Every summer as a kid, there was a moment when I found myself getting the chills in spite of the sweltering heat outside. Every year, progressively earlier and earlier, I would shudder at the three words that made me turn my head towards the TV: “Back To School.” While the idea of a new school year and a fresh start always excites me, it also brings out my worst habit of worrying about the unknown. If you, too, tend to overthink things and become overwhelmed, here are little pieces of wisdom you can remind yourself to stay grounded and reduce the stress of a new year. I’ll try taking my own advice, so I’ll be right there with you!
1. You’ve done this before and you made it through.
Remember how good it felt to finish up the last school year? That feeling of success and pride in your work? Or, maybe you thought it could have gone a little better. Either way, you finished the year. Heck, you finished over a decade of school years. You got those assignments and papers done. You can and will do it again. Just believe in yourself.
Photo: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dhs8rJsU0AAbQiJ.jpg
2. No one is judging you as harshly as you think.
Yesterday, everyone in my class had to stand up and talk about themselves for sixty seconds. While sixty seconds sounds short, it definitely was enough time for most people to start rambling and think for a few seconds, “Wait, what am I even saying?”. After sharing, a lot of students mentioned how they were nervous about being judged for what they said. The reality is, no one is noticing the tiny things you’re worrying about. Everyone has “embarrassing” moments in school (which others probably don’t even deem embarrassing). Embrace the slight discomfort, and move on so you can continue learning.
Photo courtesy of Medium.
3. First impressions aren’t everything.
Do you remember your first impression of everyone in your class? No, you were too busy looking at the syllabus and trying to focus in class. Maybe you were nervous, yourself. Think about this if you feel that how you first came across to others doesn’t represent who you are. Even if you already made a first impression, it’s never too late to start being yourself.