Are you a student who feels bone-numbing exhaustion all the time?
And when you add a lack of motivation and drive to your trunk of overwhelming feelings, you wonder if maybe something is wrong with you?
However, there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re experiencing something that most students face throughout their college journey.
College burnout.
Here are 16 ways to deal with college burnout:
- Have a regular sleeping schedule.
- Create a passion project.
- Invest time into hobbies that light you up.
- Don’t be harsh with yourself.
- Have zero study days.
- Stay out of drama.
- Keep a balance between studying and leisure.
- Make traveling convenient.
- Rethink/re-evaluate your area of study.
- Stop worrying about the future.
- Have a self-care routine.
- Create realistic study goals.
- Read in your free time.
- Do a social media detox.
- Take care of your physical and mental health.
- Learn to manage your time.
The rest of this article will explore how to deal with college burnout. I’ll also discuss the symptoms of college burnout and why you might feel this way.
Table of Contents
What is College Burnout?
College burnout is a state of extreme mental and physical fatigue faced by students. It is generally caused by overworking, constant stress, and pressure from expectations. Most students start to feel so exhausted that they lose interest in their studies and adopt an unhealthy mindset that feeds into other areas of their life.
As a student, I’ve faced college burnout more than I can count. And each time left me more depleted, cynical, and ignorant.
It’s a common misconception that burnout only affects a person physically. But it is probably more mentally taxing. It’s easy to recover physically from extreme fatigue. But what about the mind? Trying to put yourself in the right mental space and mindset is the hardest part of burnout.
What Are the Signs of College Burnout?
The first step to preventing college burnout is understanding the symptoms. I had no idea I was burnt out when I was in college. Maybe if I had known my problem, I could’ve done something to reduce or prevent it.
Here are 10 signs of college burnout:
1. You are tired all the time
It’s common in college to get less sleep. However, it becomes a problem when you’re getting rest but still feel fatigued and struggle to focus.
I remember dozing off in most of my classes, no matter how early I went to bed or how much sleep I got. And it took me a while to realize that this type of tiredness was more than just physical fatigue. It’s a tiredness that makes your soul heavy.
2. You lack motivation and interest in university
One of the most defining features of burnout is that a once focused and motivated student no longer has any motivation left to succeed. It doesn’t matter how they do in university; whether they fail or pass, they feel the same emotion – indifference.
And this is heart-breaking because we all go to university to succeed. We want something better for ourselves, which is why we invest so much time and effort. And so, when you lose that drive to succeed, you feel empty.
3. You start to hate studying and college
I should’ve gotten the hint that I was severely burnt out when I started hating university and my coursework. I loathed every part of it. And I turned into a cynical teenager who wanted nothing more than to get away from the very thing that used to give her life meaning.
Therefore, if you think negatively about your courses or college in general, you’re likely burnt out. Nurturing feelings of hate is a safety response for our brains because if you love studying, you may never take a break from it. However, when you learn to hate it, you’re forced to step back and take the break that you badly need.
It also doesn’t help if your subject gives you constant stress. This stress makes it easier to hate your subject. When you hate it, you also let go of all the other pressure on you.
4. You get sick frequently
Burnout affects your immune system because when you’re tired all the time, you live a sedentary lifestyle and don’t eat proper nutrition. This weakens your immune system and makes you susceptible to illnesses.
Some people also either gain or lose a lot of weight in a short period. Both of which are unhealthy and can impact your body’s defenses.
5. You get annoyed over small things
Becoming irritable is generally a symptom of burnout because the little things start to annoy you when you’re constantly tired, stressed, and overwhelmed.
I was a pain in college because I had a problem with everything. Furthermore, when you see other students who are in a good mood, relaxed, and positive, you feel even more annoyed because you’re craving to feel that way.
6. You become anxious and depressed
I’m convinced that burnout is a slow killer. And if left unattended for too long, it can cause you great anxiety, and you might even slip into a depression.
If you have more bad days than usual and feel low for no reason, it’s because you’re burnt out.
7. You feel useless
Burnout isn’t great for your self-esteem. It can make you feel like you’re not good enough or less intelligent than your colleagues.
