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This article was first published in September 2018

The death of the lie-in

You’ve grown accustomed to the lack of alarm. You’ve bonded with your bed. Your pillows are your new BFFs. Yet, suddenly, your phone is buzzing at an obnoxiously early time and there are only so many times you can press snooze. Sigh.

When twinning isn’t the one

You pondered, you perused, and finally you picked your new school bag. It took time, it took effort, and now someone else has turned up with the same one. How dare they? That’s several hours of scrolling you’ll never get back…

#goals

You’ve given yourself a pep talk. You’ve got fancy new stationery. You're totally ready to start your new life as a legitimate genius. Oh…wait, did I leave my homework on the kitchen table?

No half measures

You thought they’d be kind. You thought they’d go easy on you. But, no - there’s always that one teacher, ready and waiting to barrage you with homework. Thanks. Thanks very much for your enthusiasm.

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Your brain is still on holiday. You’re convinced you’ve lost all ability to function. Anyone remember who or what Pythagoras is (asking for a friend)?!

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact , where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on ���˿��� Action Line.