It’s a new year, and many students are reluctantly coming back to in-person school after many laid back months of virtual classes. This is a big change, and is causing anxiety for many students. For some, it is even more nerve-racking. 

Imagine that it’s your first day of junior year and you are attending a new school you have never stepped foot in before. You don’t know anyone there and you have no idea where your classes are. In fact, you don’t even know what classes you have since you haven’t received a schedule yet. 

Personally, I didn’t have to imagine it. Walking into school on the first day under these conditions was absolutely petrifying. With every step I took I grew more and more uneasy and uncertain that I was in the right place. My first day experience was honestly terrifying, and it is very likely that some students felt the same way. Many students were completely virtual last year, so the anxiety levels may be unnaturally high coming back to school this year, especially for new students who weren’t in the building previously. 

After the first few days my uneasiness started to dissipate, and now I don’t feel nervous coming to school anymore. In fact, I might even say that I’m somewhat excited to come to school every day. Here are some things that helped me adjust to a new school that might prove useful to other students who are struggling with the same thing. 

One thing that I do when I’m stressed out about a new situation is simply show up and pay attention. It may sound annoying to hear that, but I don’t necessarily mean in class. When I want to adjust to a new situation, paying attention and learning more about the environment around me can help. It helps me to calm down if I already know what to expect.

Another thing that has helped me to adjust is to get involved with things I like. Personally, I am not interested in playing sports, but if that is something you enjoy then it could help relieve stress as well as help you learn more about the environment like I stated previously. There are more things than just sports you could do to get involved as well. Taking a class you are really interested in can help relieve stress as well if you have a class you are looking forward to. For

example, I’m very interested in the subject psychology, and being able to take that class helps me to enjoy school more. If trying a sport or a class doesn’t help, there are always school events you could go to, such as football games, dances, or other seasonal events. Not only are they fun, but they can also help you to learn your environment as well as get you involved with new people.

The final thing and probably the most important to me while adjusting to a new school was making friends. Having people who you can talk to and spend time with can help reduce stress significantly. For me, I was able to make a few friends within the first couple of weeks, and they are the main reason why I was able to adjust so easily. Making friends in a new environment can seem really scary, but it can be something as simple as complimenting someone and starting a conversation or just asking to sit with someone at lunch.

Hang in there during the first few weeks of school. While it may be stressful and fear-inducing, there are many things you can do to help feel more comfortable. I hope you all enjoy the new school year here at Park!