Still Dreaming About School as an Adult? Here's Why

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Decoding your school-related dreams

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School Dreams Explained

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Interpretations

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How to Stop

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Expert Interview

You wake up in a cold sweat after a dream about school—you forgot about your calculus exam and failed the final exam. You remember all the details vividly and everything felt so real…except you graduated from school ten years ago. While dreaming is a healthy way for your brain to process your emotions, why do you keep dreaming about school as an adult? In this article, we’ll explain why you might be in a perpetual state of student life and how you can finally graduate from your school-related dreams.

Things You Should Know

School-related dreams usually occur if you’re feeling insecure or anxious in waking life, especially if you’re going to be judged by an authority figure.
Dreaming about being underprepared for a test typically indicates that you feel underprepared for an upcoming event, such as an interview or presentation.
To overcome anxiety dreams about school, write down your dreams in detail, then re-visualize the ending with a positive outcome of your choice.

Section 1 of 3:

Why do I keep dreaming about school as an adult?

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School-related dreams may represent your insecurities or anxieties. They usually occur when you’re feeling underprepared or stressed out, especially if you’re going to be evaluated by someone in a higher position than you. Since school often corresponds to the earliest memories of being judged based on performance, you might have recurring dreams about school as an adult because your subconscious is trying to process similar emotions.^{[1]XResearch source}
- For many people, school-related dreams make them feel vulnerable, inadequate, or even fearful in some cases.
- Memory research also suggests that adults over the age of 40 have stronger, sharper memories of events from their adolescence, which may explain why they have anxiety dreams about school (instead of experiences like job interviews or client meetings).^{[2]XTrustworthy SourcePubMed CentralJournal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of HealthGo to source}

Section 2 of 3:

School-Related Dream Interpretations

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Being unprepared for a test might indicate you feel inadequate. The most common school-related dream is forgetting to attend class all semester until the day of the final exam. If this is a recurring scenario for you, it might symbolize your anxiety about an upcoming event—maybe you haven’t worked as hard as you like or you don’t feel as prepared as others.^{[3]XResearch source}
- While anxiety dreams about school may disturb a peaceful night’s sleep, they can be beneficial if you use them to inspire you. For example, if you dream about being underprepared for a math exam, interpret it as a sign to improve your time management skills so you can be more productive in the future.
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Being lost in school may signal uncertainty about your life's purpose. If you can’t seem to find your classroom in your dreams, it might symbolize a broader struggle to figure out your direction in life. Consider this dream a sign to evaluate your interests and step out of your comfort zone—you might discover your passion in life after trying something new or unexpected!^{[4]XResearch source}
- Create a dedicated journal to help you explore your thoughts and interests. What do you look forward to the most when you wake up? What makes you feel truly alive? Ask yourself what brings you joy and make a list of actions that will lead you to your purpose.
- Find someone who has the life that you want and figure out how they achieved it. While you don't have to follow their exact path, you can use them to emulate specific characteristics that could benefit you and inspire your own journey.
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Being late to school might signal a major change on the horizon. This dream scenario indicates that you will have to make an important decision soon, so interpret it as a message to prepare yourself for the future. To handle changes in your life, think about your new situation and try to find ways to learn more about what you’ll be facing.^{[5]XResearch source}
- For instance, if you’re planning to move to a different state, you can research as much as you can about the new place before you physically move, or ask someone who lives there about their experience.
- If you’re an indecisive person, train your brain to embrace mistakes and stop worrying about “bad” decisions. Remember, every mistake is a learning experience so you can actively choose to see the positive in less favorable situations.
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Showing up to school naked may reflect your fear of being vulnerable. If you’re about to speak in front of a crowd or experience a major change in your life (such as a move or new job opportunity), your dream might indicate your inner feelings of insecurity or the need for acceptance. You might be feeling underprepared or inadequate because you’re worried about being “exposed.”^{[6]XResearch source}
- While it’s perfectly normal to crave acceptance from others, remember to embrace vulnerability and view it as a strength. Give yourself permission to make mistakes and take risks to grow as a person. The fear of criticism can actually hold you back from producing your best work or living your best life.
- For instance, if you’re about to lead a presentation at work, remind yourself that you know the information better than everyone else in the room. Think of all the hours you’ve put into your deck and validate your judgment and experience.
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Returning to school as an adult might be a sign to self reflect. Dreaming of going back to class indicates you haven’t mastered certain life skills that could help you out as an adult, especially if you have unresolved trauma. Interpret this dream as a sign to reflect on the past so you can determine what’s holding you back and cope with your feelings in a healthy way.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Make a list of important events in your life, and try to remember how you felt at the time. What did you learn from those experiences, and would you do things differently? Reflecting on previous experiences can help you understand yourself (and your dreams) better.

Section 3 of 3:

How to Stop Dreaming About School

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Write down your dreams in vivid detail. As soon as you wake up, jot down your school-related dreams in a journal so you can keep track of them. Recording all the details, images, and dialogues of your dream will help you examine them and look for any possible causes.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Think back on your emotions during the dream. Even if you can’t remember why you felt a certain way, write it down—you might be able to piece things together later on.
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Look for any relation between your dreams and waking life. In order to stop dreaming about school, reflect on any recent events in your life that may be connected to your dreams. Are you stressed out about an important meeting coming up? Do you feel underprepared for an upcoming presentation? Analyze the details from your dream journal so you can accept how you’re feeling and let go of any negative emotions.^{[9]XResearch source}
- For instance, if you have a dream about showing up late to class, it might mean you feel anxious about something at your job.
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Re-visualize your dreams with a positive ending. If you’re having recurring anxiety dreams about school, use image rehearsal therapy to take control of your dreams: write down your dream in detail, then rewrite any negative parts into positive ones. Imagine your new storyline during the day so you can “train” your brain to make these new changes, and re-imagine the scenario right before you go to sleep.^{[10]XResearch source}
- For example, if you keep dreaming about being stuck in a busy hall filled with students, you can visualize the hall as empty or imagine that you’re in a completely different classroom instead.
- If you’re stressed in the middle of the day, those emotions will show up in your dreams later on, allowing your brain to process them and prepare you for similar situations in the future. Although you may want to minimize your school-related dreams, try to embrace them as well—all dreams are beneficial to your mental health!^{[11]XTrustworthy SourceGreater Good MagazineJournal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier livingGo to source}
- Pay attention to your dreams because your dreams are always telling you things your conscious mind does not want to pick up on. You can imagine yourself in that situation and note what comes up for you.
- Allow yourself to project yourself into that future situation to see what it's like for you. Notice how you feel.
- You can let yourself visualize something. It's vital for your imagination and intuition. That's how your intuition talks to you.