The burn-out gifted kid trope has never turned out to be more true when said gifted kid started college. The college experience can be very rough, especially with no preparation or if you’re a first generation student. Many students don’t understand the danger of pushing yourself too hard, and many walk into college and mess up their first semester. But I’ll tell you now, it’s okay! Mistakes must be made in order to learn, so rather than the fear of failure, open it with open arms. Failure is needed to make progress, and when you fall you just need to get back up. College isn’t easy, and the real world is even harder. In the real world, deadlines may be missed and situations may cause consequences. So in order to avoid those consequences, understand our limits, and prepare for life post-graduation, here are four major tips that work for me.
1. Learn to take vacations & Schedule free time
If your life is all work and no play, it can be a big contributor to feeling burnt out. However there must be a balance between work and play, and oftentimes finding that balance in a college setting can be difficult. Vacation doesn’t mean weekend in the Bahamas either, vacations can just be dedicating your day to doing what makes you happy. Prioritizing self-care is vital!
2. Understand when you’re at your breaking point
Many people think, “What? Breaking point? Nah, I’m good!” even if they’re not good, even if they’re at your lowest and even if they’re about to crash and fall. To those who don’t get much support or even the opposite of support, you may feel closer to your breaking point constantly. But identifying when you can no longer push yourself is crucial, and it may be time to take that vacation.
3. Unplug After Office Hours
Limiting social media and going out for a run really does help. Explore your campus or maybe read a book, attempt to truly tap into your inner peace and leave the phone alone. We all know how toxic social media or how depressing reading the daily news can be, so limit any external forces that cause a pit in your stomach. Relax and remember who you really are prior to college and prior to all those crazy influences you might see.
4. Reach out for help
If you are drowning, please don’t sink to the bottom. Call in a lifeguard to help you out, because trust me, that’s what they’re there for. If your campus doesn’t provide any sort of mental health outlets, searching for clubs or communities can also help. Building a support system is crucial when you are in college, you need to find people who will lift you up when you’re on the ground and pull you out when you begin to drown.