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How to stop freaking out all the time.

We all experience intense anxiety sometimes. But unfortunately, for some people, “freaking out” is a weekly or even daily occurrence. It's not the healthiest reaction to have on a regular basis; in fact, in my practice, I call this creating "Everyday PTSD."

Some people develop Everyday PTSD because they live in complete fear of the uncontrollable and the unknown. As a result, they experience ordinary stressors as life-or-death situations when in reality they're simply over-thinking. Freaking out all the time is traumatizing to themselves and possibly those around them.

In case you can relate, let’s explore some methods that I share in my practice to prevent and regulate anxiety.

1. Stop exaggerating.

Catch yourself before using distorted conversational terms and phrases that aren’t accurate, either in your head or in conversation. (“Ohmygod, that’s THE worst thing ever!")

Not everybody loves a drama queen. And you’re not helping yourself by overstating the situation. You’re creating an exaggerated scenario and it’s a lie. I know you don’t mean to — after all, everyone around you has been using this language to describe their life and their experiences — but it’s time to stop. It’s confusing to your psychology and it’s not diffusing the situation — it’s only making it worse.

2. Just stick to the facts.

Don’t say, “My mom doesn’t care about me.” Instead, focus on the facts. Your mother called two days ago and she said she couldn’t attend the event. That’s it, there’s not more to it!

There’s no, “She’s too busy for me,” or “She’s so selfish.” Again, these are lies. They don’t help, they just hurt.

3. Quit making other people the expert.

No person is an expert on another person’s mind. You are the only expert on yourself, so don’t give yourself anxiety over someone else’s assumptions.

4. Don’t ask questions, make statements.

It’s very anxiety-provoking to ask, “Do you want to go out on a date with me?” Whether you're asking or being asked, male or female; a question like this makes anyone anxious. It puts them on the spot, to say the least. It’s just like asking, “Do you really like me?”

These kind of questions typically have a hidden statement about how you feel. Imagine saying, “I’d love to take you out to dinner,” or “I really enjoy spending time with you.”

It’s sharing your honest emotions with another person and inviting them to do the same. There is no pressure to respond a certain way or the added stress of wanting to hear a certain answer. It’s being open to whatever the truth may be.

5. Never apologize for being human.

We are not perfect people. Did you get that memo? Well, let me remind you anyway. Human beings make mistakes and we make many of them. If I’m supposed to meet a client at 9am and I realize, as I’m driving, that I won’t be there until 10 minutes later, it doesn’t do me any good to call that client and say, “Hey, so there’s a lot of traffic and I wanted you to know that I’m really sorry, but I’m going to be 10 minutes late.”

It’s more accurate and effective to just say that I'll be there at 9:10. Apologizing would mean that I’m in some way defective and I know I’m not. I didn’t do something wrong, I just did something unintentionally. So, stop saying that you're sorry and stop giving yourself anxiety about being imperfect. You’re human.

6. Always have your own back.

No matter what external factors may be in play — you just lost a job, someone doesn’t like you — always be there for yourself. In those moments when everything seems to be spiraling out of control, stop focusing on all the negativity and instead focus on all that is good about you. You’re alive, you’re breathing and you’re still existing. Instead of hurting yourself with negative thoughts or scenarios, you'll be your own source of honesty and kindness.

7. Take a moment to meditate.

I know that sounds scary if you’ve never practiced meditation , but let’s approach it differently. How about breathing affirmation? When you feel yourself slipping into a negative mentality, just take yourself away from the situation.

Go to a quiet space; it can be your favorite armchair, on the grass in the park or even inside your car. Sit with your eyes closed and just breathe. Empty your thoughts. (If it helps, imagine three boxes stacked on top of each other. Each time you breathe, take one box away until nothing is left but empty space.)

Each time you inhale, think of yourself breathing in compassion, positivity and love. And each time you exhale, visualize all the doubt, uncertainty and hatred leaving your body. Breathe in affirmation and breathe out negative energy. Breathe in tranquility and breathe out anxiety.

8. Fall in love with not knowing. Anxiety comes from overthinking and focusing on the unknown.

We as human beings weren’t designed to know the future or know what another person is thinking. But you were designed to figure out who you are as a person and to love yourself. Living is about sharing your essence and allowing other people to share theirs.

Be comfortable not knowing that information beforehand — it’s what makes you human. You don’t need to know the future to feel safe and you don’t need to know what occupies another person’s mind to feel secure. Let life unfold; it was designed to be a gift. And the best gifts are always a surprise.

