Whether you’re starting your first year of college or university, returning after a summer break, or heading into another semester, going back to school can bring up a surprising amount of anxiety.
You might be excited about seeing friends again and getting back into a routine while simultaneously feeling overwhelmed by everything that’s ahead.
Maybe you’re worried about your workload. Maybe you’re nervous about making friends, keeping up with classes, living away from home, or figuring out how you’re going to balance school with work, relationships, and everything else in your life.
If you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone!
Back-to-school anxiety is a common experience for post-secondary students.
A new school year often comes with changes in routines, responsibilities, relationships, and expectations. Even when those changes are positive, they can still feel stressful.
The goal isn’t necessarily to eliminate your anxiety before school starts. Instead, you can focus on making the transition feel more manageable and developing strategies that support your mental health throughout the semester.
Here are seven ways to get started.
1. Expect an adjustment period
One of the biggest mistakes we can make when starting a new semester is expecting ourselves to immediately feel settled.
You might find yourself thinking:
I should already have a routine.
I should be making friends.
I should know where everything is.
I should be on top of my assignments.
But adjusting to a new schedule, environment, workload, or social routine takes time.
Give yourself permission to have an adjustment period. Your first few weeks don’t need to look like your “ideal” school experience (and probably won’t).
Instead of asking, “Why am I struggling with this?”, try asking: “What would make this transition a little easier?”
Sometimes, that might mean figuring out where your classes are or getting familiar with your campus. Other times, it might mean making sure you’re eating regularly, getting enough sleep, or reaching out to someone when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Small steps count.
2. Focus on what you can control
Anxiety loves uncertainty.
You might find yourself thinking about everything that could go wrong:
What if I fail this course?
What if I don’t make any friends?
What if I can’t handle the workload?
What if I regret my program?
What if everyone else does better than me?
The problem is that trying to solve every possible future problem can leave you feeling even more overwhelmed. Instead, bring your attention back to what you can actually control.
You may not be able to control your grades, how other people perceive you, or whether everything goes according to plan. But you can control whether you attend class, ask for help, plan your week, communicate your needs, get enough rest, and take care of yourself.
When you notice yourself spiraling into “what ifs,” try asking: “Is there something I can do about this right now?”. If there is, focus on the next small action. If there isn’t, practice allowing the uncertainty to exist without trying to solve it.
3. Don’t try to build the “perfect” routine
A new school year can create a strong urge to reinvent yourself. You might create an ambitious schedule that includes waking up early, exercising every day, meal prepping, studying several hours every night, keeping your room perfectly organized, maintaining a social life, and somehow getting eight hours of sleep. By week three, you’re exhausted. This is especially common for students who struggle with perfectionism, anxiety, or feeling like they always need to be productive.
Instead of creating a routine based on your ideal self, try creating one based on your actual life.
Start with the basics:
- When do you need to wake up?
- When are your classes?
- When do you typically have the most energy?
- When do you need time to eat?
- When can you realistically study?
- When can you rest?
- What commitments are non-negotiable?
Your aim with this is sustainability. Remember, you can always adjust it as you learn what works for you and what doesn’t.
4. Break overwhelming tasks into smaller steps
Sometimes, anxiety doesn’t come from having too much to do. Sometimes it comes from not knowing where to start. Looking at an entire semester’s worth of assignments, readings, exams, and responsibilities can make everything feel urgent at once.
Instead, try shrinking the task:
Rather than:
“I need to catch up on all my readings.”
Try:
“I’m going to read the first five pages.”
Rather than:
“I need to study for this exam.”
Try:
“I’m going to review one lecture.”
Rather than:
“I need to get my entire life organized.”
Try:
“I’m going to spend 10 minutes organizing my calendar.”
Starting is often the hardest part. When anxiety makes a task feel impossible, breaking it into smaller steps can make it feel more approachable.
