Morgan Hagner, PsyD, Post-Doctoral Fellow

Many college students I work with say things like, “I’ll finally get a break after finals,” “I’ll get back on track after vacation,” or “I just have to make it through these last two weeks and then I’ll be fine.” There’s often an expectation that once the academic pressure lifts, anxiety will ease too.

In actuality, that’s often not the case. Anxiety doesn’t automatically follow the academic calendar, and for many clients, symptoms persist or even intensify during the summer months. CBT can help clients navigate this transition, introduce structure, and identify unhelpful beliefs about rest and productivity.

Why Does Anxiety Persist After Finals?

Wren* is a 21‑year‑old college student who has experienced episodes of anxiety since she became a teenager. She entered treatment after her symptoms escalated during the past academic year. Like many high-achieving students, Wren tends to push herself hard at the end of each term to meet deadlines and achieve the grades she expects of herself. As a result, her sleep, meals, and routines often become inconsistent during finals.

Two female college students studying in a park.

When summer arrives, Wren is already starting from a place of depleted energy and disrupted self-care. Rather than feeling relief, she finds herself anxious and unsettled. Her days lack structure, her sleep schedule remains irregular, and she feels pressure to “make the most” of summer by socializing more, traveling, and enjoying herself. Instead of feeling relaxed, she worries she’s wasting time, falling behind, or missing out.

This pattern is common. While summer is typically framed as a time to rest and recharge, it often brings less structure, increased expectations for enjoyment and productivity, and more unplanned social demands, all of which can exacerbate anxiety.

What Does Summer Anxiety Look Like?

For college students and young adults, summer-related anxiety may be characterized by

  • Difficulty maintaining routines around sleep, meals, or exercise;
  • Increased worry about the future (internships, applications, jobs, relationships);
  • Heightened social anxiety or social pressure due to more invitations, gatherings, and unstructured time;
  • Avoidance disguised as “taking a break”;
  • Guilt or self‑criticism for not feeling happy or relaxed.

Clients may say they should feel better because school is over, which can add an additional layer of frustration when symptoms persist.

What Maintains Anxiety During the Summer Months?

It can be helpful to collaboratively explore what’s maintaining anxiety during the summer months. For clients like Wren, contributors often include:

  • Loss of reinforcing routines that provided predictability during the school year;
  • All-or-nothing beliefs (“If I’m not productive, I’ve failed” or “I should be relaxed all the time”);
  • Avoidance patterns that increase in unstructured environments;
  • Increased self‑monitoring and comparison during social activities.

CBT Strategies for Summer Anxiety

Often, it’s helpful to begin by normalizing anxiety and how it can fluctuate with changes in routine. Other interventions might include:

  • Collaboratively building more structure into the client’s week;
  • Identifying more accurate or helpful beliefs about rest, productivity, and enjoyment;
  • Planning exposures for social anxiety related to summer activities;
  • Strengthening self-compassion;
  • Identifying the client’s values and helping them implement activities that are in line with those values;
  • Using behavioral experiments to test predictions like “If I don’t constantly socialize, I’ll regret it” or “I won’t get anything done if I take a break.”

Reframing Summer as an Opportunity for Exploration

Anxiety during the summer is not a sign of failure or regression. It’s often a response to disrupted routines and increased uncertainty. But summer can also be a valuable window of time for insight and growth. It offers students the opportunity to evaluate their thoughts and behaviors, modify those that are unhelpful, and practice skills that are more useful during times of change. Summer may look different than expected, but it can still be meaningful, therapeutic, and productive.

*The client’s name and identifying details have been changed to protect confidentiality.

Read more about CBT for anxiety: