Back to School! The Transition Back to In-Person Classes
As the fall semester starts back up, and we are now all getting back to living in a post-COVID world, we are now leaving behind the Zoom calls and heading back to the classroom. For many people this is something to celebrate, being able to attend lectures, hands-on labs, seeing friends, but for some this can be very anxiety inducing. There's no shame in being stressed about returning to school, I'll admit even I am pretty nervous about going in-person, but after spending two-and-a-half years online, our feelings are completely valid.
We’re Not The Only Ones Afraid
Although your anxiety may trick you into believing that it's just you that is facing these issues, it is a much more common feeling than you think. Psychologists all around the globe have done various studies on returning back to in person and the anxiety that comes with it. There's a deep understanding that many people may be anxious for various reasons such as social phobia, fear of catching COVID fear of spreading it to vulnerable family and friends. The anxiety also does not discriminate on age: young children feel this way and even much older adults who are either returning to the workplace or have children who are returning to school.
One specific study decided to take a look at parents’ anxiety about their children going back to school. The study was done in the U.S. and was done on parents with children in grades from kindergarten to grade 12 (Batra et al., 2022). Results of the study showed that among the different types of anxiety, coronavirus anxiety was the highest with 83%, with general anxiety being at 66%, and social phobia at 62%. It is also important to note that anxiety was much more common in parents belonging to minority groups.This shows that there are various ways in which a person may feel anxious within this unknown experience, and that all these feelings are valid due to the nature of this situation. In conclusion, it is very apparent that the anxiety of returning in-person is a universal experience.
So What Can We Do?
There’s a lot of ways that you can try to help calm your nerves while attending school. Firstly, it's important to remember that everyone is feeling a little nervous especially at the beginning of the school year, so find peace in knowing you're not alone in that sense. Knowing that everyone feels a little nervous, don't be afraid to approach people in your classes and make new friends. There will be a lot of opportunities for you to meet new people throughout the school year by attending events and joining clubs. I highly recommend you try to put yourself out there by joining clubs, you may feel nervous but it's a perfect way of getting in touch with people who have similar interests and hobbies.
I understand that not everyone is a people person, and surrounding themselves with people may have the opposite effect in which their anxiety is increased. There are still lots of ways you can try to find ways to destress on your own. Exercise and meditation are great ways people destress, and lucky for us UTSC students, we are able to access the Pan Am Centre for free! Another way is through art, a lot of people find creating art a way to relax while also being able to express your feelings through their art. Overall, every person is different in terms of what they find relaxing or not, so my main advice would be to find a hobby you’re really into and make time for it.
In terms of attending classes in person, I understand that now with a new way of attending classes you may find that stressful. Although there isn't much we can do other than wait and get used to it, it's important to think of all the benefits of in person classes. One example is being able to more easily connect with your professors. This is especially beneficial for those struggling with the transition as they can reach out to the professor and they'll try to help you as best as they can. Lastly, for those experiencing anxiety regarding COVID, it's true that there is not much that can be done but make sure you are wearing your mask, you’re fully vaccinated, and regularly sanitize your hands. These are difficult times and we should all try to make the best out of this situation, remember to be kind to everyone, and I wish you the best of luck in the new school year!
Sources:
Batra, K., Pharr, J. R., Terry, E., & Labus, B. (2022). Assessing Psychological Impact of COVID-19 among Parents of Children Returning to K-12 Schools: A U.S. Based Cross-Sectional Survey. Healthcare, 10(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10050775
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