End of the Semester Burnout

Me after I see my teacher post yet another assignment when I haven’t done the first one

My first semester back from virtual learning, I encountered burnout rather quickly. I did some research and with my own experiences with burnout, I hope you can learn something to help you cope whenever you encounter burnout in the semester. 

Burnout is essentially the complete exhaustion from prolonged and chronic periods of stress, which in this case can be caused by overloading of homework, projects, and exam preparations. It can also be caused by neglecting your own needs and desires when you start recognizing those signs of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion. 

Ironically, I am writing this article far into the hours of late night so we will start with emphasizing what I am sure you already know; you need to sleep. I’m not talking about a few hours of sleep when you have the time. As everyone has heard, for teenagers and young adults, over eight hours is recommended. I understand how difficult this is for students with busy schedules, but I have found that prioritizing sleep helps me focus on what I need to do. 

It is also crucial to ensure that your body has the energy to engage with classes and persevere through the day. This means making sure you have something for breakfast, even if it is something light. Caffeine is also nice, but not as a substitute for sleep. For back-to-back classes, you should bring snacks and water. With breaks, take time to sit down and eat a full meal. This allows your body to revitalize and gives you some time to rest your mind. 

While tips to prevent physical exhaustion seem self-explanatory, advice to help prevent emotional and mental exhaustion can be difficult as everyone has their own limitations. For myself, I deal with anxiety that is often heightened during the school months (who am I kidding it’s heightened year-round). I become overwhelmed trying to juggle a full load of classes and the number of deadlines and projects that require my attention and completion. 

Burnout hit me hard mid-semester. I was in a constant state of exhaustion. I knew when it came to the end of the semester, I needed to be productive so I could prepare for final exams and projects. After prioritizing my physical health by improving my sleep and eating schedules, I knew I needed to also work on my mental health. 

I cried a lot. 

But it was cathartic. It felt good to feel sad and stressed for a little bit until I decided to stop dwelling in self pity and began slowly building myself back up. This was easier once I actually had the energy in my system to go outside and play with my dog. I ran around with him, turning my frustration over my failed film exam into speed as I raced him across my backyard. It helps my brain to focus on another activity instead of thinking about the amount of homework I still needed to do. 

I began listening to music, cleaning my room, reading a book, and other activities that I used as breaks from my homework. I even set aside a couple hours to hang out with friends outside of my bedroom, holding myself accountable for finishing homework when I returned. I recommend finding ways you can destress and allow mental breaks from schoolwork. What works for me, might not work for you. But prioritizing your mental health is just as important as prioritizing your physical health. 

With a little less than a month left in the semester, it is easy to be fatigued with the lengths of homework and finals due by the second week of December. As students, I know we are never alone when it comes to experiencing burnout. My last piece of advice would be to stay in contact with students who are also experiencing burnout. You can form study groups and hold each other accountable to finishing homework. Just remember you are never alone when it comes to the burden of attending university. 

Just a couple weeks left. You got this!