Back To School Necklace- A sweet Phrase With Very Ugly And Dark Meaning That Everyone Needs To Know About

When you hear the phrase “back to school necklace” the first thing that might come to your mind is maybe it is a piece of jewelry for students or pupils going back to school but it is instead a very troubling phrase and we needed to make lots of research to really understand what it really means.

So in this post, we are going to take our time to explain all you need to know about the term “Back to school necklace” its meaning, origin, and how to ensure that your children are safe from such damning words.

What is back to school necklace?

There is a website designed and dedicated to explaining new slang called URBAN DICTIONARY and it explains that back to school necklace is another name for a noose. This is due to the utter despair you feel when school starts back up again.

LONGMAN DICTIONARY defines a noose as  a ring formed by the end of a piece of rope, which closes more tightly as it is pulled, used especially for killing someone by hanging them

Therefore, back to school necklace is slang used to explain a situation whereby a student can no longer handle the depression of going back to school and has lost hope and the only option left is to get a rope, tie it and hang him or herself.

So, although the term back to school necklace sounds super cool and nice for people that are unaware of its real meaning, it is actually a cry for help as it’s a code for death by hanging.

Although these students are rarely serious about hanging themselves, it is very important for parents to be more aware of this phrase, they will be in a better place to help their kids overcome this state of depression and pain.

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Back To School Necklace Pictures

This is an example of what students are referring to when they are discussing with their friends about using the back to school necklace. A person that is ignorant of what they mean might think they are referring to a fancy necklace they are planning on going back to school with.

Examples Of The Usage Back To School NecklaceBy Students

“I think I have to order a back-to-school necklace. I can’t stand the thought of spending another semester in that place.”

“The summer holidays have been so much fun, I enjoyed hanging out with you guys. It hurts that we have to go back to school soon. Someone hand me the back-to-school necklace.”

“Let’s all order a back-to-school necklace and commit suicide at the same time in our rooms. Life’s not worth living now the summer is over.”

“The thought of going back to school has my stomach-turning. I’m halfway to ordering a back-to-school necklace, so I don’t have to go.”

“Who else wants to join me in getting the back to school necklace? The thought of going back to school gets me sick.”

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How Did The Back To School Necklace Start

The statement ‘back to school necklace’ appeared online on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram in the year 2020. Referencing kids returning to school in the wake of the lockdowns in 2020.

However, some people still do not believe that it first appeared online. But believe it was a phrase used from far back in 2016. This could also be true as the earliest known reference to the phrase comes from the Urban Dictionary on October 13, 2016.

Why Do Students Feel So Bad About Returning To School?

It is somewhat understandable for students to feel bad about leaving for school after having a swell time with their friends during the holidays. Because, even as adults, if you are leaving to work on Mondays after a very nice weekend, it is sometimes kind of boring and saddening.

So returning to school can be tiring and overwhelming for so many reasons. And it will actually take time to adjust to waking up early in the morning to prepare for school, getting back from school, and having to do the assignments and preparing to go to school the next day.

These thoughts can feel insurmountable for students, especially at such young age. An April 2022 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that:

• 44% of teens in the United States report feeling persistently sad and hopeless, up from 37% in 2019.
• Contributing factors include loss of a caregiver, financial difficulty, hunger and food insecurity, less socialization, physical and emotional abuse at home, and larger systemic issues.
• Experts say increased social connectedness, healing-centered education, and bringing more psychologists and counselors into schools may help.

Kia Darling-Hammond, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Wise Chipmunk, an education research firm in Palo Alto, California, and co-author of the forthcoming book said “The pandemic has only worsened the situation and exacerbated them, with marginalized groups and individuals of low socioeconomic status disproportionately affected.

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Why Students Should Stop Using The Term “Back To School Necklace” With Friends

It is extremely important for children to understand that discussing Self-harm with friends playfully or not could be very dangerous. 

MIND describes Self-harm as a situation when a person hurts him/herself as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, painful memories, or overwhelming situations and experiences.

Some people have described self-harm as a way to:

• express something that is hard to put into words
• turn invisible thoughts or feelings into something visible
• change emotional pain into physical pain
• reduce overwhelming emotional feelings or thoughts

Discussing self-harm with friends can affect you psychologically and you begin to see self-harm as a way to escape issues or problems instead of facing them. 

Secondly, you really don’t know the state of mind of your friend or the situation they are going through. And by playfully telling him or her about self-harm you just might be giving him or her an option to try out.

Here Are Some Signs Parents Should Look Out For In Their Children?

One important point to note is that even if you have not heard your child use phrases like “back to school necklace”, it is very possible they could be using it on their phones while discussing with their friends. Therefore, parents should be aware of their children’s electronic use.

There are signs parents should should watch out for which include:

• Always trying to spend time alone 
• Trying to withdraw themselves from people
• Being Irritated easily
• Crying easily 
• Sleeping more than they use to
• Difficulty sleeping 
• Suddenly begin to lose interest in things they used to enjoy 
• Giving away their belongings 
• A total change in behavior

How Using Phrase Back To School Necklace Could Be A Sign Of Them Struggling With Mental Health Issues

If someone is using the phrase “back to school necklace, there is a high chance that they are struggling with their mental health. Whether your child says to crack a joke or it is a cry for help or is seriously contemplating suicide you truly can’t know for sure so parents really need to be careful.

According to CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary & Trends Report 2009-2019pdf :

• More than 1 in 3 high school students had experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2019, a 40 percent increase since 2009.
• In 2019, approximately 1 in 6 youth reported making a suicide plan in the past year, a 44% increase since 2009.

What Should Parents Do About Their Children Discussing Back To School Necklace?

If you find out that your child has been making use of such a phrase or has been talking to his friends about it through everyday conversations or text or even on social media, always take it very seriously.

You have to let your child know you are available and willing to listen and talk when he is ready to talk to you about what he is going through. Do not try to force him/her to talk about the reasons for his actions. Many children are not comfortable with discussing issues immediately after it happens, they prefer taking time to reason.

Pressuring them to talk might make things feel worse. A more in-depth discussion will take place later when he is more settled and ready to talk. Even then, you do not have to use force or try to get information forcefully, be very intelligent in handling them.

• You have to keep your child’s bedroom door open at all times.
• Check on him or her often.
• Do not allow your child to be alone in the house. 
• Do not let your child visit friends, relatives, or others unless there is constant adult supervision.
• Talk to the counselor or administrator at your child’s school. Make arrangements for the child’s safety needs to be met.
• See a Mental Health expert.