Student Lived Experience

Student Statements About Difficulties Attending School

Feeling overwhelmed or anxious

• “School makes me feel really anxious, especially in the morning.”
• “When I think about going to school, my stomach hurts and I feel panicked.”
• “I get overwhelmed by everything that’s expected of me.”
• “I worry about failing or doing something wrong in class.”
• “Sometimes my anxiety is so strong that I just can’t get out the door.”

Difficulty managing stress and emotions

• “When I’m stressed, it’s hard for me to focus on school.”
• “My emotions get really intense and I don’t know how to handle them.”
• “I feel exhausted all the time and school feels like too much.”
• “I feel like I’m barely keeping up and it’s overwhelming.”

Academic challenges

• “I don’t understand the work and I feel embarrassed asking for help.”
• “I feel like I’m always behind everyone else.”
• “When assignments pile up, I don’t know where to start.”
• “Sometimes I just stare at the work and my mind goes blank.”
• “I feel like the school system isn’t built for the way my brain works.”

Bullying or peer difficulties

• “I don’t feel safe around some of the other students.”
• “I get bullied and it makes me not want to go to school.”
• “I feel like I don’t belong at school.”
• “I’m scared people will judge or laugh at me.”
• “It’s hard to go somewhere every day where you feel left out.”

Lack of belonging or connection

• “I feel invisible at school.”
• “I don’t feel like anyone notices when I’m struggling.”
• “I wish there was an adult at school I could talk to.”
• “School doesn’t feel like a place where I belong.”
• “I feel like nobody understands what I’m going through.”

Mental health struggles

• “Some days my mental health makes it hard just to get out of bed.”
• “I feel really depressed and school feels pointless.”
• “My brain feels foggy and it’s hard to concentrate.”
• “When I’m having a bad mental health day, everything at school feels impossible.”

Sensory or environmental challenges

• “The noise and crowds at school are overwhelming for me.”
• “Classrooms can feel chaotic and it’s hard for me to focus.”
• “Transitions between classes are stressful.”
• “Being around so many people drains my energy.”

Family or life stress

• “There’s a lot going on at home and it’s hard to focus on school.”
• “Sometimes I have responsibilities at home that make school harder.”
• “I’m dealing with things in my life that make it hard to concentrate.”

Feeling misunderstood or unsupported

• “People think I’m lazy, but I’m actually struggling.”
• “When teachers say I’m not trying, it makes me feel worse.”
• “I want to succeed, but I need support.”
• “Sometimes it feels like the system is blaming me instead of helping me.”

Hope and desire to succeed

• “I actually want to be at school, but it’s really hard.”
• “I wish school worked differently for students like me.”
• “If I had the right support, I think I could do better.”
• “I want to learn, I just need help managing everything.”

These kinds of statements reflect an important point: students experiencing attendance challenges often want to attend school but face barriers related to mental health, belonging, learning needs, or life circumstances rather than a lack of motivation.