September in Italy is more than just fresh plans and resolutions; it's also the month of back-to-work anxiety. A survey conducted by Susini Group STP, a prominent employment consultancy in Florence, indicates that a combination of fears discloses more than we are aware about our relationship with work, time, and identity. Financial anxiety reigns supreme (25% of Italians are concerned about the impact of vacation on their wallets), followed by the fear of failing to perform well at work after the summer holiday (15%). But it doesn't stop there: the return to routine reactivates existential claustrophobia (8%), while social media fuels “vacation comparison” anxiety (13.5%), turning platforms into arenas of toxic comparison. And then there are the more personal fears: parents who feel scrutinized when school resumes (17.5%), those who fear loneliness after summer relationships (11%), and those who perceive the return as an acceleration of time and aging (10%). "In short, September in Italy is more than just a 'back to work' month; it reflects economic insecurity, a weak identity, and a desire for freedom. Perhaps identifying these worries is the first step toward addressing them and reminding ourselves that, after all, summer never truly ends if we learn to keep a piece of it with us", says Sandro Susini, employment consultant and founder of Susini Group STP.