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Illinois | Life

Recharged, Not Drained – Preventing Burnout After Spring Break

Ariana Serna Student Contributor, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Speaking from previous experience, I have personally been a victim of the after-spring-break burnout. The time between after spring break and finals week can be a difficult time just because of how buffered it feels. Going from a super busy, fast-paced lifestyle to a chill week and then back to the craziness of it all can be difficult. Especially after all of our midterms, we were all trying to survive before we left for spring break. It can be easy to lose the momentum you had at the beginning of the semester, but here are some helpful tips to continue that momentum after break.

Setting goals for the rest of the semester

After getting back on campus, it’s going to feel like everything is moving super quickly, so setting short, realistic goals can help you lay out exactly what you want to accomplish and give yourself positive affirmations for getting these tasks done. In addition, you can also lay out the timeline of all your assignments and exams for the rest of the semester so you can build a proper learning plan for yourself, ensuring that nothing sneaks up on you.

Keeping active over break

In my personal experience, I have found that when I bed-rot for an entire week and then go back to my routine at school, it is nearly impossible for my body to adjust. This just makes me want to sleep all the time and bring rotting over to campus. In order to avoid that, I would recommend taking yourself on walks and keeping your body moving, even if it is just a tiny amount of physical activity.

catching up on missed sleep

Being a college student, the one thing everyone yearns for is a whole 8-hour night of sleep. Taking advantage of free time and minimal obligations this spring break is crucial to ensure you return to campus feeling refreshed as possible.

Catching up on missed work

Although the last thing you want to be doing over your spring break is school, if you are behind in any of your classes, catching up can ensure that you come back to campus without any overloading stress. Even if it means watching some lecture videos while you’re sitting on your couch, make sure you’re catching up on anything that you need to.

prioritizing you!

Whether it’s hanging out with your friends and family, catching up on your favorite binge show, or just going to your favorite cafe/restaurant, sometimes all you need is to pay attention to what you enjoy. It’s challenging to make time for yourself in the chaos of classes and midterms, so spring break is the perfect opportunity to give yourself the attention you need, allowing you to return to campus feel refreshed as possible.

Ariana Serna

Illinois '27

Hello! My name is Ariana Serna and I am a Molecular & Cellular Biology student at the University of Illinois. I am from a little town outside of Chicago called Alsip. I am in love with drinking coffee and trying out cafes wherever I am. I hope to attend medical school after I graduate and study the genetic compound of pediatric patients to help prevent childhood illness.
I joined my campuses' chapter of Her Campus because I loved the environment that they created. I was interested in finding an RSO on campus that didn't have to do with medicine and that let me express my creative side since I felt like I haven't been able to do so. I loved the positivity that Her Campus promoted and felt instantly drawn to apply.