Unfortunately, burnout is real regardless of what year of school you’re in. Balancing classes, homework, and a life outside of school can be overwhelming, and it’s easy for college to feel like it takes precedence above everything else. But fortunately, there are ways to combat this exhaustion. Here are some tips to help you through the rest of the semester!
- Take a Break from the Screen
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I’m sure most college students can relate when I say that I cannot live without my laptop. Everything I do for school lives on this very expensive piece of technology, and without it I’d be SOL. I spend hours a day working in Adobe software and completing assignments on Canvas, and when I’m not doing work for school, I’m on some form of social media or website that I’m accessing through a screen.
With how often we use technology in our everyday lives, it’s important to remember to take a break from it and give our eyes a rest. Putting physical distance between you and your device can be a nice reprieve from work, and I find it’s really helpful when I hit a roadblock with a project and need time and space to look at it from different eyes.
- Go to sleep!
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I’m someone who like to procrastinate—a lot. Most of my homework gets done in the late hours of the night, regardless of how often I tell myself to get it done sooner. I’ve learned how different I operate on seven hours of sleep vs. two hours of sleep, and the impact it has on my day cannot be underestimated.
So, as someone who has lost too much sleep to school assignments, I’m telling you to just go to sleep. Whatever it is that you have to get done can wait for you until the morning, and the sleep you get overnight will make completing your assignment easier.
- Put Yourself Before Your Work
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You might feel differently now, but school is NOT more important than your health. College can be physically and emotionally exhausting, especially for those that are in programs that require more than four years of school. It can feel like you have to prioritize your life, but that doesn’t mean putting your wellbeing on the backburner.
If you’re falling behind in class, there’s a good chance that your professors are more understanding than you think; reaching out via email or an in-person conversation to ask for an extension or assistance can help make your workload more manageable. And if all else fails, talking with loved ones or even a therapist can help ground you and remind you that it’s okay to take a break. Give yourself some grace, college is hard!
As I finish out my junior year, I try to remind myself of these things as often as I can. College is preparing you for your future career, so it’s best to adopt positive thinking and habits surrounding work early. And it’s okay if you’re not the perfect student, no one is!