Burnout made me hate my studies, so I stopped caring about it. But then there was a ripple effect. Because I stopped caring, I stopped putting in any effort, and I felt like achieving good grades was too hard for me.
Therefore, I felt inferior to all my college friends and believed I was stupid. It’s only later that I realized burnout sold me a lie and caused me to feel those things.
8. You struggle to focus
There’s no doubt that with extreme fatigue comes the inability to concentrate. And it might feel like a losing battle when you’re actively trying to focus, but you’re so burnt out that you can’t.
I was so stressed that I could barely focus on anything requiring cognitive skills.
9. You don’t get enough sleep despite being tired
It’s frustrating when your mind and body are tired but you’re unable to get the sleep you need. This generally happens with burnout because when you decide it’s time to shut down, your mind starts to overthink, become anxious, and your body feels restless.
10. You start “acting out”
With burnout comes the urge to find energy elsewhere, even if those things might not be good for you.
Some students rebel and get into substance abuse, while some jump into and out of relationships or become not-so-great people to be around.
What Causes Burnout in College Students?
Burnout in college students is caused for several reasons. Let’s explore these reasons below:
1. Overworking without taking breaks
As a student, it’s normal to feel guilty about taking breaks. Sometimes you feel like studying is your most important job. However, we don’t realize how much this affects us in the long run. It’s only when your mind reaches its peak of exhaustion that you’re unable to do anything else.
2. Disinterest in the subject of study
If you lack interest in your course/degree/qualification, burnout might start to set in. It’s tough to focus and be productive in something you don’t like.
On the other hand, it’s far easier to build motivation and work on something you enjoy. Burnout might be your body’s way of telling you that your heart isn’t in the right place.
3. Dislike of the teacher/professor
Unfortunately, not all teachers are great. Some are condescending, teach with no vigor, or load you with more work than an average person can handle.
Therefore, if you dislike your college professor, making an effort in your class material will feel challenging. You’ll lose motivation and might even start to hate the subject they teach.
4. Financial or family issues
Burnout can be caused due to taxing financial or family issues. For example, if your parents are going through a divorce, this will no doubt affect you, and you might become disinterested in everything else in your life.
Or, if you have financial troubles, you might be constantly worried about how you’ll pay course fees, leading to extreme stress.
5. You have a busy personal life
If you have a busy personal life, such as a relationship, or maybe you’re working part-time, you might already be too exhausted. And trying to focus on college might be the last thing you have energy for.
6. Mental or physiological issues
Most of us have suffered through anxiety and depression at some point. However, for some, it’s an ongoing journey. And if you’re already struggling with your mental health, college stress could worsen it.
Furthermore, if you have a physical illness, for example, anemia, you might already be too physically depleted to focus on college.
7. The course load is too overwhelming
If your course is too challenging or you’re overwhelmed by the work required, it’s normal to burn out.
I remember wanting to hurl when I was studying my undergrad. The work was challenging, and there was so much of it. My to-do lists constantly piled up and became more complex, eventually leading to me shutting down.
How to Overcome College Burnout?
1. Have a regular sleeping schedule
You feel more energized, focused, and mentally stable when your body is well-rested.
However, in college, the norm is to get as little sleep as possible, complete assignments till late, or party till the wee hours of the morning. So, it’s no wonder those who get little sleep end up severely burnt out.
I used to sleep at midnight and had to wake up to be at the bus stop at 6 a.m. Not so surprisingly, I was in a bad mood and felt like a zombie at any time of the day.
2. Create a passion project
College is stressful, and a great way to not only escape from it but recharge your reserves is to focus on something you’re passionate about.
Start a passion project, for example, a blog about something you love, or work on a book you’d like to publish someday.
It’s a student’s misconception that all you should do in college is study. However, too much of the same activity can cause extreme boredom and tire you out. Therefore, you must break up your schedule by investing time in another project. And who knows, maybe this passion project could become a career someday?
I wish I had started my blog when I was an undergrad. I would’ve had a healthy coping mechanism and might have even enjoyed college more.
3. Invest time into hobbies that light you up
Sometimes you’re so busy focusing on schoolwork that you forget you have other things you’re passionate about.
