A new school year is exciting. There's that wonderful feeling of making a fresh start, catching up with old friends, and making progress by moving up a grade. But there's no denying that it can be stressful too.

What's Worrying You

If you find yourself preparing for school by hoping for the best and imagining the worst, you're not alone. Here's what we heard from 600 people who took our survey on back-to-school worries.

One third said they worry most about schoolwork. No surprise there. You'll be studying more advanced material, so it's natural to worry about whether you'll do OK.

But not everyone said schoolwork was their biggest worry. Just as many people said they worry most about social issues like fitting in, having friends, being judged, or being teased. Since social life is such a big part of school, it's not a shock that social issues are the biggest worry for some people.

Besides schoolwork and social stuff, another category ranked high on the worry list: appearance. One-fourth of the people who responded to our survey said appearance issues worried them most of all. If this is you, you've got plenty of company.

Kimberly, 14, told us, "I'm happy about going back to school — I'm bored stiff here! But I'm worried about reputation, teasing, failing, and being a nerd."