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Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Moby & Friends

Lively music plays in the background.

In the corner of the screen, within a square, is a boy, Tim, shown washing dishes. Another square is added underneath it to show Tim hiking up a mountain. A third square is added to show Tim turning of the TV with a remote control. The screen cuts to blue, with “Tim” written over it in large letters.

In the animation, a girl, Rita, walks through the park. She pulls out a pair of binoculars and looks up at the sky. The screen cuts to yellow, with “Rita” written over it in large letters.

On screen, a girl, Nat, sits in front of a laptop open on a table. Half of the screen is covered by purple, with “Nat” written over it in large letters. Nat closes her laptop and a dog nuzzles into her side.

In the animation, a girl, Cassie, is running along the beach in a lifeguard’s swimsuit. A second panel is added to show Cassie swimming in the water, saving a robot. The screen cuts to teal, with “Cassie” written over it in large letters.

On screen in the left panel, a boy, Mateo, wears headphones and bops his head to the music. In the right panel, Mateo is shown in a city looking at a map. The screen cuts to orange, with “Mateo” written over it in large letters.

In the animation, a robot, Moby, is shown wearing a sweatband around his forehead and a headset, dancing to the music against a multicolored background. The screen cuts to purple, with “Moby” written over it in large letters.

On screen, all of the characters appear in individual boxes, everyone wearing masks. A giant school bell appears in front of the screen, and rings. The lively music fades out.

In the animation, all of the kids sit at a table in the schoolyard, eating lunch.

CASSIE: This is weird.

MATEO: Totally.

NAT: It's like the whole last year was a… dream.

In the animation, Tim takes a bite of his sandwich.

TIM: I, I feel fine.

In the animation, Moby approaches the table pushing a wheelbarrow full of letters. He dumps the letters in front of them.

MOBY: Beep!

In the animation, Rita takes a break from eating her sandwich.

RITA: Yeah, and? We took the summer off!

In the animation, Moby looks unimpressed.

MOBY: Beep!

In the image, Rita puts down her sandwich. She sighs and picks up one of the letters from the stack. Rita reads the letter.

RITA: “Dear Moby and friends, I’m going back to school in person for the first time in… well, I sorta lost track of how long it’s been. I’m excited, but also nervous—I really don’t know what to expect! Can you help? From, Tia C.”

RITA: I can sure relate!

NAT: Yup, me too.

CASSIE: Me three.

MATEO: For sure.

TIM: In any year, back to school can mean big feelings: excitement, nerves, fear.

In the animation, a girl is standing outside the school, her legs shaking in nervousness.

TIM: But this year, for a lot of us, those feelings are even bigger. Regardless of whether you were in person, remote, or hybrid last school year. We’ve all been through huge disruptions and changes, and now we’re all headed into a new routine. It’ll take time to adjust.

In the animation, the screen splits into six sections. The sections show kids studying in various environments. Some are reading at the table while others are on their laptops. The girl in the top right section and the boy in the bottom left are wearing masks.

TIM: Like, remember how we had to adjust back when school first went remote? So, just be patient with yourself as you ease back in.

In the image, the screen splits in two. In the top section, a woman works from home on her laptop, and a girl approaches her with a question. In the bottom section, Rita attends remote class on her laptop. The internet cuts out, and Rita is kicked out of her online class.

MOBY: Beep!

NAT: For a lot of kids, including yours truly, the first day is the most nerve-racking. To make it as smooth as possible, do your prep before school starts: Review your schedule, and if you can, visit the school to check out your classrooms.

On screen, a class schedule appears. The schedule falls away to reveal the school building behind it.

NAT: And read up on the safety rules—since they may be different from last year’s.

In the animation, a child reviews his school's safety rules as he starts to walk down the hallway.

NAT: Then, make a day-one plan: Decide when you’ll wake up, what you'll eat for breakfast, what you’ll bring, and how you’ll get to school.

On screen, the screen splits into four sections. In the top left section, an alarm clock rings at 7:00 a.m., and a hand appears to turn it off. In the top right corner, a girl eats cereal and fruit for breakfast. In the bottom left, a kid packs a book into his backpack. In the bottom right, a boy rides a bicycle.

NAT: Plan to do something calming for the night before, like listening to music.

In the animation, a boy lies in bed as he listens to music with his headphones and reads a magazine.

NAT: And open up to friends and family about how you’re doing: Share what you’re looking forward to, and what you’re nervous about. Naming your emotions can make them less overwhelming.

In the image, a boy talks to his father. His father listens intently.

CASSIE: Back at school, you might worry about being behind.

