Feeling Empowered in the New School Year

The school year is starting again, and this time of transition can feel both exciting and overwhelming. As we enter the new school year, we have the unique opportunity to make a fresh start: new classes, new teachers, and, perhaps, a new perspective.

Here are some steps to help you start the school year feeling empowered.

Step 1 – Reflect

For many of us, the start of the school year can feel like a mad scramble, but setting aside even a few minutes to reflect on the previous school year can make a meaningful difference. Ask yourself, “What worked well last school year and how did that make me feel?” Then, ask yourself, “What was challenging last school year and how did that make me feel? Write down a few responses for each question. Keep your responses brief, but try to be specific.

Here are some examples:

-“having a separate binder for each class helped me feel organized”

-“we usually run late on Monday mornings which makes me feel anxious”

Step 2 – Plan

If something is working for you, don’t change it! Acknowledge how helpful it’s been and re-commit to that behavior going forward.

Once you identify a challenge, acknowledge that it exists and work to make changes. If Monday mornings feel frantic and stressful in your household, write down some ideas for how you might be able to change that:

-“pick out Monday’s outfit on Sunday”

-“pack my backpack on Sunday evening”

-“do homework on Saturday and Sunday so that I don’t have to stay up late on Sunday night to finish everything”

After you’ve made your list of ideas, pick one or two to try.

Step 3 – Check in

For the last month, you’ve used Sunday to pick Monday’s outfit and to pack your backpack. Do you feel less stressed? Are you making it to school on time? If the answer is yes – congratulations! You’ve found a behavior that helps you overcome a challenge. Keep doing what you’re doing. If the answer is no, that’s ok. Go back to your list and try another idea from your brainstorm until you find something that does work for you.

This process of checking in with yourself is especially helpful during times of transition and can help you feel empowered to grow not only as a student but as a person!