve during the year. These might be school related goals - for example, to get good marks in English and Maths. Or, they might be more personal goals, for example to get your drivers licence.

Check out the fact sheets on Setting goals and Putting your Goals into Action for more info.

Get involved - A good way to get back into things at school and to make new friends is to become involved in activities that interest you. This way you are meeting people whom you have things in common with. You may want to get involved in:

• sport (most schools offer a range of different team sports)
• music
• debating
• Student Representative Council.

Breaking the ice - It is possible that you will find yourself in classes with people you don't know very well when you go back to school. Often other people are feeling nervous about making new friends. It can sometimes take someone to suggest doing something to break the ice. You may like to ask someone in your class to kick the footy or head down the street together.

It is often easy to identify different groups within schools: popular, academic, sporty, rebellious, etc. However, interacting with anyone (no matter what group they sit in at lunchtime) can help you to be more open-minded.

Express yourself - Being able to express how you are feeling may help to release some of the tension you may feel. There are a number of ways that you are able to express yourself safely, such as exercise, writing in journal, or share your experiences and find support. Check out the Express yourself fact sheet for more ideas.

Have something to look forward to - Sometimes it is helpful to plan ahead so that you have something to look forward to. You may want to plan to catch up with friends after school or plan to do something special over the weekend. And there are always next holidays to look forward to!

Starting a new school?

There are many reasons why you might be starting a new school - leaving primary school to move onto high school, choosing a different school that better suits you and your needs, transferring because of problems (whether they be teacher, student or work related) and more. Whatever the reason, moving into a new environment such as a new school might be an intimidating and nerve-racking experience.

For more info check out the Starting at a new school fact sheet.

Getting help

If you find that you are not coping with the thought of going back to school, it may be helpful to talk to someone about how you are feeling. This may be a friend or family member.

Sometimes talking to someone who is not so close to the situation may be helpful - they may be able to give you a different perspective on things and have other suggestions for dealing with situations. This may be someone like a school counsellor, school nurse, or a teacher - it's part of their job to be there to support students.

If you would prefer to talk to someone anonymously you could call Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800 (free call) or Lifeline 131 114 (cost of a local call). They have counsellors who are available 24 hours a day.