Back to school in dreams

In ancient dream dictionaries going back to school suggests money plans will prosper in life.

Ever found yourself in a dream, standing in a school corridor, the echoes of locker doors slamming shut, or maybe sitting at a desk with the sudden realization that an exam is on today's list of things to do today, and panic sets in? And trust me, I know just how real this can feel. We all wake up from these dreams with a burning question: what on earth did going back to school mean?

What does it mean to dream of going back to school?

Sometimes these dreams appear to step back in time and other times the school is unknown. It’s important to look at the building and if this is familiar as this will give us a clue to how important this dream is. These back-to-school dreams and attending your old school again as an adult (or even if you are still at school) could be pointing out that you learned a vital lesson or urging you to learn some knowledge that's important in your life. Our dreams can be pretty profound if we're willing to listen. I believe that dreams about going back to school to a school you don’t know or have never been into (in real life) often suggest you will have a fresh outlook at work and it is a sign to embrace a new start. Seeing yourself going back to an old school is a reminder of how far you have come in life.

What type of school was featured in the dream?

You could dream of either an elementary, junior or primary school and this could suggest your attitude in life can be somewhat immature at times. To dream of being back at elementary school indicates you need a mature outlook in life. To dream of high school is connected to how you view yourself and learning in general. To see yourself in a college setting, or being back at college means something new needs to happen to progress a difficult situation. Seeing yourself in a classroom in a dream can indicate that you need to focus on your behavior in life. Reading books at school again represents the need to focus on your own goals in life. Dreams of school are often associated with the lessons we have in life.

Review the grade that you are at school in the dream. Each school setting in the dream suggests different things in life. A primary school can also indicate that you need to make a decision. A high school / secondary school denotes that you need to take on new challenges. To see a boarding school indicates supportive friends in life. A private school suggests that risk needs to be taken.

To teach in a school in a dream predicts emotional attachment to children. Attending math class in a dream suggests problem-solving in waking life. To pass a math exam at school in the dream state is positive and is focused on your own understanding in life.

Is the dream of going back to school good or bad?

To answer this question I think the dream of being back in school is good. Remember, we often think of school days as simpler times, but let's be real -- school was stuffed with nerve-wracking moments for many of us. The reason I see this as a positive dream is because being back at school shows you have/or have just learned to learn important “life” lessons. Seeing yourself back in school could be associated with gaining new knowledge or that you need to pay attention to issues in waking life. Think about this: school helps cement us in life, guiding us through childhood to adulthood.

What does it mean to dream of a teacher, being in class or an exam?

I’ve touched on a few points in the opening paragraph but there is something I want to share with you. If a teacher appears in your back-to-school dream this can suggest a symbol of authority in waking life, such as a boss or someone who controls you. To see yourself sitting a final exam in a dream can mean you need to resolve problems in life and act more mature. It can imply that you value being an individual and can suggest that you need to learn lessons in daily life.

To see yourself back in a “classroom” in your old school in general means learning. Also, if you are learning something new in real life or being “educated” then it is not uncommon to dream of exams. In fact, Sorbonne University in Paris researched medical students and over 60% dreamed of an exam the night before an exam.

So what if you are an adult and you dream of being back at school?

The dream aims to teach you that you need to learn more in life. Just because you have left “traditional” school does not mean you need to stop learning. The more information you learn the better you will progress and be self-aware in life.

Our time at school is associated with learning about who we are as people, our parents act as guides and we form relationships with others. Subsequently, school life is often reflected in our “work” life. Thus, one will learn lessons at school and transfer these into lessons in life. This is the one key message you must leave with when dreaming of being back at school.

Here are some popular back-to-school dream meanings:

• Seeing yourself back at school you used to go to: Dreaming about being back at school can mean you've got some unfinished business from those days. Maybe there was a friendship that went sideways or a class you didn't do well in. This dream is about stepping back in time to see things “simple” again.
• Hallways in your dream: Schools are institutions of learning and growth but also, let's be real, full of regimented routines and expectations. The endless hallways (or seeing the hallway) could point to your own paths in life – are you lost, trying to find your classroom if so it means you're trying to find a way to learn about people.
• Being in a cafeteria at school: means you need to watch your diet. The “eating” mechanism within your dream is associated with having a healthier life.
• To learn a new language at school: in your dream is all about communication in waking life.
• To see a blackboard: in a dream, especially if written on suggests immediate plans will be positive.
• To see a whiteboard: suggests a false friend. To gain a diploma in a dream indicates money and prosperity, it is also a warning that you should not focus too much on yourself but also on others in life. Try to stop spending too much money on yourself if you are bullied back at school in your dream.
• A teacher in a dream: indicates that one must learn an opportunity presented. It can also suggest that you will teach others in life. The teacher can also be the guide you need to gain important ideas in life. The primary focus of the teacher is guiding and learning and this is associated with trying to achieve in life.
•  If you are at an old school or boarding house in a dream this could suggest that your outlook on life is rather old and outdated.
• Failing a class in a dream: is connected to our inner desires and wants. 
• Forgetting a class schedule or timetable: is associated with forgetting who we are in life and what we are trying to achieve. Make sure that you listen to your inner self to define goals.
• To sit at a desk or be in a class: during the dream indicates you need to look at your problems in daily life. It can suggest that you are encountering problems at work and you need better ways to deal with these.
• You're rushing because you're about to miss the school bus: classic sign you’re feeling you don’t have any time in terms of time in real life. Maybe you’re behind on a deadline or you’ve been putting off something super important. It's like your brain’s saying, “I’m too rushed prioritise me, will you?”
• You're sitting for an exam that’s in a whole new language, basically: it’s like your subconscious putting up a giant sign saying that it does not understand why you are not taking time for yourself.
• You haven’t cracked open a book and now the exam’s here: this one’s screaming that you’re feeling unprepared -- like you're stepping into a big project or a major life event without doing your homework. 
• Everything's going wrong in the middle of your test: hate to break it to you, but this dream could be echoing some real-life anxieties. It’s like your brain’s way for you to think about preparing a Plan B for those problems in life.
• Can’t find your classroom: this classic back to school, and maybe pointing to ask yourself if you’re in the right job or if you’re second-guessing your latest big decision.
• The Mystery Class: Just got your dream schedule, and there's a class on there you've never heard of? This dream might just be your brain's cryptic way of saying there's a new challenge on the horizon you've gotta gear up for. 
• The Forgotten Locker Combo: Staring at a stubborn locker that just won't budge? Classic. This could mean you're feeling a bit restricted or locked out from something in real life. Maybe it's time for a combo change or even just a fresh take or perspective.
• The Public Speaking: Find yourself at the podium with a large amount of eyeballs on you? Public speaking dreams can be your subconscious prepping you for a moment where you'll need to stand tall and voice your thoughts. 
• The School Dance: dreaming about a school dance might be your inner self's hint that some social event needs your attention, or maybe it's a sign that you are not having enough fun or dancing in life. 
• Back to University: A more common dream of being back at school and attending university again suggests that you are feeling insecure at work. If you recall being back at university again in your dream it can indicate that you are worried about how you perform in life.
• Old Cheerleader: To see a cheerleader in a dream of being back at school suggests that you will have competition in life.

