With thousands of students heading back to school, FindTutors, powered by GoStudent, has unveiled expert-backed advice to help families manage the start of term with less pressure and more positivity.
Creating Consistent Routines for Success
Early mornings, lack of focus, and emotional strain are common challenges in September, explains teacher and psychopedagogue Nani Conde. She recommends setting stable routines, celebrating early progress, and fostering strong communication between parents and teachers.
Psychologist and coach Sandra Palo suggests making routines fun and visually engaging by using colourful timetables. “Routines are not a prison, they’re a map that provides order and confidence,” she advises.
Restoring Focus and Study Habits
To rebuild attention spans, Palo recommends short yet effective tasks such as crosswords and puzzles while keeping study spaces tidy and free from distractions. “Concentration is like a muscle. If you don’t train it, it weakens. If you exercise it, it grows stronger,” she explains.
Conde encourages incorporating relaxing family activities like reading or playing board games, alongside short study intervals of 10–20 minutes with regular breaks to support better retention and reduce stress.
Coping with First-Day Nerves and Anxiety
For students feeling anxious, Conde advises shifting attention to the positive side of returning to school — opportunities for new friendships, knowledge, and personal growth — combined with calming breathing techniques to manage tension.
“Fears are like traffic lights. Sometimes they turn red to make us stop and reflect, but sooner or later they turn green again so we can move forward,” Palo says.
Fostering Confidence and Easing Academic Demands
Experts stress the importance of recognising effort, rewarding gradual improvement, and avoiding overwhelming workloads during the first few weeks of term.
Research by GoStudent and FindTutors shows that personalised learning solutions, including one-to-one tutoring, can boost both performance and self-confidence, helping students adapt successfully.
“Starting the year with additional support – through tutors, mentors or private lessons – reduces uncertainty and builds confidence. In many cases, this early reinforcement is the key to transforming stress into motivation,” says Albert Clemente, CEO of FindTutors.
According to the WHO’s 2024 study, teenagers today face rising academic expectations while receiving less emotional support from families. In response, 40% of European teachers have called for schools to provide emotional wellbeing training.
“Students face this month as a period of transition. Routines change, academic and social demands increase, and now they must also adapt to an increasingly digitalised world. Without proper support, it is easy for them to begin the year with insecurity,” Clemente warns.