On screen, an animation shows a girl who sits in front of her laptop at home, looking frustrated.

CASSIE: You’re not alone. For a lot of us, last year was like pressing pause on life—and on learning.

In the animation, the girl now sits in a classroom. She and all her classmates are sitting at their desks. She has a test in front of her, but she looks unsure of what to do.

CASSIE: There may be a lot of tests at first, but try not to get too stressed: Your teachers are just trying to figure out where you’re at, so they can decide how to best support you.Trust them to help you get going again, and speak up if you need help.

In the image, a teacher walks up to the girl’s desk and helps her. The screen cuts to a hand that raises.

CASSIE: It can help to adopt a growth mindset: That’s the belief that with practice and hard work, you can get better!

In the animation, an anthropomorphic brain is running on a hamster wheel.

CASSIE: Forgetting your homework a lot or being no good in algebra aren't, like, permanent parts of who you are.

On screen, a girl hides under her covers with a flashlight as she does her homework in her notebook. The screen splits to show a boy sitting at his desk doing homework.

CASSIE: When you hear yourself thinking, “I can’t” or “I don’t,” try adding the word “yet.”

In the animation, thought bubbles appear above the two sections. The bubble over the girl reads “I can’t,” while the bubble over the boy reads “I don’t.” As Cassie speaks “yet” is added at the end of both the phrases.

CASSIE: So, “I don’t understand variables!” becomes “I don’t understand variables… yet!”

In the animation, the screen shifts so the boy at his desk takes up the whole screen. Above him, a thought bubble reads, “I don’t understand variables yet.”

MATEO: Or, “I haven’t adjusted to the new school routine… yet!” And we're not just talking about class work.

On screen, in an imagined thought bubble, a group of kids stand in a line. All of them look content except one boy, who looks anxious.

MATEO: Some of us are psyched to dive back in and see our friends, while others are pretty anxious about it. Especially if you’ve gotten used to spending a lot of time alone.

In the image, the screen zooms in on the anxious-looking boy.

MATEO: I mean, it’s been a minute: Friend groups may have shifted around while we've been away.

In the animation, the anxious boy now stands in the schoolyard holding his lunch tray. He looks around, searching for a place to sit.

MATEO: You may not feel as close to your friends right off the bat. Which can be confusing, or disappointing.

In the image, the boy walks up to some kids, attempting to socialize.

MATEO: Facing your fears in a manageable way can help you overcome them.

In the animation, the boy takes a deep breath, then looks calmer.

MATEO: Like, with activities, stay open to getting involved, but ease into it. And make sure to reflect on how it’s all going.

On screen, the boy builds Legos with a few other kids outside.

MATEO: If it’s too much, you can always pull back.

RITA: Some of us are still worried about safety.

On screen, Rita squirts hand sanitizer on her hands.

RITA: The good news is, the grown-ups have been working hard all summer to make your learning environment safe.

TIM: Your school may have some new rules in place to help make that happen.

In the image, a school bus rolls up in front of a school building.

TIM: There may still be school closures, or other disruptions. Which can feel scary and stressful.

The animation shows a calendar, and a hand writes in red “Remote Learning” across one week. The screen zooms out to show a girl holding the red pen, sitting on a sofa. She looks sad.

RITA: So, if you need support, talk to a school counselor or another trusted adult. This is a really important time for self-care.

On screen, a boy is talking to a school counselor, telling her all about his situation.

RITA: That means eating healthy meals, exercising, getting enough sleep, and doing stuff you enjoy.

In the image, the screen splits into four sections. Clockwise from the top left, the sections show a healthy dinner, Moby running, an alarm clock going off, and a girl petting her cat.

NAT: If you’re stressed or anxious, try recording your thoughts in a journal, or talking it out with a friend. It can also help to do some deep breathing or meditation—our Mindfulness movie has tips.

The screen splits in two. In one section, a girl sits at her desk as she writes in her journal. In the other section, Cassie meditates.

NAT: And if you need a little confidence, just think of everything we've made it through. Like, I got really down in the dumps being cooped up at home for so long… But I just made plans with a friend I haven’t seen in over a year. <clears throat> Uh, yeah, and hanging with all of you guys again is cool, too.

TIM: We’ve adapted in so many ways, to everything that’s been thrown at us. So, take some time to appreciate that. After the year you've had, you're readier for back-to-school than you'll ever be. You've got this!

On screen, the animation zooms out from Tim and shows the whole group sitting at the table. All of them smile encouragingly before Moby pops up in front of them and gives two thumbs up.

MOBY: Beep!