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Change is scary, but there a lot of good ways to deal with it:

• talk to friends and family about your feelings;
• join a self-help group;
• seek professional support from the NHS or a counsellor;
• speak to a voluntary organisation;
• develop coping strategies such as relaxation techniques, joining a club, or going to the gym.

One thing’s for certain — change never stops. As we grow older, life presents us with new and different challenges, and we must learn to cope with them.

Even though it can be difficult to adapt to new surroundings, rising to the challenge of change helps us to develop as people.

Starting a new school

Almost everyone knows the feeling of starting at a new school. If you are lucky you arrive with a group of friends to share the experience. But many children find they are alone and feel scared.

If you're feeling this way, speak to a teacher. Join a student club and meet new people with shared interests. Try to make friends in class.

Going to university or college

Starting a university or college is like starting school but there are so many more people. You might be older, but it can still be a lonely and difficult experience. And yet, it can be a positive experience too.

Starting university is exciting. You are going to enjoy:

• new experiences
• clubs, societies, sports;
• new, more sophisticated classes;
• being more independent and confident;
• forming bonds with other students;
• the sense of achievemnent at having reached university;
• meeting new friends.

That said, there are some downsides. You might:

• drink too much alcohol;
• sleep poorly;
• react badly to a change of diet;
• be short of money;
• find that striking a balance between study, work and socialising is difficult;
• miss your family and school friends;
• find it hard to cope with independence.

When you start university, take care of yourself. Don’t try to do everything at once. Take some time out to speak to specialist advisers about how to adapt.