Back to School Tips for Mental Wellness
Heading back to school for each new year can bring on a rush of emotions: excitement, nervousness, anticipation, anxiety. This Fall is likely different than most! Returning to school amidst the ongoing COVID pandemic results in varying circumstances depending on where you live: some are returning with masks and will have an experience similar to the Spring, some are returning to in person everyday after participating in a hybrid schedule last year, and some are even returning to full time, in-person school for the first time in a year and a half. It is understandable that these new situations may bring out many different emotions!
It is so important, especially during big transitions, to prioritize your mental health and wellness. Here are a few tips for students heading back to the classroom. Remember, many others are going through the same thing. And, if you are feeling down, there is help out there. You are not alone!
Back to School Tips for Mental Wellness:
Identify your Counselor
Practice self care, daily!
Use a planner, stay organized
Know when to seek help
Talk to someone
Be kind to yourself and others
Counselor’s office
Your school likely has a school counselor or social worker that can provide you someone to talk to or other resources to help out if you are feeling overwhelmed. Don’t forget to familiarize yourself with who these people are in your school - they are there to help!
Self care
Try to build some time for self care into your weekly routine. This can be something like taking a yoga class (there are many for free on YouTube) or something as simple as making time for your favorite hobby. Try some of these self care tips for teens and young adults from an article in Psychology Today.
Use a planner
Sometimes the simple act of writing down your to do list can help free your brain from worry and overwhelm. Make yourself a to-do list and think about how you can spread items out over the week. And as mentioned above, self care is so important. It might help to actually schedule a time for self care in your calendar so you don’t forget - make a date with yourself!
Know when to get help
Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation points out: “You can take care of your emotional health just like you can take care of any other health problem. You can take action to help yourself or a friend by knowing when to get help and where to get it”. The foundation says you may need to reach out for help when you or a friend is, for example, spending more time alone, avoiding certain situations, acting recklessly, or feeling hopeless, helpless, or trapped. For a list of warning signs and how to help, read this blog post.
Talk to someone
In addition to your school counselor or social worker, there are others that can help. Talk about your feelings to a trusted friend or relative. You might be surprised who else has experienced similar feelings - most folks experience times of stress and sadness throughout their life, even if it looks like they have it all together. The organization Mental Health America has a guide for adolescents and teens to help you identify when you might benefit from talking to someone as well as ideas of WHO you could reach out to.
There are also a number of free hotlines available for you to call or text if you have questions or need support: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or text the Crisis Text Line ANY time, it doesn’t have to be an emergency. Call toll-free1-800-273-TALK (8255) or Text “HOME” to 741-741 to get help 24/7 in the United States.
Acts of Kindness
A simple act of kindness can brighten someone else’s day…. But you might also be surprised how helping to “fill the bucket” of someone else can bring you joy as well! Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation studied just how much kindness can matter. Gabriel’s Light has also developed a set of Kindness Cards to be used to help inspire the practice of kindness in our daily lives! Would you like your very own set of Kindness Cards to use at home or to share at school? Email us and we can send a set out to you: info@gabrielslight.org.
These are only a few suggestions for taking care of your mental health once the new school year begins. What other ideas can you think of?
Mental Health America develops a Back To School Toolkit each year to provide even more ideas and resources. Check their website on August 25, 2021 when they release the toolkit for the 2021-2022 school year. (You can check out their 2020 toolkit now at this link).
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About Gabriel's Light
In 2019, Carol and Brendan Deely founded Gabriel’s Light in honor of their son who died by suicide at age 12. In honor of Gabe and all those lost to suicide, they share their journey with the hope that others may learn and grow from their tragedy. Focusing on three pillars of cyber safety, suicide prevention, and kindness campaigns, through outreach, programs, partnerships, and funding, they raise awareness and inspire youth, parents, and educators to take action and help forward their mission.