9. Remember, there is no scoreboard. Nobody is keeping track of every tiny, insignificant thing you do incorrectly.

As entertaining as it might be to see a giant scoreboard behind every person’s head that counted each time they did something right or each time they did something wrong, it just doesn’t exist. And it shouldn’t.

I don’t believe it’s accurate to say, “Oh, Jim shouldn’t have done that,” because, in all honesty, SAYS WHO? Who says we have to do things a certain way to be right, anyway?

Saying, “I have to get my nails done,” or “I have to get across town to pick up my kids;” these things aren’t necessary for your survival (or your sanity) and placing too much significance to them just traumatizes yourself. Saying you have to or you need to , it’s as if you’d literally drop dead if you didn’t get your nails done. It might make you uncomfortable, but c’mon, you’ll live.

I invite you to use more accurate language: “I’d really enjoy getting my nails done,” or “I’m planning to get across town to pick up my kids.” You can really get some peace of mind just by taking the pressure off yourself.

Anxiety is a serious contender when it comes to major health issues, and for good reason. It affects our psychology, mental capacities, sleep patterns, eating habits, confidence levels, and so much more.

But I encourage you to become aware of the role that you play when anxiety strikes. You’ll have less cortisol flowing through your veins, more enjoyment in life and definitely more fun — isn’t it about time?

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5 STEPS TO STOP YOURSELF FROM FREAKING OUT

F or those with anxiety, it’s inevitable to experience an overwhelming sense of panic and despair under certain situations. Here are 5 steps to help lessen the reaction and get back on track.

BY:  KELSEY FYFFE, MA, LPC

If you’re someone with an anxiety disorder , you’re likely familiar with ‘the freak out’. When a situation doesn’t quite go the way you plan, you immediately feel the physical sensation of your stomach doing an actual somersault and lodging itself directly under your lungs.

Yeah, it’s no joke.

The next time it happens, here’s what you can do about it.

Step 1: Freak out.

Allow yourself to feel your anxiety, and your mind to catastrophize. While they’re not pleasant experiences, ignoring your problem and pretending things are OK will not help the situation. Allow yourself to feel that horrible pit in your stomach, and acknowledge your terrifying thoughts. Acknowledge your physical sensations, from the pain in your chest to the tension in your shoulders.

Step 2: Breathe, strategize, & accept

Now, take 5 deep breaths. After those breaths, you’ll notice right away that your stomach will start to relax and settle into its normal human position. The pit may still be there, but notice if your breathing has improved.

Now, identify what you can do about the situation, and what you can’t.  Acknowledge what you can do and what you don’t really have control over.  Do what you can to accept that your anxious feelings will linger until the issue is resolved.

Step 3: Self-care

Go about your life as you normally would, but with a little more TLC. Pour yourself a glass of wine at dinner, watch some Netflix, take a warm bath, or read your favorite book. If cleaning the kitchen makes you feel more relaxed, go ahead and clean!

Step 4: Reevaluate the problem later

Taking a break or getting a good night’s sleep can give you distance from the problem, and help you realize that even if your unlikely worst-case scenario occurred, you’ll still be OK. Anxiety has a special way of making the most extreme scenarios seem possible. Cut the severity of your worst case scenario in half and examine what that problem really looks like.

Step 5: Tend to your needs and emotions as needed

Remain extra observant of your mood and self-care needs. Do regular check-ins throughout the day and rate on a scale of 1-10 how intense your emotions and stress levels are. Take the time to pause and assess, and increase your self-awareness of what you need.

What often happens is that most people get stuck in Step 1. While it’s necessary to allow yourself to process and experience the freak out, it’s not productive to stay there. Productivity comes from getting out of your head and paying attention to how your body feels. That’s when you can move on to Step 2 and work towards accepting your crappy feelings.

If you ever feel stuck in Step 1, ask yourself: what am I doing to feed the anxiety? It’s probably an attempt to fix an unfixable situation. So stop whatever you’re doing, and check in with your body. Focus on self-care and accept what you have no control over. It’s OK to let the problem sit there for a bit.

You’ll be able to solve it once the panic goes away.

Adapted from the original article ., header image: gabrielle cole.

Kelsey Fyffe, MA, LPC is a clinically-trained therapist based in Houston specializing in anxiety and eating disorders. By helping individuals recognize that their anxiety, worries, and obsessions do not have to hold them back from living the life they want, Kelsey helps them learn the skills and strategies needed to calm their mind and feel at ease. Learn more about Kelsey at Live Mindfully Psychotherapy .

