It’s May! Are you feeling like, “Change is overwhelming me.. How do I handle it?” Welcome to the season where school ends, and summertime looms. Standardized exams are impending; final exams, and assignments are being disbursed. Therefore, for many, there’s a lot that changes in this time, so it can be important to think about how to handle changes.
Find humor in changes.
Actually, there are a lot of biological benefits to finding the sweet, funny spot in changes. Those lovely endorphins are released and we are able to do affiliative bonding, or strengthen social bonds, with others surrounding us. This helps us cope.
Find the meaning in the fear.
It’s easy to fear new changes like going to a new grade. Or getting a certain grade in a class. But if you take some time to think about why you might be feeling the way you do— relating it to a desire to perform well, or please others, or be a good student— you might be able to reduce the pressure on yourself. As such, you might be able to think of other ways you can fulfill these identity roles. Does being a good student just mean getting good grades? Or does it mean that you tried your best to study? Fearing change is a sign from our emotions that something is up, and deserves to be looked into. Thinking about why we have fear helps us reduce it.
Plan ways to take change in stride.
If you are overwhelmed by the thought of change, you can act in ways to mitigate that feeling of being overwhelmed. Make small plans to keep a sphere of control. Additionally, ask for help and advice from people in your life that have been through the same situation before. Lastly, try to find organization in your schedule so that you can handle changes like a new school year or a new entire school, one step at a time.
