Student Blog: Burnt from Burnout

Burnout: every student's inevitable nightmare. Although you may start the semester excited to begin your new classes, there usually comes a time somewhere around the middle of the semester where your feelings start to shift. Work starts piling up to heights taller than Mount Everest, the sleep you get never seems to be enough, and just going to class feels like an impossible task. Believe me, we have all been there.

Burnout is definitely not fun, and it is something that me and my friends have all struggled with. School, homework, extracurriculars, and the responsibilities of life in general often seem to be nonstop and never ending, which can get incredibly exhausting and overwhelming, especially during the last part of the semester when it seems like you have the least amount of energy but the most work to do.

Overcoming these feelings can be difficult, but is very possible. First, take a minute to remind yourself why you are here in college in the first place. You're at least somewhat interested in the subjects. Even if you aren't particularly passionate about one of your classes and are just taking it to fulfill a graduation requirement (which is totally okay, you aren't going to love every single class you take), it is still getting you one step closer to where you want to end up. When it seems like you simply cannot bring yourself to attend another lecture, try to think about what made you excited about the class or your decision to come to college in the first place.

If that isn't enough to spark your motivation, honestly just put your pencil down. Close your laptop. Put away your planner. Give yourself permission to rest and take that much needed break. Working 24/7 is the fastest way to get burned out, and breaking that work cycle pattern is easier said than done but extremely important. So, get those full eight hours of sleep. Go on a walk and breathe some fresh air. Do whatever you need to do to clear your mind so you can return to your work refreshed. Doing something not on your to-do list might seem like the opposite of productive, but it is necessary in order to overcome burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Finally, the best way I overcome burnout is by acknowledging my work and setting up a sort of rewards system, if you will. My personal favorite burnout/procrastination cure is promising myself that if I work for a certain amount of hours or complete a certain number of assignments, I can get Starbucks afterwards. As great as my other suggestions are, I admit that sometimes it is only the thought of an iced matcha latte with vanilla sweet cream cold foam (a truly magical combo that I highly, highly recommend) that will get me to sit down and actually work.

Regardless of what helps you overcome burnout, know that you are not alone and this is (unfortunately) a universal experience, but we will all get through it together.