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., how to manage homework stress.

Feeling overwhelmed by your nightly homework grind? You’re not alone. Our Student Life in America survey results show that teens spend a third of their study time feeling worried, stressed, or stuck. If you’re spending close to four hours a night on your homework (the national average), that’s over an hour spent spent feeling panicky and still not getting your work done. Homework anxiety can become a self-fulfilling prophecy: If you’re already convinced that calculus is unconquerable, that anxiety can actually block your ability to learn the material.

Whether your anxiety is related to handling your workload (we know you’re getting more homework than ever!), mastering a particular subject like statistics, or getting great grades for your college application, stress doesn’t have to go hand-in-hand with studying .

In fact, a study by Stanford University School of Medicine and published in The Journal of Neuroscience shows that a student’s fear of math (and, yes, this fear is completely real and can be detectable in scans of the brain) can be eased by a one-on-one math tutoring program. At The Princeton Review this wasn’t news to us! Our online tutors are on-call 24/7 for students working on everything from AP Chemistry to Pre-Calc. Here’s a roundup of what our students have to say about managing homework stress by working one-one-one with our expert tutors .

1. Work the Best Way for YOU

From the way you decorate your room to the way you like to study, you have a style all your own:

"I cannot thank Christopher enough! I felt so anxious and stressed trying to work on my personal statement, and he made every effort to help me realize my strengths and focus on writing in a way that honored my personality. I wanted to give up, but he was patient with me and it made the difference."

"[My] tutor was 1000000000000% great . . . He made me feel important and fixed all of my mistakes and adapted to my learning style . . . I have so much confidence for my midterms that I was so stressed out about."

"I liked how the tutor asked me how was I starting the problem and allowed me to share what I was doing and what I had. The tutor was able to guide me from there and break down the steps and I got the answer all on my own and the tutor double checked it... saved me from tears and stress."

2. Study Smarter, Not Harder

If you’ve read the chapter in your history textbook twice and aren’t retaining the material, don’t assume the third time will be the charm. Our tutors will help you break the pattern, and learn ways to study more efficiently:

"[My] tutor has given me an easier, less stressful way of seeing math problems. It is like my eyes have opened up."

"I was so lost in this part of math but within minutes the tutor had me at ease and I get it now. I wasn't even with her maybe 30 minutes or so, and she helped me figure out what I have been stressing over for the past almost two days."

"I can not stress how helpful it is to have a live tutor available. Math was never and still isn't my favorite subject, but I know I need to take it. Being able to talk to someone and have them walk you through the steps on how to solve a problem is a huge weight lifted off of my shoulder."

3. Get Help in a Pinch

Because sometimes you need a hand RIGHT NOW:

"I was lost and stressed because I have a test tomorrow and did not understand the problems. I fully get it now!"

"My tutor was great. I was freaking out and stressed out about the entire assignment, but she really helped me to pull it together. I am excited to turn my paper in tomorrow."

"This was so helpful to have a live person to validate my understanding of the formulas I need to use before actually submitting my homework and getting it incorrect. My stress level reduced greatly with a project deadline due date."

4. Benefit from a Calming Presence

From PhDs and Ivy Leaguers to doctors and teachers, our tutors are experts in their fields, and they know how to keep your anxiety at bay:

"I really like that the tutors are real people and some of them help lighten the stress by making jokes or having quirky/witty things to say. That helps when you think you're messing up! Gives you a reprieve from your brain jumbling everything together!"

"He seemed understanding and empathetic to my situation. That means a lot to a new student who is under stress."

"She was very thorough in explaining her suggestions as well as asking questions and leaving the changes up to me, which I really appreciated. She was very encouraging and motivating which helped with keeping me positive about my paper and knowing that I am not alone in my struggles. She definitely eased my worries and stress. She was wonderful!"

5. Practice Makes Perfect

The Stanford study shows that repeated exposure to math problems through one-on-one tutoring helped students relieve their math anxiety (the authors’ analogy was how a fear of spiders can be treated with repeated exposure to spiders in a safe environment). Find a tutor you love, and come back to keep practicing:

"Love this site once again. It’s so helpful and this is the first time in years when I don’t stress about my frustration with HW because I know this site will always be here to help me."

"I've been using this service since I was in seventh grade and now I am a Freshman in High School. School has just started and I am already using this site again! :) This site is so dependable. I love it so much and it’s a lot easier than having an actual teacher sitting there hovering over you, waiting for you to finish the problem."

