As the semester draws to a close, more and more college students are beginning to focus their efforts on last-ditch attempts to save their GPAs. On top of the scramble for extra credit, many students are interviewing for summer jobs, trying to stay involved in various clubs and honor societies and praying for just one night where they can experience the mythical 8 hours of sleep.
We are exhausted, caffeine-addicted and running on fumes. Professors, advisers and parents stress the importance of a competitive GPA and a well-rounded resume, but there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to be healthy and productive in all these ways, thanks to constant comparison and a thousand outside voices demanding our full commitment. Students must take the time to refocus their energy on healthy self-image in order to combat burnout and finish the semester to the best of their ability.
Stress is enormously taxing on the human body. When our entire futures are resting precariously on the edge of our grades and involvement, it makes sense that we would neglect our physical welfare in exchange for the possibility of getting ahead.
Eventually, all of this neglect culminates in burnout. We are too exhausted to take out the trash, let alone study for microbiology. Our work becomes mediocre, and the voices urging us to reach further and study harder take an accusatory tone, adding yet another stressor to our hectic lives. Your grades start to slip, you stop showing up to meetings, you can’t manage to eat anything of nutritional value and you’re stuck with a looming sense of dread that you have no motivation to reverse.
The stress can be insurmountable for students facing mental and physical health issues, problems at home or a scholarship on the line.
Students labeled as “gifted” in high school particularly struggle with burnout. Material doesn’t come to them as easily as it used to, and when studying for a week only lands you a 70 on your big exam, your self-esteem takes a major hit. Many have been working so hard for so long because they don’t see the practicality of taking a break.
Other “gifted” students fall victim to their own complacency. They did well in high school because their parents expected it from them, but now that the leash is gone, they find relief in taking time off and blowing off responsibilities. While taking a break from time to time is necessary for personal welfare, some students do not possess the tools to strike a proper balance. The pileup of unfinished work turns into fuel for the burnout fire.
There is no doubt that hard work produces excellent results, but it is impossible to dedicate your full time and energy to everything the world demands of you. We cannot expect our bodies to operate optimally on fumes. We also cannot expect our bodies to pull out miracles without putting in the work. The line is thin and stark, and very few people are capable of striking a perfect balance. As high-achieving college students, our most glaring fault is our inability to cut ourselves some slack.
Success does not come without struggle, but finding healthier ways to deal with that struggle is important. Form positive relationships with your professors. Make a study calendar and stick to it. If you have to, change your major. Make sure you are doing what you love and not just what is expected of you. When you have 50 hours of work and only 24 to complete it, the first thing to do is exercise, followed by healthy eating, hydrating and taking time for the sake of your mental health
Lowering your expectations for yourself is difficult, especially if you have been a straight-A student your entire life. College is meant to challenge us, and sometimes the challenge is far more complex and time consuming than we expected. With finals rapidly approaching, it is ridiculous to insinuate that an entire new mindset will rectify old habits, but learning healthier habits now will allow you to leave campus for the summer knowing that you put everything you had out on the table, but not at the cost of your health.
Emma Royal is a sophomore majoring in aerospace engineering. Her column runs biweekly.
