As the end of summer vacation quietly approaches, is the anticipation and unease for the new semester intertwining in your heart? Whether it’s the reluctance to part from a pleasant holiday or the tension, anxiety, and unease of facing a new semester and new challenges, these emotions are like “little monsters” before school, occasionally disturbing your mood.
Don’t be afraid; we have prepared a “Pre-Semester Psychological Adjustment Guide” to help students alleviate “school anxiety” and greet the arrival of the new semester in the best state!
Understanding Emotions, Embracing Change
Firstly, both parents and children need to recognize that these reactions are normal psychological defense mechanisms, and experiencing emotional changes is a common occurrence. Anxiety before school often stems from concerns about unknown changes, anticipations of academic pressure, or the need to readjust social relationships. It may manifest as lack of energy during the day, insomnia at night, loss of appetite, emotional fluctuations, or even mild physical discomfort. However, there’s no need for excessive worry; everyone has some degree of “back-to-school syndrome” before the semester starts. We need to learn to accept and understand these emotions and adapt to the adjustments of life’s rhythm.
Take Positive Action to Relieve Anxiety
1. For Parents
● Understand Your Child, Take It Slow
During the holiday, a child’s mindset is usually more relaxed, but they may feel relatively tense upon returning to school, and the transition between these two states often takes time. Parents should avoid rushing and should help children gradually readjust. We can review holiday experiences together, share gains and regrets, improve parent-child relationships, and alleviate children’s anxiety about returning to school.
● Be a Role Model, Focus on Learning
Before school starts, switch to the school’s daily schedule, avoid organizing noisy entertainment activities at home, and encourage your child to go to bed on time to adjust their biological clock and adapt in advance to the time change after school begins. At the same time, distance from phones and TVs, actively read books, and set a good example for your child.
● Plan Together, Provide Thoughtful Guidance
In the week before school starts, work with your child to establish a new semester plan, such as setting goals for the new semester and identifying subjects that need improvement. By setting goals, help your child clarify their direction, eliminate a sense of aimlessness, and build confidence.
2. For Students
● Adjust Your Biological Clock, Say Goodbye to Laziness
During the holiday, many students stay up late binge-watching shows or gaming, leading to a disrupted biological clock. In the week before school starts, gradually adjust your biological clock by getting up or going to bed 15-30 minutes earlier than usual each day, slowly transitioning to the school schedule.
● Set Goals, Plan for the Future
Follow the SMART principles to ensure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Implement strict time management, use schedules or study management tools to arrange study tasks, daily activities, and rest periods, ensuring you have enough time to accomplish each goal.
● Prepare Well, Adjust Your State
Adjust dietary habits by reducing the intake of high-sugar and high-fat foods, eating more vegetables and fruits, and replenishing the energy and nutrientsyour body needs. Enhance the sense of ceremony for the new semester and provide positive psychological cues, such as “I can do it” and “I enjoy learning,” to boost confidence and positive emotions.
3. For Schools
● Psychological Health Education
Organize psychological health education lectures or related activities before school starts to help students recognize and cope with the tense and anxious emotional state surrounding the return to school, providing scientific methods for psychological adjustment.
● Home-School Cooperation
Strengthen communication with parents, regularly provide feedback on students’ performance at school, jointly focus on students’ psychological health, and create a good atmosphere for home-school collaboration.
● Personalized Guidance
Provide personalized learning guidance and psychological counseling based on the needs and characteristics of different students to help them overcome learning obstacles and enhance their sense of self-efficacy.
Special Methods for Alleviating Anxiety
1. Mindfulness Meditation
Set aside a few minutes each day to follow guided mindfulness meditation, focusing on your breath or bodily sensations, letting your thoughts detach from anxiety, and enhancing focus and emotional management skills.
2. Emotion Journal
Record daily emotional changes and triggering factors to better understand yourself, identify the roots of anxiety, and find solutions.
3. Exercise Release
Engage in regular physical activities, such as running, yoga, or swimming, to release tense energy from the body and promote the production of endorphins and other happy hormones.
