Every year, most students have a few nerves about going back to school. This is normal with the change in routine and unknowns of what a new school year will bring. School may also bring unique worries and pressures that cause anxiety, such as:

• The need to fit in socially and make friends
• Fears of bullying or peer pressure
• Academic pressure to make good grades
• Athletic pressure (to make the team or to perform well on the field)
• Life changes, like entering a new school
• Anxiety about security and safety at school.

While the pandemic is no longer a "new" thing, highly contagious variants continue to cause its spread.

• Students may worry about their health or a loved one's.
• They may also worry about potential interruptions to their school year or extracurricular activities. The stress of the past few years may continue to affect students as well.

It's important to validate any concerns your child has by checking in with them frequently. Encouraging children to focus on what they can control is a good way to manage anxiety, too.