How to beat burnout and survive the semester
One of the hardest things a student will do is trade their comfortable Christmas pajamas for actual clothes and dive back into school.
Student burnout is easy enough to avoid at the beginning of the year when your motivation and energy are high. However, it can be hard to get back into the swing of things for spring semester. You aren’t going to get to summer break, or to graduation, if you don’t make it there alive.
Here are some tips to help avoid student burnout.
Manage your time
Know when you have available blocks of time to study, work and attend group project meetings, as well as guilt-free fun time.
Many students use their smart phones. I personally love My Study Life for iPhone and Android, which syncs between mobile and desktop. Others prefer to go old-school by penciling things into their planner. Utah State University’s Academic Success Center has idea sheets on their website, both weekly and for the semester.
Being able to see your schedule in front of you makes your workload seem a lot more doable.
Take care of yourself
When the last point mentioned “guilt-free fun time,” it wasn’t a joke. You only have one self that is getting you through your assignments, exams and responsibilities. It’s important to prioritize time for yourself, too.
The way to practice self-care is unique to the individual. For some, it’s going outside. For others, it’s reading for leisure. Make your “you” time something you look forward to.
Be okay with a “B”
The most ambitious, workaholic perfectionists often have the hardest time relaxing.
It’s okay to set the bar high and expect a lot from yourself, but remember that no one gets all of the points all of the time in all of the classes. Going into every class expecting to do your best work, even if that work doesn’t result in an A, will save you a lot of headaches and sleepless nights.
Don’t be afraid to say “no”
This has some limits, of course. If your professor gives you a project and you say, “No, I’m good,” that probably won’t go over very well.
This is referring to all of those extra duties — volunteering for extra shifts at work, organizing an event or babysitting your best friend’s pet rock. Although they’re gratifying, they also take energy and, if left unchecked, drain you dry.
It’s okay to cut something out if you feel overwhelmed. If you know taking on something else will stretch you too thin, it’s okay to say “no.” The world will not end, and your best friend will not hate you forever. I promise. Even if they do, you trade up for a best friend that has a pet hedgehog instead.
Know when to ask for help
Professors — while we may resent them at times — are there to help. Don’t feel ashamed to email them or meet with them to ask questions. Most professors are probably relieved that a student cares enough about their class to be engaged.
The Academic Success Center also helps students develop skills in time-management, studying and coping with test anxiety, among other things.
With these tips in mind, have a great semester. May you reach this summer in one piece with your sanity intact.
— Whitney Howard is an English major who will hopefully do most of these things. No promises, because saying “no” is really hard. Contact her at whitney.howard@aggiemail.usu.edu or on Twitter @omgwhitshutup.