What does it mean to dream of old-school friends?

Ever get that dream where you're back in class, surrounded by school friends you haven't seen in eons? It's like your subconscious mind is saying that you need to think about people around you. This kind of weird dream might be a hint that there are some unfinished childhood friendships (or feelings) that have not been dealt with. Old school friends often pop up in a dream about being back at school - or most of the time. This dream is connected to your friendships in waking life. Do your friends in waking life take advantage of you? If so, you need to focus on this.

What does it mean to attend an exam in your old school?

When you find yourself going back to school to sit an exam, it points to anxiety, right? This dream theme is like a sign that says, "Right, we gotta sort out some stuff when we're awake!" It could be all about measuring up to your own bar of success and facing those day-to-day challenges head-on. If you're ticking off answers in your sleep, it's likely because you've got some real-life goals that need your attention.

What does it mean to dream of being late and going back to school?

To be late for school again (or going back to your old school late) might be your brain's creative way of pointing out that some areas in your waking life need a solid game plan, or maybe that you've been a bit of a lagger on something important

What does it mean to dream of going back to an empty school?

Look, whether school was your jam or not, it set the scene for us to go from newbie kids to pretty decent grown-ups. School dreams might be throwing a spotlight on the power figures in your life—like a boss or anyone else hovering in the driver's seat.

What does it mean to dream of being a new student?

Ever dreamt of being a new student in school again? Sitting in a classroom full of strangers, fumbling through introductions, these stories woven in our sleep might be a sign of our worry about the unknown. Starting a new job, moving to a different city, or just embarking on a fresh adventure - these are real-life chapters that make us feel the uncertainty in life. Your subconscious is empowering you to embrace this change, to walk confidently into new territories just as you did as that new student.

What does it mean to dream of keep going back to school?

If you keep having a dream about being at school this is connected to your inner desire to learn and progress in life. To fail at an exam in school can suggest that you need to focus on your skills and abilities in life.

What does missing class in a dream mean?

Missing class is associated with where you go next in life. Are you missing an opportunity? This dream relates to past achievements and making an informed decision. This can also be associated with “control” in life. Are you in control?

What does not being able to find a classroom in a dream mean?

To not be able to find a class in a dream indicates something is missing in life. You need to think about your goals and how you can "learn" to reach them. To be unable to find a classroom to sit an exam suggests that you need to think about how you meet your goals. The classroom is connected to how you feel inside.

What do not graduating in dreams mean?

The sense of being judged is focused on this type of dream. It indicates a total failure in the dream state. It is connected at work and feelings of your future status. Dreaming about not graduating can indicate reaching goals in life. Try to push yourself further in life. To see classmates but you cannot find the class suggests that you have difficulty in a current relationship alive. The dream could also be signifying that you need to have more relationships with others who are positive. This will help your self-confidence in life. If you see a former classmate in the dream then this is associated with learning in life. Exams in dreams signifies feeling insecure.

What do graduation dreams mean?

The finale of school life is about graduation and succeeding to a level whereby you can get into work and gain a good job or focus on developing yourself further. In the dream, state indicates that you are reviewing your successes in life. Make sure you’re working towards the right goals, graduation trades normally occur when you’re looking to define what you need to do in order to move forward in life. If there is any issue in the dream with graduation is a suggestion that you are blocked or delayed in waking life.

In your dream

• Being back at school.
• Seeing an old teacher in a dream.
• Attending a geography lesson in a dream.
• Attending a math lesson in a dream.
• Learning a language in a dream.
• Passing an exam in a dream.
• Being bullied at school in a dream.
• Attending art class in a dream.
• Going back to university in a dream.
• Eating lunch at school in a dream.
• At high school in a dream.
• Missing class in a dream.
• School anxiety dreams.
• Dreams of not being able to find a classroom.
• Recurring dreams about being back at school.
• Being at an old school in a dream.
• Dream about failing a class.
• Recurring dream about not graduating at college.
• Dreams about forgetting class schedule.

Also see our general school meaning: Click here

Feelings associated with being back at school in a dream

Worry about failing. Continually back at school. Concerned about the amount of dreams about school. Feeling failure. Being bullied.