Back to School Anxiety
By Seema, age 14, California
For some of us it is already that dreaded time of the year. Time to go back to school. The pressure is on. What to wear, finding all your classes, and my worst fear, Am I going to know anyone in my classes?
I have always had very bad anxiety, ever since I was very small. This has made it even harder to go back to school. I vividly remember waking up to nausea and throwing up on the way to school. This pretty much happens every year, but I have found ways to cope with my anxiety.
One thing that helps is going to school with a friend. It may not seem like a lot, but just knowing that they are going to be there and go through the same thing as me (maybe not as intensely as nausea) helps a lot.
Another thing to do is just stop everything and relax. We may not notice it sometimes, but we may act really anxious. I always tense up when I'm anxious and my mind races. I relax by taking deep breaths and doing some yoga. It really helps.
Don't let your first day of school be ruined by anxiety. It's really not worth it.
