The Monsters That Haunt Us This Spooky Season (And How to Send Them Packing)
October gets all the credit for being scary. The skeletons on the lawn, the haunted corn maze, the neighbor who goes a little too far with the fog machine. But if you’re a high-achieving student, a parent of one, or an adult who runs on a color-coded calendar, the scariest things this season usually aren’t in the costume aisle.
They’re quieter than that. They show up on Sunday afternoons, in the week before midterms, in a half-finished college essay, and in the moment you realize it’s dark at 5 p.m. So in the spirit of spooky season, here’s a field guide to the monsters I see most this time of year, and how to send each one back where it came from.
1. The Sunday Scaries
Where it lurks: Sunday, around 4 p.m.
You were having a perfectly nice weekend. Then the light shifts, and a low hum of dread rolls in. Your brain starts previewing Monday: the quiz, the meeting, the inbox, the group project with the one person who never answers texts. You’re technically still off, but mentally you’ve already clocked in.
How to send it packing: Give Sunday evening a small, predictable routine, like a quick look at the week ahead (ten minutes, not two hours), then something genuinely enjoyable to close the day. Writing down what’s worrying you can help get it out of your head and onto paper. And try scheduling one small thing to look forward to on Monday, so the week doesn’t start with only obligations.
2. The Midterm Mummy
Where it lurks: library basements, kitchen tables, 1 a.m.
The Midterm Mummy shows up wrapped head to toe in flashcards and highlighters, moving slowly and not really absorbing anything. Hours of studying, very little sticking. Then test day arrives, and even a student who knows the material freezes the moment the paper hits the desk.
How to send it packing: Shorter, focused study blocks with real breaks beat marathon sessions. Practice under test-like conditions (timed, no notes) so test day feels familiar, and protect sleep the night before, which helps memory far more than last-minute cramming. If your student knows the material but still blanks, it may be anxiety rather than a knowledge gap. I wrote more about that in Why Your Kid Knows the Material But Still Blanks on Test Day.
3. The College Application Zombie
Where it lurks: senior year, especially near early deadlines
You’ll recognize this one by the glazed expression and the 14 browser tabs. Seniors applying to college often run on autopilot this time of year: essays, supplements, deadlines, and the constant question from every relative of “So, where are you applying?” Underneath it is often a heavy belief that one decision will define everything that comes after.
How to send it packing: Break the process into small, visible steps, like one supplemental essay this week rather than “finish applications.” Parents, consider a college-talk-free zone, such as dinner, so home doesn’t feel like one long interview. And it helps to say out loud what many seniors need to hear: where you go matters much less than how you do once you’re there.
4. The Perfectionism Vampire
Where it lurks: anywhere there’s a grade, a goal, or an audience
This one is sneaky, because it looks charming. It’s the drive to do everything well, which gets a lot of praise. But it slowly drains your energy: rereading the email five times, redoing the assignment that was already fine, feeling only a few seconds of relief after a win before asking “okay, what’s next?”
How to send it packing: Practice “good enough” on purpose, starting small. Turn in the low-stakes assignment without the extra round of edits. Notice the difference between preparation that actually helps and preparation that just quiets the worry. And talk back to the inner critic the way you would to a friend. If the vampire has been feeding for a while, High-Functioning Anxiety: When You Look Fine But Don’t Feel Fine might feel very familiar.
5. The Shorter-Days Slump
Where it lurks: right after the clocks change
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, and suddenly it’s dark before dinner. For a lot of people, less daylight brings lower energy, more sleep (or worse sleep), a heavier mood, and a strong pull toward the couch. For some, it’s a mild seasonal dip. For others, it’s a more significant pattern of depression that returns each fall and winter.
How to send it packing: Get outside in the morning light when you can, even for a short walk. Keep a steady sleep and wake schedule, keep moving your body, and stay connected with people, especially when isolating feels easier. If low mood is lasting for weeks, affecting school, work, or relationships, or showing up every year around this time, it’s worth talking with a doctor or therapist. It’s very treatable.
A note for parents
Most of these monsters are hard to spot, because high-achieving kids are often very good at looking fine. Watch for changes rather than single bad days: sleeping much more or less, pulling away from friends, irritability, stomachaches before school, or a kid who used to love an activity and now dreads it. Leading with curiosity (“You seem stressed lately, what’s going on?”) usually opens the door more than reassurance does.
When it’s more than spooky season
A little dread in October is normal. Monsters that move in and stay are a different story. It may be time for support if stress or low mood has lasted more than a few weeks, if it’s getting in the way of sleep, school, work, or relationships, or if you or your student just can’t seem to shake it.
I’m Dr. Julia Rogers, a licensed clinical psychologist based in California, working with high-achieving children, teens, and adults navigating anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout. I see clients by telehealth throughout the state, which means no one has to brave the dark parking lot.
If any of these monsters have moved into your house, feel free to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. No silly tricks, just a conversation about whether working together makes sense.