On the East Coast of the United States spring is a glorious season. Here, in the nation’s Capital, we have a special treat as we anticipate and enjoy the hundreds of Cherry Trees planted along the Tidal Basin. People come from miles away to experience the blossoms of these trees. Cameras are clicking away, brides are posing under the luscious pink blossoms, and children are picking pedals off the ground.

Spring is a glorious time of renewal and hope. The anticipation is exciting. The blossoms are a perfect light pink, and the carpet of petals that they leave is elegant.

Spring is a time of renewal and growth. Even if you cannot see a blooming cherry tree in your yard, the season is intended to spark your imagination leading to new plans for the future. What are you planning? Some of my clients are planning weddings. That is exciting! Some of my clients are contemplating going back to school and changing careers. That is a challenge, and I admire their bravery. I think returning to academics as an adult is an act of bravery. School is a completely different structure from work. Your brain must do some new things that it has not done in a long while. You must put yourself in the position of less than as you dive into new concepts and ideas. Studying is a whole different form of work, and sometimes, the old anxieties from earlier schooling can return with a vengeance.

I admire these new students and support their return to the classroom. We all have memories of school as a child. Like it or not, when we put ourselves back into the classroom, these old memories are bound to appear. Were you the class clown or the head of the class? Were you lost in some classes and comfortable in others? Was studying fun for you or the very thing that you dreaded? Like it or not, these memories come marching out of your brain and demand to be revisited. We spend 12 to 16 years in a classroom. That is a pretty big chunk of time. When we choose to return as an adult, that history will come back to life. So, you are not only enrolling in classes as an adult, you will also be revisiting classroom experiences from that 12 to 16-year period. Here is the place for the Scout motto: Be Prepared.

Preparing to return to school as an adult is more than buying the text or saving time to be on Zoom. You must also prepare for your earlier history to come jumping out when you least expect it. So, let’s get ahead of this. Take time to review your earlier history of being in school. I mean, go as far back as you can. Remember being dropped off at preschool? Remember the best friend in elementary school who dropped you with the transition to middle school? Or perhaps you are still friends with your elementary buddy. Call them and talk about this new adventure that you are about to start. Were you a successful student, or did you have challenges?

Trust me, all of these pieces of history will come flooding or creeping into your current experience. Welcome them as they will help you grow. Go fishing for them to take advantage of the feeling states that come to mind. Spring into this new adventure with the awareness that your history can either help you or hurt you. Decide to use your history rather than letting it overwhelm you. Talk about your early experiences and decide how you want to relate to them. Anticipate how your history will put its mark on the present.