The Road to Avoiding College Burnout

A new semester has begun across college campuses in the states. You were giving your classes a 100% the first month of the semester. Now heading into month two, assignments and deadlines might be spiraling out of control.

The feeling of being burned-out or overwhelmed can be a different experience for everyone. However, The World Health Organization describes it as “a syndrome resulting from chromic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed,” and can lead to:

·       Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion.

·       Increased mental distance from one’s job.

·       Reduced professional efficacy.

Though the WHO refers burnout specifically to an occupation, the feeling can be applied to college students. In a study, 85% of college students said they felt overwhelmed by everything they had to do at some point in the past year. This especially can be true during the age of COVID, where many college students are taking online courses or hybrid online courses both on and off-campus.

So, what causes burnout specifically in college students? The University of Virginia said burnout can develop from a variety of situations:

·       Isolation – Isolation during the pandemic has become one of the most predominate causes of burnout during this pandemic. Some students are participating in distance-learning. These students may be in the state off-campus or in entirely different state. “There’s no one around me physical from my classes, so just being so isolated can be hard to stay motivated. Because there’s no one else around doing the things I’m doing,” Dee Smith said, a University of Montevallo student living in North Carolina.

·       High Expectations – The University of Virginia said that students entering college unfairly place a large amount of pressure on themselves. Students become disappointed when they push themselves to improve and do not receive the results they are expecting.

You are a college student burned-out or on the verge of burnout, now what? Not to worry, here are actions you can take to avoid burnout:

Realization – The first part of solving a problem is to first realize you have one. “From the moment you realize that this is a bit too much. You need to take a step back and plan accordingly,” Turner said.

By taking a step back, you can give yourself a chance to see the problem through clearer eyes.

Take a break – Weather it is doing an activity you enjoy or simply stepping away from classwork for a day, you should take a break. “Don’t be mad at yourself for taking breaks or needing time to yourself,” Smith said.

There are a variety of activities you could do to take a break from classwork:

·       Listen to music.

·       Play video games.

·       Spend time with friends. 

Do something that reminds you why you’re here taking classes, Smith said. After you have relaxed, you can be more productive and force on the next step of stopping burnout.  

Change it up – After taking a break, consider reevaluating your time-management. “You need to take a look at how you are keeping up with your schedule,” Turner said, “I have this color-coded schedule to show me how I am spending my time.”

Or consider changing the environment you complete your homework and classwork. Another part of reevaluating is setting boundaries and priorities for yourself. With boundaries set in place, you can determine which tasks are necessary and which are not, the University of Southern New Hampshire said.   

Reach out – If you feel overwhelmed or burned-out, reaching out to your professors or classmates can be helpful. “Sometimes professors just don’t understand. We may not know what’s going on with each individual student,” Dr. Sierra Turner said, “When students tell me they’re struggling, I like to make sure the student is ok. Whatever they share with me, I try to provide resources for them.”   

By reaching out, you could receive  resources you may need to avoid burnout or to erase your feeling of burnout. “Don’t feel bad about needing to ask for an extension, or asking for help,” Smith said, “If you feel like you’re drowning, and nobody seems to notice, reach out.”