Student Blog: Semester Burnout: How to Keep Going When You Can't Quit

With the spring semester on the horizon, college students look forward to starting a new semester, feeling refreshed and well-rested after the winter break. However, for many students, there will come a point in the semester when they feel physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. In pop culture and more importantly, in medicine, this instance is known as "burnout." For individuals, burnout can manifest in many ways, such as painful headaches, consistent fatigue, increased anxiety, emerging depression, and frequent illnesses. With all that students have to do everyday in their non-stop semester or quarter, it is not surprising that students grow exhausted, causing their mental and physical health to collapse. This past semester, I struggled with burnout as I became increasingly overwhelmed with a crescendo of performances, assignments, papers, and exams. However, having navigated this before, I have assembled some tips and helpful habits below for dealing with burnout even when you have to keep going. Whether you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or emotionally and physically drained, here are a couple of useful tips to help manage burnout.

Keep a Positive Inner Monologue

One of the most critical pieces of advice for anyone struggling with burnout is to maintain a positive mindset or in theatrical terms, a positive inner monologue. Although it can be difficult at times, make sure that you are being kind to yourself. Rather than focusing on how much you have to do, instead focus on what you can get done and celebrate all that you have accomplished. Moreover, when you get frustrated with specific tasks, try to reframe your mindset by reminding yourself of the joy that comes from taking favorite classes or participating in meaningful events. For instance, during finals week, while I was writing a major paper about a Shakespeare play, I tried to reset my thinking by concentrating on why I liked the particular play, pushing aside my negative thoughts that could keep me from completing the paper.

Take it in Steps

No matter whether you have to get multiple assignments done in a couple of hours or a couple of days, make sure to take things one step at a time. By focusing on what you have to get done in the moment, you can mitigate the mounting stress of the other tasks on your to-do list, enabling you to work through each task more efficiently. Furthermore, rather than giving into the overwhelming emotions associated with a tidal wave of assignments and events, plan out each task and activity, one by one. This will ease your mind as you organize each task into a defined schedule, allowing you to plan and see your way through stressful periods in the semester. As you complete tasks, take note of your success, as previously stated.

Prioritize Self-Care

Even when you are extremely busy, it is crucial to give yourself the gift of self-care. With everything going on in your college life, taking care of yourself can easily be put on the backburner. Taking the time to eat regularly scheduled meals and snacks, maintaining hygiene, getting enough sleep, exercising or allocating time for breaks, you will feel stable and be far more productive throughout the day and the week. Besides the basic tasks of eating and sleeping, self-care can take multiple forms. For instance, when I sense burnout, I like to schedule breaks to stretch through fifteen minute yoga practices, creating the time to move and get the blood flowing. In essence, whether it is taking a walk or indulging in a coffee break, embrace activities that help you unwind and reset your mind and body for the hectic path ahead.

Ask for Help

When facing burnout, it's normal to want to retreat inside yourself and close off from others as you try to face a seemingly monumental workload and hectic schedules. However, one of the obvious yet overlooked ways to alleviate some of the pressure is through communication. By asking others for help, such as your family, friends, and professors, you can find ways to work through chaotic weeks. Unlike in high school when you must get an assignment done by the due date, many college classes are more flexible. Perhaps, you can ask for an extension on an assignment. For example, I participated in a play with several students who asked their professors for extensions for major papers or problem sets due that weekend, knowing they would be consumed with preparing for and performing in a show.

Create Boundaries

Of all the tips presented, this one is by far the most challenging. As your schedule continues to fill up, it is important to learn how to set boundaries. Know that it is okay to step back and graciously decline attending additional events or taking on more responsibilities than necessary. While it is difficult to say no to a night out with friends, a time to facetime your sibling, or the opportunity to do extra revisions on a paper, it is important to set boundaries, empowering you to use your time and energy effectively and in a way that works best for you.

With all the exciting events happening everyday in college, it is easy to become overwhelmed and overloaded with assignments and activities. No matter if you are an underclassman or an upperclassmen, burnout is commonplace. Thus, the ability to recognize when you are burnt out and navigate it through implementing tips like those explained above will help you succeed and maintain your sanity in the process.