"I can always rely on this site to help me when I'm confused, and it always makes me feel more confident in the work I'm doing in school."

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• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Avoid Homework Stress

Last Updated: March 28, 2019 References

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA . Emily Listmann is a private tutor in San Carlos, California. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 133,057 times.

Students of all kinds are often faced with what can seem like an overwhelming amount of homework. Although homework can be a source of stress, completing it can be a very rewarding and even relaxing experience if done in an organized and timely manner. Remember, homework is not intended as punishment, but is used to reinforce everything you’ve learned in class. Try to view it as a chance to sharpen your skills and understanding.

Managing Your Time

• Try to work earlier, rather than later, if possible. This way, you won’t be rushing to finish your work before bedtime.
• Find a time of day during which you can concentrate well. Some people work best in the afternoon, while others can concentrate better on a full stomach after dinner.
• Choose a time when you will have relatively few distractions. Mealtimes, times during which you have standing engagements, or periods usually used for socializing are not the best choices.
• Allow enough time to complete your work. Making sure the total time you allow yourself for homework is sufficient for you to complete all your assignments is crucial. [1] X Research source [2] X Research source

• Save an appropriate amount of time for projects considering your normal homework load.
• Estimate how much time you will need each day, week, and month depending on your usual workload. Allow yourself at least this much time in your schedule, and consider allotting a fair amount more to compensate for unexpected complications or additional assignments.
• Reserve plenty of time for bigger projects, as they are more involved, and it is harder to estimate how much time you might need to complete them.

• Get a day planner or a notebook to write down your homework assignments, and assign an estimated amount of time to each assignment. Make sure to always give yourself more time than you think you’ll need.
• Plan to finish daily homework every day, then divide up weekly homework over the course of the entire week.
• Rank assignments in due-date order. Begin on those assignments due first, and work your way though. Finishing assignments according to due-date will help you avoid having to hurry through homework the night before it must be handed in.
• Allow more time for more difficult subjects and difficult assignments. Each individual person will have their strong subjects—and those that come a little harder. Make sure you take into account which subjects are harder for you, and allow more time for them during your scheduling.

Working Hard at School and in Class

• If you’re too shy to ask questions, or don’t feel it’s appropriate to do so during class, write them down in your notebook and then ask the teacher or professor after class.
• If you don't understand a concept, ask your teacher to explain it again, with specifics.
• If you're having trouble with a math problem, ask the teacher to demonstrate it again using a different example.
• Remember, when it comes to learning and education, there are no bad questions.

• Pay attention to important terms and ideas. Make sure to note things your teacher stresses, key terms, and other important concepts.
• Write clearly and legibly. If you can’t read your handwriting, it’ll take you longer to reference your notes at home.
• Keep your notebook organized with dividers and labels. This way, you’ll be able to locate helpful information in a pinch and finish your homework quicker. [4] X Research source

• Get permission.
• Sit up front and close to the instructor.
• Make sure to label your recordings so you don't lose track of them.
• Try to listen to them that same day while everything is fresh in your mind.

• Work in class. If you finish a class assignment early, review your notes or start your homework.
• Study at lunch. If you have time at lunch, consider working on homework. You can do this leisurely by just reviewing what you’ll need to do at home, or you can just jump right into your work.
• Don't waste time. If you get to class early, use that time for homework. In addition, many schools let students go to the library during this unplanned time, and it's a great place to finish uncompleted assignments.

Doing Your Homework

• Get some fresh air
• Go for a short run
• Do push-ups
• Walk your dog
• Listen to music
• Have a snack

• Study groups break up the monotony of daily homework and make for a less stressful experience than trying to cram on your own.
• Note that each person should turn in individualized assignments rather than collaborating to find the answers.

Balancing Homework with Life

• AP or IB classes often have 2 or 3 times the amount of reading and homework as regular courses.
• Honors classes may have up to double the amount of work required as regular courses.
• College students need to consider whether they want to take the recommended course load (often 4 classes) or more. More classes might help you finish your degree sooner, but if you are juggling work and extracurricular activities, you might be overwhelmed. [8] X Research source [9] X Research source

• Rank your classes and activities in order of importance.
• Estimate (realistically) how long your academic and extracurricular activities will take.
• Figure out how much time you have overall.
• If you’ve over committed, you need to drop your lowest ranked class or activity.

• Make sure to reserve mealtimes for family, rather than working.
• Try to set aside the weekend for family, and work only if you need to catch up or get ahead.
• Don’t plan on working on holidays, even if you try, your productivity likely won’t be high.

