At this point in the year, it can be easy to start feeling stressed with midterms right around the corner, and patiently awaiting spring break to arrive. Assignments start to pile up and students are getting exhausted and overworked, leading to burnout.

What is ‘burnout’?

Burnout, according to the National Library of Medicine, is “a psychological syndrome emerging as a prolonged response to chronic interpersonal stressors on the job”. In this case, that would be homework, essays, and exams. Burnout can happen to anyone, and it feels like you just do not have any motivation or energy left.

A statistic from Malvern Behavioral Health stated that “80% of college students report feeling overwhelmed, and 40% reported it was difficult to function.” This phenomenon has left many college students feeling lost, but burnout does not last forever. 

Student experience

To learn more about how burnout affects different students, I went around and interviewed different students about how they are currently feeling and if they have ever experienced burnout. “Mid-way through the semester I end up feeling the most burnout when work starts to pile up and I am thinking about finals. Then I start to get homesick which can make me feel even worse,” stated freshman Abby Cinoa.

This seemed to be the common theme throughout the different students I interviewed. “During finals week is when I start to feel the most stressed, feeling the effects of burnout,” emphasized nursing major Caitlyn Fischer. When feeling burnout out many students stated that they felt overwhelmed, stressed, unmotivated, and drained.

How to combat burnout and built-up stress

Being a college student can be a lot to handle, as I am sure we are all aware, but it shouldn’t put a damper on your life. There are some easy tricks to help deal with everyday stress or just feeling burnt out. While interviewing students around campus, I asked how they deal with burnout and what helps them get over it. “Self-care and chill, quiet nights are important and a big help to eliminate burnout,” stated freshman Ally McCann.

Self-care and ensuring your mental health is okay are some of the most important aspects of staying happy and healthy in college. I recommend taking a night to yourself and watching your favorite TV show or movie after taking a long hot shower. “I tend to isolate myself for the week and make sure that I get all my schoolwork done but have something to look forward to at the end of the week as a reward for myself,” stated Nick Gelardi.

Burnout can affect anyone, but there are ways to help. If needed the University counseling center is another resource to help. You can make an appointment in person or online. Students may also refer to the Counseling Center | Bloomsburg University for further consolidation.