It’s hard to believe that this week marks the start of a new school year for many people across the country. It seems like only yesterday that many of us were taking the barbecue out of storage and ringing in the start of the sunshine and warmer weather. The summer has whirled past — as summers tend to do — and a new chapter is about to begin for students and their teachers.

For many students, back to school stirs up mixed emotions. One may have a sense of excitement about all the new adventures ahead, but also anxiety over the unknown. A student may also experience feelings of dread surrounding the return to routine and the demands of homework and other obligations.

While much of the focus during back to school time centers on younger students, 2019 will see one of the largest cohorts of adults returning to higher education in history. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 7.4 million people over the age of 25 will attend American colleges and universities for full-time studies this fall.

Adult learners will comprise nearly 40% of the 19.4 million students enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies during the 2019–2020 academic year. The number of adults over the age of 25 enrolled in full-time studies has risen by 23% since 2009, and this upward trend shows no sign of abating

Returning to school later in life presents challenges and anxieties unique to the adult learner. For many adult students, it will mark a return to the classroom years — possibly even decades — after they last attended full-time studies. Many will have been active in the workforce and phasing back into student mode will require a period of adjustment.

Many adult students will question if they can transition from the more structured environment of work to the self-motivated reality of post-secondary education. They may contemplate if they can successfully balance the time commitments of schoolwork with family responsibilities. There is also the likelihood they’ll ponder if they can successfully navigate the age and generational barriers to fully integrate with the majority of their fellow students.

Regardless of the reasons and motivations behind one’s decision, returning to school as an adult often proves to be one of the most rewarding and satisfying experiences of your life.

As you step into the classroom this week, here are five tips to help channel your back to school anxiety.

Focus on the positives

Much of the anxiety surrounding back to school is caused by fear of the unknown. It is our mind thinking about all the things that could go wrong. Fear is designed to keep us safe by trying to prevent us from entering into unknown and unpredictable territories. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by it and stop yourself from moving forward.

Take a moment and step back. Your decision to go back to school is a positive thing. It means you’re going to expand your knowledge and grow as a person. This is an opportunity for you to move your life forward in new and exciting directions. It will likely challenge and change your current views of life.

Write down the first three positive things that come to your mind about going back to school. It could be that at the end of all the work you’ll have the degree you’ve longed for, or that you’ll be able to move in a new career direction, or you’ll be in a new and intellectually stimulating environment.

Post that list somewhere where you can see it daily. This list will serve as motivation to get over your back to school jitters and it will help you to keep things in perspective on days when you’re not sure of yourself.

Identify your goals for the year

Part of the worries surrounding a new school year stems from uncertainty over your academic performance. This is particularly true if you’re returning to school after a prolonged absence. You’re not sure how you will perform and what your strengths and weaknesses will be.

Coming up with a small list of goals will help to curb your anxieties by giving you something concrete to work towards. Perhaps you’ll aim for a B+ average, improve your writing skills, and expand your social circle.

Whatever your goals are, ensure that they are realistic and achievable. If you set the bar too high, you risk being disappointed and frustrated with yourself and even inhibiting your desire to move forward. Your goals need not be lofty or life-altering, rather, they should be things that will make you feel self-confident and happy as you move closer to fulfilling them.

Put on your explorer’s hat

One of the most daunting things about going back to college is familiarizing yourself with the campus. This is particularly true if you’re attending a large and sprawling college in an urban setting where buildings can be blocks apart.

Most colleges offer campus tours and orientation activities during the weeks before and after the start of classes. These tours offer you the benefit of being able to see the whole campus under the guidance of someone who possesses far more familiarity with it. Not only can they show you around, but they may also volunteer some information about the best places to eat or quiet spots to study.

Before your first classes, take some time to go and see where they are located in person. This will save you time during the first days, avoiding the stress and panic of being late or not knowing where you are going.

Once your classes are completed for the day, take some additional time to wander the campus. Find different ways of getting to the transit or parking locations and find shortcuts to get to other classes. Walking around the campus leisurely when you’re not under pressure to get to class on time, will help you get your bearings much faster.

Talk about your worries and ask for help

One of the best ways to handle any anxiety is to talk about it openly. If you’re feeling very nervous about going back to school, try talking about it to a partner, friend or family member. Tell them how you’re feeling and outline what your fears are. Verbalizing your anxiety often helps to calm it down.

If you are unsure about anything, don’t be afraid to ask someone whether it be a professor, teaching assistant, advisor, or fellow student. Most colleges offer a wide assortment of support services for students. Many campuses have writing centers, academic advising, emotional counseling or even crisis services to help students in virtually every facet of college life.

Many campuses across America have — or are working towards — specialized services for adult learners. These can range from extra academic help to social clubs designed to help adult students re-orientate themselves into academic life. For the most part, these services are integrated into your tuition fees and you shouldn’t be afraid to use them frequently.

Adult students are statistically more successful than younger ones

A significant source of anxiety for any adult going back to school is the uncertainty of how they’ll perform academically. For some adults who long to return to school, the fear surrounding their academic abilities keeps them from taking the leap and enrolling.

Here’s a heartening fact for adult students nervous about their educational skills, statistics have proven that adult learners do significantly better than their younger counterparts. Indeed, a 2018 report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that 68.3% of adult learners achieved a B+ or higher average spanning from 2011 to 2018. This is compared to 44.2% of students under the age of 25.

While adult students may feel out of touch when returning to school, they bring a unique skill set that many younger students lack. According to a report by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, adult learners possess a strongly honed sense of responsibility and personal accountability gleaned from years in the workforce and through familial responsibilities. An adult learner better understands the importance of deadlines and multitasking. Finally, the report shows that adult learners are, on average, happier than their younger classmates. Overwhelming, adult learners want to be in class as opposed to feeling they have to be there like some younger students.

Given these statistics, plus the fact that many college professors admit to preferring interaction with older students, fears over academic performance are largely unfounded.