• Pick a reasonable hour to go to sleep every night.
• Try to do your morning prep work like ironing clothes and making your lunch at night.
• Take a nap after school or after classes if you need. You’ll probably be able to do better work in less time if you are rested. [10] X Research source [11] X Research source
• If you’re in middle or high school, talk to your parents and your teachers about the issue and ask them to help you figure out a solution.
• If you’re a college student, reach out to your professors and advisor for help.
• If it takes you much longer to finish your homework than it takes other students, it may be due to a learning difference. Ask your parents to schedule a meeting with a learning specialist.

Community Q&A

• Ask for help when you need it. This is the biggest thing you should do. Don't worry if people think you're dumb, because chances are, you're making a higher grade than them. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 4
• Actually pay attention to the teacher and ask if you don't know how to do the work. The stress can go away if you know exactly what to do. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2
• Recognize that some teachers get mad if you do separate homework assignments for different classes, so learn to be discreet about it. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/coping-school-stress
• ↑ http://www.kidzworld.com/article/24574-how-to-avoid-homework-stress
• ↑ http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success/notes.html
• ↑ https://stressfreekids.com/10038/homework-stress
• ↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-jackson/5-ways-to-relieve-homework-stress-in-5-minutes_b_6572786.html
• ↑ https://stressfreekids.com/11607/reduce-homework-stress
• ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/how-students-can-survive-the-ap-course-workload/2012/03/01/gIQA8u28qR_story.html
• ↑ http://www.usnews.com/education/high-schools/articles/2012/05/10/weigh-the-benefits-stress-of-ap-courses-for-your-student
• ↑ http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/sleep-in-adolescents
• ↑ https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=how+much+sleep+do+20+year+old+need

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Why You Freak Out

How to calm intense emotions..

Posted January 23, 2020 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

Why, when you are seemingly grounded and going about your day, are you sometimes overcome with the "whoosh" of intense emotion ? The trigger could be something somebody says that you find offensive, judgmental, shaming , or anxiety -producing; a behavior that hits a "bruised bone" of yours; an overwhelming fear that you have been trying to suppress; a person, place, or thing that brings up a feeling of shame or fear—really anything that your deep brain deems as a threat.

Then comes the emotional hijack. Your whole mind-body complex responds to color that moment through the perceptual lens of the trigger. Everything you see and feel validates the trigger and you react as if it is the only truth. You may scream, cry, shut down, or worse. Further, you may feel overcome with a racing heart, a shot of adrenalin, a punch in the gut, or hot with rage or shame; discerning appropriate action from this state is virtually impossible. You may say or do something you regret later. You may even look back at the situation after you have calmed down and wonder what happened to you. How can an emotional reaction so easily knock you off your balance?

Intense emotions are designed to be destabilizing; they are designed to get your attention . They are like the fire alarm in your mind-body complex. All too often, however, you may be so overcome with these emotions that you react as if this alarm to get your attention is a full-fledged out-of-control fire and let these emotions consume you, cloud your judgment, and cause you to behave in regretful ways. These emotions are inherently destabilizing and the best way to reduce their havoc is to understand them, stabilize your mind and body when they arise, and ultimately rewire a different response altogether.

That is the focus of this three-part series. Each part is a stand-alone piece to equip you with skills to help you calm intense emotions step-by-step. The information in this first part empowers you to take a giant leap forward in calming the hijack of intense emotion. Understanding their origin is the first and foundational piece. I often say that if I could give everyone in the world one piece of information this would be it.

Before you can begin to appropriately deal with intense emotions it is important to know where they come from. All intense emotions come from your immediate perception and evaluation of whatever is upsetting you, this evaluation may be way off base, and it is mainly beyond your conscious thought. In other words, without your knowledge, your "emotional evaluation system" kicks in, floods you with overwhelming reactions, and hijacks your mind and body. Most people have no idea how or why this process occurs, they just feel the "whoosh" of the emotion, think it is warranted, and, usually, respond to its hijack.

Also, it is important to know that the triggering impetus could be an external circumstance, an internal feeling, a thought, a memory , a worry—anything your subconscious brain has been programmed to identify as a threat. You get flooded with the result of your fear response system in over-drive which makes proceeding with clarity and taking appropriate action almost impossible.

How does this programming happen? Deep in your brain is a structure called the amygdala that is beyond conscious awareness, records every experience you’ve ever had, and records it in terms of emotional significance.

