Hey students! Back to school can be an overwhelming time filled with a lot of different emotions! Many students feel excited, but it’s also normal to be nervous or anxious about starting a new school year! Below are some tips and reminders to help set yourself up for success this fall.

● Establish a routine! It can be challenging to transition from the slower-paced days of summer to a busy schedule of classes, homework, and activities. Establish a consistent daily schedule for waking up, going to school/activities, studying, relaxing, and sleeping.

● Set a goal! …And then make a plan! As writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery famously said, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” It is easy to simply say that we will get all A’s, make the varsity team, or spend less time on social media. But often we forget to plan the small steps along the way that will get us there. Once you figure out your goal, figure out what the first step might be towards reaching that goal, and then make a plan to follow through!

● Practice gratitude for a positive mindset. Each night, take a few minutes to think about some things that are going well in your life or things that you are grateful for. The school year ahead will have ups and downs, and sometimes it can be easy to focus on the negative, which can affect our mental health and wellbeing. A daily habit of acknowledging the things we are grateful for can help us feel better even during tough times and can help us persevere through challenges.

● Figure out what helps you reduce stress! Make sure you are taking time each day to do things that make you feel good: going for a walk, playing with a pet, chatting with a friend, trying a meditation video, playing a game, etc. If you notice that your emotions are starting to become too overwhelming, it’s okay to ask for help! Talk to a trusted adult or make an appointment to see your school counselor. We also have many therapists here at Owens Counseling who can help with whatever you are going through!

● If you often struggle to find motivation to begin working on an assignment or completing a task, try the 3-minute rule! Set a timer for 3 minutes and begin the task. Knowing that you are only committing yourself to 3 minutes of work can often make it easier to begin working on something that you have been avoiding. If you want to quit after 3 minutes, you can, but you may find that you can keep going. Just getting started is often half the battle!

● Remember that there will be times that you will make mistakes. It is especially important to be kind to yourself in those moments. It is not realistic to expect ourselves to be perfect all the time! Mistakes can even be great learning and growth opportunities that will result in us doing much better the next time around. Tell yourself something like, “I am human and that means that sometimes mistakes are unavoidable. I did the best I could in the moment. Next time, I will try … instead.”