Sunday, Interrupted By: Maylene Michel

Dreading going back to school or work on a Sunday is actually a global phenomenon colloquially known as the Sunday Scaries: “The Sunday Scaries, also known as the Sunday blues, are a form of anticipatory anxiety tied to the start of a new week, often linked to work or upcoming responsibilities,” according to Holland and Barrett. Most people’s understanding of this occurrence solidifies as they make their way through high school. While the true cause of this phenomenon varies considerably by person, it is undoubtedly underdiscussed considering its effects on daily life and the age of whom it effects, with high schoolers in mind.

Academically focused Hillgrove students have made it clear that balancing responsibilities doesn’t always come naturally; the sheer load of schoolwork imposed on them weekly is a leading factor in this phenomenon of anticipatory anxiety. Addison Gorman, junior at Hillgrove, shares, “[The teachers are] kind of just yelling at us first thing. And they're like, this is due and this is due…” and suggests “kind of like, easing more into Monday and lighter work on Monday” at the very least. Addison also mentions that in terms of assignments and/or homework, she regularly “just [does] it in [her] car Monday morning,” further exploring how far this phenomenon goes.  

A second and major factor of Sunday Scaries is the feeling of being drained by responsibilities for which you have little to no passion for. Alison Cornejo, another junior at Hillgrove, explains, “Being back at school is, like, draining at some point, because they assign you so much homework, tests, projects. So, I definitely dread… just, like, thinking about the whole week and how it'll play out.” Many students speak of their work as just tasks needing to get done and with very little enthusiasm.

Very Well Mind reports that “More than 2 in 5 people who experience the Sunday Scaries have anxiety that stems from trying to balance work and home.2 You start to think about all your obligations in both settings and the anxiety begins to well up.” While students and adults alike can relate to the point made about anxiety, it’s important to consider the statistics: two of five people experience this kind of anticipatory anxiety. Ansley Hackney, a third junior at Hillgrove, elucidates, “Um, I think it is normalized but I don't think it’s normal… the workload is, like, obviously a lot on us. So, I think that…it's just normalized for us to kind of accept that.” So many students are stressed and regularly dread going to a place they are required to be in for so long.

Ultimately, acknowledging this universal feeling is crucial to fostering better environments in which it is less persistent and becomes a manageable part of daily life.