Five wellbeing tips for going back to school

Putting your worries down on paper can be a really good way of dealing with any negative emotions and moving forward. Try the following technique:

• Grab a pen and notebook, your laptop or your phone
• Set a timer for five minutes
• Write down a few specific things that you’re worried about (e.g. what if I don’t make any new friends?)
• Next to each worry, write down how it makes you feel (e.g. anxious, down, stressed)
• Come back to your list the next day and write down what you could do to deal with the worry (e.g. if you’re nervous about making new friends, could you travel to school with a sibling or find out in advance what school clubs/teams you could join?)
• Make a list of the things you’re looking forward to and your hopes for this year as well

You might also like to start keeping a journal – read Good Thinking’s guidance on journaling.

Fill the last few days of the school holidays with things you enjoy doing (and try to make time for them once you're back at school). Perhaps you could:

• Meet up with your friends – at the cinema, at a gig, in the park or at home
• Go for a run or a bike ride or do a workout
• Organise some volunteering work in your local community
• Do something creative (e.g. take some photos or choreograph a dance)
• Spend time in nature
• Learn a new skill or improve one you already have (e.g. cooking or yoga)

Check out Good Thinking’s Five ways to wellbeing for children and young people for more suggestions.

One of the most important things you can do is talk to your family and friends about how you’re feeling so they can support you.

• Think about what you want to say to them (you might like to write down your key points or refer to your list of worries from point 1)
• Pick the right time and place to have the conversation so they can give you their full attention
• Let them know how they can help you (e.g. offer advice, talk to your teacher, give you a hug) and be clear about what you don’t want them to do
• Keep talking! Try to have regular conversations throughout the school year

Your friends might also be worried about going back to school – find out how you can help them in Good Thinking’s quick guide to looking out for your friends .

During the holidays, you’ve probably been going to bed later and getting up later. So how can you get back into good sleep habits for the Autumn term? 

• Try making bedtime a little earlier each night in the week before school (start with 15 minutes earlier tonight and increase this over the next few days) 
• Set your alarm to help you get back into the habit of waking up at a specific time
• Wind down properly before you go to bed (turn off your tech, have a warm drink, do some journaling)
• Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and the right temperature
• Put your phone on silent or leave it in another room

Learn more in Good Thinking’s one-pager about getting better sleep .

You can find a range of free wellbeing resources on Good Thinking, including:

• Clear Fear (app)
• Feeling Good Teens (app)
• How to deal with stress (guide)
• Move Mood (app)
• Screen time: Getting the balance right
• Six tips to help you deal with bullying

Check out these websites for more advice about going back to school:

• Childline
• The Mix
• YoungMinds