5 Tips to Help Your Teen Overcome Graduation Anxiety

May 16, 2024 by Valerie Kirk

6 min to read

A Learning Coach discusses graduation anxiety with his online school student.

Since their first day of kindergarten, your student has been working towards one overarching goal: graduating from high school and earning their diploma. And while many students are full of excitement and anticipation for graduation day and what comes next in their lives, there are others who experience fear, uncertainty, and graduation anxiety.

What is Graduation Anxiety?

Graduation anxiety is when teens feel scared and nervous about graduation to the point that it interferes with their daily lives. Graduation anxiety goes beyond feeling a little anxious about all the changes that are happening in their lives. Students who experience graduation anxiety and post-graduation anxiety are full of dread and uncertainty, constantly scared about the future.

There are many factors that lead to graduation anxiety.

Fear of Change

High school graduation is a time of significant change, and change is hard. Teenagers are faced with changes to their school routine, friends, activities, and even where they live after graduation, which can be more change than some know how to handle emotionally.

Uncertainty About Their Future Career

Many teens just don’t know what they want to do after high school. Adding to the stress is the social pressure teens feel today to know exactly what career they want to pursue once they graduate. Many students feel pressure to declare a field of study before they even step foot on a college campus.

Self-Doubt

High school offers a safety net and support structure for students. They may feel that their support structure will disappear after graduation. They may also worry that they don’t have the skills yet to succeed in the adult world.

Familial Expectations

Families may have big dreams for their kids, but those dreams may be different than what their child wants. Students may feel that they just can’t live up to the expectations others have for them.

Concerns About Finances

Whether going off to college or joining the workforce, entering adulthood includes more financial responsibilities, which can be stressful, especially for those who are uncertain about what they want to do after high school or who have limited experiences with managing their own finances.

A Learning Coach discusses graduation anxiety with her online school student.

How to Recognize Graduation Anxiety in Your Teen

For caregivers who are already navigating their child’s behavior changes and the mood swings that come with raising teenagers, recognizing graduation anxiety may be hard. Teens are notorious for not sharing what they are really feeling with their families. Plus, caregivers may be struggling with their own form of graduation anxiety, as this is a significant time of change for them, too.

Here are a few things to watch for if your teen is experiencing graduation anxiety:

They get unusually angry or flustered when asked future-focused questions, like what college they are planning to attend or what they are going to do after graduation
They seem distant and distracted, like they are preoccupied with something
They pull away from their friends and avoid some of the traditional senior year rituals
They struggle with making any decisions—even small ones
They procrastinate on completing applications or assignments as they try to push back the inevitable
They have physical symptoms like headaches or panic attacks
They have trouble sleeping
They keep asking you to tell them what they should do after high school

Advice for Graduating Seniors to Overcome Graduation Anxiety

If your teen is experiencing graduation anxiety, here are five tips to help them overcome what they are feeling and enjoy this special time in their lives.

1. Talk to the School Counselor

If your student is anxious and unsure about what career path they want to take, suggest they meet with their school counselor. School counselors have a wealth of information – and have experience supporting teens with making plans for life after high school. They can help with career planning, self-assessments, and planning college visits. They can also suggest career skill-building opportunities or other activities that can help your student gain the confidence they need to take their next step after graduation as well as strategies for stress and anxiety management.

2. Find a Distraction

Spare time allows for your teen to brood over what they will do after high school. Suggest that they fill their time instead by starting a new hobby, volunteering, or taking a class at the local community college. Doing something new can build confidence, distract them from the big changes that are coming, and may even lead to finding a passion that could turn into a career. Clarity often comes when the mind is engaged in other productive activities.

3. Focus on Well-being

Stress and anxiety can lead to poor mental and physical health, which can make stress and anxiety worse. It’s a perpetual, negative cycle. Your teen can combat those feelings by focusing on activities that improve their mental and physical well-being. Exercising regularly releases endorphins that naturally boost mood. Eating well improves overall physical health. Getting enough sleep is good for the body and mind. Doing things that improve their overall well-being can help pull them out of their graduation anxiety.

4. Live in the Moment

Senior year and high school graduation is a moment in time they won’t ever get back. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in what happens next that they forget to live in the moment and enjoy where they are right now. The future will be there. For now, tell your teen to live in the moment and have fun during their last year of high school.

5. Give Yourself Grace

Change is hard for anyone. If your teen is overcome with anxiety and uncertainty about their future, remind them of all the ways they have prepared in the past with a successful outcome and to give themselves some grace for not having everything all figured out. Remind them that everyone has a unique experience when it comes to discovering the right career path. It's helpful to share your own stories or the stories of others who may not have followed a traditional path or who changed their mind along the way. No decision made right now has to be "set in stone"! The best advice for your high school graduate is to remind them to lean on their support systems and to not be afraid to ask for help when they need it.

When they stop being so hard on themselves, they can focus on their future with new eyes and a more positive outlook.

Helping Your Teen Overcome Graduation Anxiety

While the pressure to have a plan for after high school even before graduating can lead to graduation anxiety, the lack of a plan is also troubling. Teens who don’t know what they are going to do or have no direction can feel even more anxiety.

Sit down with your teen and have an open conversation about where they see themselves in the future, then break it down to the beginning of a plan to help them get there. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate plan full of details. A loose plan that provides some action after graduation can help them focus and fight off anxiety by giving them a sense of control over their future.

This could be as simple as researching different careers, planning a summer trip, finding internships or mentorship programs, or spending the summer working at a job that they love. Just knowing that they have plans to do something can make life after graduation seem less intimidating.

No two journeys after high school are the same, and the path they choose will be uniquely theirs. Let them know you are excited to see where their path takes them, and just as you were there at every step leading up to graduation, you will be there to cheer them on as they embark on this new adventure.