Back to School!

I never thought that I would be writing a blog about how excited I am to go back to school, especially considering this is going to be my Junior year and I have tons load of AP courses, the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and juggling clubs, volunteer work and so much more. But surprisingly, I am just excited and can't wait! Was it the vacation that has changed my gene expression somehow (check out my last blog on vacation)

No more butterflies and nervousness, but just a smile that I am ready, bring it on!

I didn't always feel so ready to go back to school. I still remember my first day at elementary school coming out of a small protected home Montessori school to a big huge school from K-8 with more than 2000 kids. I had never seen so many people in one place. Everything was new and I had no friends. Well here are things that I feel helped me year after year, changing many schools to be ready for the first day of school I almost feel like a pro writing these out.

1. Just go in with a positive attitude. Everyone (almost) is in the same situation as you so why stress?

2. Eat a healthy breakfast not too heavy and not too small either. Eat what you like! Setting out a time and thinking of good food always helps to calm my nerves.

3. Pack your bags the day prior (calling out all the procrastinators!). Don't leave it for that morning! ( Now I won't say that I 100% follow this rule, but you asked me for good advice to avoid being yelled at!)

4. Sign up for some clubs if your school offers to connect.

5. Take something cool for lunch with extra snacks for friends who might have forgotten. Always a good icebreaker!

Ultimately it's about being in a place where you belong. Carve your niche and make connections. Belonging to a group can enhance achievement and motivation in youth and according to scientific studies, a good school environment is supposed to be exactly that!

Drop a comment on what are some of your own personal tips that help you get geared up to have an amazing first day back to school!

Citations:

1. Moore J. W. (2016). What is the sense of agency and why does it matter?Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01272/full

2. Sullivan MA. Returning to the Classroom: A Look at Mental Health Needs as Children Go Back to School. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 2021 Jun;59(6):2-3. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20210512-01. Epub 2021 Jun 1. PMID: 34060960.

3. It's time to send children back to school. Nat Med. 2021 Oct;27(10):1655. doi: 10.1038/s41591-021-01543-y. PMID: 34580492; PMCID: PMC8475345.

4. https://www.bbrfoundation.org/blog/back-school-stress-management#:~:text=Proper%20downtime%20can%20help%20in,%2C%20and%20for%20children%20%E2%80%93%20play.