10 Ways to Get Ready to Go Back to School After COVID (for Kids) (2024)

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Co-authored byRonitte Libedinsky, MSand Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: January 8, 2023References

Reconnect with your friends.

1. Your friends will help you look forward to returning to school. If you spent all last year in virtual school, it's probably been a while since you were in a roomful of other kids your own age. Reach out to your friends or talk to your parents about scheduling a get-together so you can hang out before school starts.^[1]

   • For example, if there's a park nearby, you might have a picnic with your friends and their parents at the park. Small gatherings outside are perfectly safe and it will give you a chance to hang out with your friends and talk about the upcoming school year.
   • You might also talk to your parents about asking a close friend over for a sleepover. It'll be that much easier to walk into school on the first day knowing your friend will be there.
   • Think of any small thing that might make you feel more excited to go to class, for example, a discussion or a presentation.^[2]

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1. Your parents or another trusted adult can help calm your nerves. It's perfectly natural to be nervous about going back to school, especially if you've spent a year in virtual learning at home. There's a lot of uncertainty in the aftermath of the pandemic, but there are also people who care about you who can help you feel more safe and secure about school.^[3]

   • Be specific about the things that you're worried about. For example, you might be wondering what happens if someone in your class gets COVID-19. If your parents don't have the answers, they can contact your school.
   • Nothing is silly if it's something you're worried about. For example, you might be wondering what you should do if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of class. Most teachers are fine letting you go if you raise your hand and ask permission.
   • Don't try to play it tough or act like you don't have any worries if you do. It's perfectly natural to be nervous or concerned about going back to school—after all, you've been told for over a year that it wasn't safe to go to school. Talking it out can help you feel better.^[4]

Develop coping strategies to deal with anxiety.

1. It's natural for such a big change to trigger anxiety. You might be thinking that you've been to school before and it's no big deal. But if you've been out of that environment for over a year, you might find things overwhelming that didn't bother you before. It's good to have coping strategies so you'll know how to handle it. Here are some ideas you can use:^[5]

   • Deep breathing^[6]: When you start to feel tense or anxious, breathe in through your nose deeply and slowly, expanding your chest until your lungs are completely full. Hold that breath for just a second, then breathe out through your mouth, just as slowly as you breathed in. Do this 5 to 10 times to calm yourself.
   • Progressive muscle relaxation^[7]: Start with your hands. Tense the muscles or squeeze your hands into tight fists, then release. Go up your arms tensing the muscles, then relaxing them. Then, move down your torso and legs.
   • Grounding^[8]: Count down from 5, going through each of your senses. Start by looking around and naming 5 things you can see. Then, think of 4 things you can feel (such as your shirt, the back of the chair, or the floor under your feet). Listen for 3 sounds, then find 2 things you can smell. Finally, name 1 thing you can taste. If you can't taste anything, just think of your favorite flavor!^[9]

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Get back into a routine a couple of weeks early.

1. Start gradually going to bed earlier and waking up earlier. You probably remember how tough it was in past years to start getting up early after summer break. This year might be even harder, especially if you were going to school virtually, so give yourself some time. Your parents can help you figure out when you'll need to get up and when you'll go to bed to make sure you're getting enough sleep.

   • For example, your target wake-up time for school might be 6 a.m. If you normally get up some time between 9 and 10 a.m. now, set your alarm to get up at 8 a.m. for 3 or 4 days. Then, set it back to 7 a.m. for the next 3 or 4 days. By the time school starts, you'll be getting up at 6 a.m. with no problems.
   • Remember to set your bedtime earlier too. You want to try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night, so if you're getting up at 6 a.m., that means you need to be in bed by 10:00 p.m. That's not so early, is it?
   • About an hour before bedtime, turn off your screens and start winding down. That'll help you get ready for bed. You might want to listen to soft, relaxing music or read a book.

Organize your school supplies for the coming year.

1. Buy the supplies you need and get everything set up before classes start. Your list of supplies will likely be different for in-person school than it was for virtual school. Shop early for the best selection so you can get stuff that you really like and will be excited to use. Put everything in your backpack for your first day and get it ready to go.^[10]

   • Your school will have information about the specific supplies you need for your classes. Ask your parents if they've gotten a letter about it. The same information might also be available on your school's website.
   • You can also take this opportunity to turn your virtual schooling area into your homework area. Having everything there ready for you will make it easier to get started when you come home every day.
   • You can make homework more fun by giving yourself rewards for completing it.^[11]
   • Keep a calendar to have a consistent study schedule.^[12]

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Visit the school building before classes start.

1. This is especially important if you're going to a new school. Everybody's nervous about a new environment, but visiting the building ahead of time can make it easier. If you're allowed to enter the building, go ahead and find your classroom and the other places you'll go during the school day, such as the gym and the lunchroom.^[13]

   • You might need to get a parent to call and set up a time when you can go into the building and look around.
   • If you're not allowed to enter the building, see if you can find a map of the school online. Mark your classroom and other important places, then draw lines through the hallways on the map to trace your route.

Read back-to-school information provided by your school.

1. Your school will send out letters telling you how to prepare. Each school has its own specific policies on the return to in-person schooling. A few weeks before school starts, your school will send information to your parents. Go over the information with them and ask questions about anything you don't understand.^[14]

   • If you have a smartphone, see if your school has an app you can download. The app will have all the latest information so you can stay informed in case there are any changes.

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Practice wearing a mask if your school requires them.

1. Masks are safe to wear all day but it can take some time to get used to them. Even if you've been vaccinated, your school might require you to wear a mask while you're at school or on the bus to and from school. They can be irritating at first if you're not used to wearing one for a longer period, so practice wearing one at home.^[15]

   • Don't worry if you have a hard time wearing a mask all day when you first start. Just gradually increase the amount of time you wear your mask until you're wearing it all day.
   • If your school allows you to wear any mask you want, talk to your parents about getting some with designs that you like. It'll be more fun to wear your mask if it has your favorite characters on it.

1. Many school systems offer vaccination programs for students.^[16] A COVID-19 vaccine doesn't cost anything and helps protect you from the virus. Talk to your parents about getting your vaccines before school starts. You typically need two shots at least 2-3 weeks apart, so it can take you at least a month to get fully vaccinated.^[17]

   • If you get the vaccine, you might still get the virus—but you won't get as sick. It's important to keep using similar safety precautions, such as wearing masks and keeping your distance from people.

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1. Many schools will still offer virtual learning options for the 2021-22 school year. If you're not ready to return to in-person learning, whether because of anxiety over COVID-19 or for other reasons, talk to your parents. They can find out if your school is offering virtual learning for the school year and how to get you signed up.^[18]

   • If you're thinking you want to stay in virtual school rather than going back to in-person learning, talk to your parents about it as soon as possible. If you wait until right before school starts, you might not have as many options.
   • Remember that this decision is not entirely yours—if your parents want you to go back to in-person learning, you might not have the option. This is another reason it's good to talk to them as soon as possible. You want plenty of time to get ready.

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