If you’re also experiencing ADHD or executive functioning challenges, you may find that traditional productivity advice doesn’t always work. Finding strategies that fit the way your brain works can be much more helpful than simply telling yourself to “try harder.”
5. Remember that you don’t have to figure everything out immediately
Post-secondary school can come with a lot of pressure to have your future figured out.
You may feel like you need to know:
- What career you want
- What you’re going to do after graduation
- Whether you’ve chosen the right program
- Who your closest friends will be
- What kind of person you want to become
That’s a lot to ask of yourself!
Your time in college or university is allowed to be a period of exploration. This means that you are allowed to change your mind, to discover new interests, or realize that something isn’t right for you. It is totally okay to also take a different path than you originally imagined.
Not knowing exactly where you’re going doesn’t mean you’re behind.
Additionally, be mindful of comparison. It’s easy to feel like everyone else has everything figured out.
You might see classmates sharing internships, academic achievements, social events, relationships, travel, and carefully curated moments of their lives online.
Meanwhile, you may be questioning your major, struggling to make friends, or simply trying to get through the week.
Remember that you’re comparing your full experience to someone else’s highlight reel.
Your timeline doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.
6. Be intentional about connection
When we’re anxious, it’s tempting to withdraw. You might tell yourself you’ll reach out once you feel more comfortable or wait until you feel like you “fit in.” But connection can actually help make anxiety more manageable.
You don’t need to immediately find your best friends or establish a huge social circle.
Start small: Say hello to someone in your class, join a club that interests you, study with a classmate, text someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, spend time with people who make you feel comfortable. If you’re living away from home, make space for connection with the people you miss, too.
For some students, loneliness can be one of the most difficult parts of transitioning back to school. If you’re surrounded by people but still feel disconnected, know that this is a real experience, and one that deserves attention. Feeling connected doesn’t necessarily mean being surrounded by people all the time. Sometimes, one supportive person can make a significant difference.
7. Know when anxiety is asking for more support
Some anxiety at the beginning of a school year is completely normal.
But you don’t have to simply push through if your anxiety is starting to interfere with your life.
Consider reaching out for additional mental health support if you’re experiencing things like:
- Constant or overwhelming worry
- Difficulty sleeping because you’re thinking about school
- Frequent panic or intense physical symptoms of anxiety
- Avoiding classes or social situations because of fear
- Significant difficulty concentrating
- Feeling persistently hopeless, overwhelmed, or emotionally exhausted
- Losing interest in things you usually enjoy
- Feeling like you can’t manage your responsibilities anymore
You also don’t need to wait until things feel unbearable before reaching out. Therapy can provide a supportive space to explore anxiety, perfectionism, self-doubt, academic pressure, relationships, identity, and other challenges that can come with post-secondary life. Working with a therapist can give you an opportunity to develop coping strategies while also exploring the underlying patterns contributing to your anxiety.
Starting a new school year can bring excitement, uncertainty, pressure, and anxiety, all at the same time. This is the time to focus on taking this transition one day at a time. Give yourself room to adjust, pay attention to what you need, and remember that asking for support isn’t a sign that you’re not coping.
Ready to Begin?
At Infinite Horizons Psychotherapy, we are a private clinic that provides psychotherapy for individuals(14+) and couples. We offer services in English or Spanish, and in-person sessions from our North York office or virtual across most of Canada. If your extended health benefits include Registered Psychotherapists, your sessions can be covered by your plan. You can check us out at www.infinitehorizonspsychotherapy.com
We believe quality mental health care should be accessible, which is why we also offer an Affordable Therapy Program with reduced-cost sessions for eligible clients.
If you’re ready to start therapy but don’t know where to start, we got you! You can try our free matching quiz which will match you with one of our therapists in 30 seconds or less here. If you would rather speak with a real person, you can also email us at info@infinitehorizonspsychotherapy.com or call us at (416) 893-TALK (8255).
We can’t wait to meet you!