This programming is done by creating neural wiring consistent with the emotional tone of each past experience. The stronger the experiences, the stronger the wiring. In its fear response role, the amygdala’s job is to keep you safe by constantly scanning everything in your external and internal environment, looking for matches of something that "looks" similar to that which has hurt you before, and sending an all-out alarm response through your body and brain. Again, it is not meant to be a conscious process as, evolutionarily, humans needed to be capable of pre-thought reactivity.

We needed to be able to immediately evaluate threats and react to danger. If a tiger mauled my friend yesterday, I needed to have an instantaneous fear response to a lion today without the slow conscious discerning if the lion carried the same threat as a tiger. My system needed to be flooded with a fear response of intense emotion immediately, instilling in me the fear of yesterday’s tiger with today’s lion, and immediately react accordingly. It is an important and potentially life-saving process.

Unfortunately, in today’s world, your amygdala may be overdoing its job. It is associating all your past emotional experiences, and attaching them to today’s events, without your awareness, and you may be experiencing bouts of uncontrollable or intense emotion. These intense emotions may be way out of context for the situation, or they may consume you so much that you cannot react appropriately in the current situation, or both. The stronger they are programmed in your amygdala (by the original experience), the stronger you will react to whatever triggers that emotion in the present.

These emotions may appear as anger , overwhelming anxiety, crushing shame, embarrassment , abandonment, extreme jealousy or insecurity, and the list goes on. Basically, any emotion that you have experienced in the past as a hurtful or difficult experience can re-surface in an immediate form now to get your attention. The trigger may be a form of the original emotion or a learned emotional reaction you have cultivated to negotiate the more difficult emotion. For example, you might get intensely angry to mask the hurt underneath.

When you are hijacked by an intense emotion, remember, in that moment, that it is your system’s way of trying to get your attention and protect you, and not necessarily the absolute truth of the situation. It is your deep brain’s way of trying to alert you that something in your current environment "looks" similar to something that has hurt or threatened you before.

You can recognize the alarm without having to be overcome by it, disengage from its reactivity, take a deep breath, and better discern appropriate action. Armed with the information that your freakouts are just an internal alarm system and not necessarily a truthful evaluation of the circumstance, step back, breathe deeply, and join me for the next two parts of "How to Calm Intense Emotions."

Facebook /LinkedIn images: fizkes/Shutterstock

Alane K. Daugherty, Ph.D. , who teaches at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, is co-director of the Mind and Heart Research Lab at California Polytechnic.

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25 Reasons You Might Be Freaking out Right Now if You’re a Teacher at the End of Summer Break

But you’re not done with summer yet!

Another summer vacation is coming to an end which, for many of us, means back-to-school anxiety. In no particular order, here are just  some of the reasons why you might be freaking out about the first day of school …

1. You’ve only read three out of the 87 books in your “I’ll totally get to these this summer” stack.

2. the back-to-school teacher nightmares have begun., 3. your favorite co-teacher just let you know that they’re not returning this year., 4. the co-teacher you dread working with just told you they’re not retiring after all., 5. your principal wants to meet with you to talk about some “red flag” kiddos in your class., 6. you’ve been hearing about the incoming class since they were kindergarteners—and it’s not good., 7. you haven’t gotten your class list yet., 8. you’ve gotten your class list, and it’s really long., 9. you can’t decide between shiplap or burlap as a class theme., 10. your teacher bestie was moved to a different grade., 11. you still can’t get into your classroom to start setting up., 12. your schedule changed, and you won’t be able to use the bathroom until 1:30 pm., 13. you’re pretty sure you’ve already exceeded your allotment of copy paper just by printing your first-day materials., 14. you like eating lunch at normal speed, and you know you’ll soon have to scarf it down in four minutes., 15. you’re not as tan as you promised yourself you’d be before heading back to school., 16. your grade level team picks a group theme idea you hate., 17. target has put out the bts materials and you’re furious—but flair pens, 18. you just know you’re going to spend the in-service days looking at last year’s data instead of being allowed to set up your classroom., 19. you had a brilliant idea last night and now want to redesign your entire first unit., 20. just the thought of having to wear real shoes seems unbearable., 21. you’re going to have to seriously curtail your swearing., 22. your school isn’t air conditioned, and the first day of school is in mid-august., 23. you haven’t finished binge-watching everything on netflix., 24. you just got your kids’ bts supply lists and realize you forgot to include hand sanitizer., 25. your dog just won’t understand why you’re suddenly leaving him again..

What else is keeping you up at night as you think about heading back to school? Share in  our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus, check out our definitely relatable  “Said No Teacher Ever” post . 

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