I’ve always admired the students who, in addition to college, focused on sports and other extracurricular activities. These students perform exceptionally well in their studies because they have a balanced lifestyle.
They invest their downtime into their hobbies, which light them up and energize them so they can return to their studies with renewed focus.
4. Don’t be harsh with yourself
I know it’s hard when you’re burnt out and exhausted. You feel useless and like you can’t achieve anything. However, you need to understand that you’re a student, and now is probably the best time to make mistakes, have downtime, and play a little. It’s also the best time to explore who you are.
And remember, everyone suffers from burnout throughout their lives, so don’t be so harsh with yourself. Instead, give yourself time to recover because you are only human, and use this time to spend time alone and understand who you are.
5. Have zero study days
Sometimes the best way to revive motivation for studying is to take a few days off. Do absolutely everything else other than studying.
We often put too much pressure on ourselves and force ourselves to study when we don’t want to. And forcing yourself isn’t going to help you in any way. You aren’t going to retain information, you aren’t going to be interested in your study material, and you’re going to feel even more depleted.
Therefore, even during your regular study schedule, you should have at least one day where you don’t do any studying at all. You can spend this day on your passion project, watching tv, or focusing on your hobbies.
6. Stay out of drama
College is notorious for drama, but drama takes vital energy.
While studying my undergrad, I was involved in so much drama, from not speaking to certain friends, having relationship issues, and just engaging in mindless gossip. And this drama exhausted me to the point that I had no energy left for what was necessary.
Therefore, try to keep your head low, avoid unnecessary arguments, and stay out of everyone else’s business.
7. Keep a balance between studying and leisure
Students often forget that they have another life too. This part involves your hobbies, rest, spending time with friends, cooking, etc.
The students who strike a balance between studying and leisure succeed more than the ones who treat studying as the be-all and end-all.
During my undergrad experience, studying was the sole focus of my life. Everything else was secondary, but my studies were so difficult that I got depressed. And I felt like my sole purpose was not being fulfilled anymore.
8. Make traveling convenient
If you’re staying on campus, this might not apply to you. However, if you travel to college from home and it’s long-distance, you should try to make this travel as convenient as possible.
Travelling can be pretty tiring and can deplete you of precious energy that you could be spending on your college work.
I’ve mentioned before that I had to take a 6:00 a.m. bus. This is highly inconvenient. I would doze off on the bus; however, this was not enough rest. And when I reached campus, I was still so exhausted I would doze off in class. And to this day, I regret not trying to find a more convenient way of traveling, like using a lift club that left for college later.
So, you see, the little things in your daily routine might contribute more to your burnout than you think.
9. Rethink/re-evaluate your area of study
Perhaps the course or degree you’re studying does not interest you anymore, leading to an advanced burnout stage.
Sometimes we pressure ourselves to study something to the point where we feel like we can’t cope. However, pushing yourself is not going to benefit anybody.
So, if you’re feeling guilty about changing your course or not meeting others’ expectations, remember that you will be walking around in your skin, brain, and heart every day, not anybody else. Therefore, try to understand yourself and your goals, and speak to a career counselor to help determine what you want to study.
Or you can take a gap year to give yourself space to figure things out.
10. Stop worrying about the future
When you’re in university, it’s hard to envision what the future will look like. College can seem never-ending, and it isn’t like a job where the rewards you receive are instantaneous. It’s a slow process; it takes time to see the fruit of your efforts.
Therefore, when students think about life after college, they get overwhelmed and anxious, leading to burnout. However, from experience, all the worries I had in college about the future don’t matter anymore.
I realize now that I was stupid to even think that far into the future because the life that I’m living now is different and something I never would have envisioned. And I love it.
Therefore, stop focusing so much on the future and instead enjoy your present life in college. You won’t be in college forever, so enjoy it.
11. Have a self-care routine
When you’re feeling overwhelmed with college, creating a self-care routine is the best thing to do.
This could be a routine you follow in the mornings, evenings, or whenever you feel stressed.
Your self-care routine can include calming activities that will recharge and make you less anxious—for example, having a cup of tea while relaxing with a good book.
A few other things that you can include in your self-care routine are:
- Taking a long walk.
- Playing with your pet, etc.
12. Create realistic study goals
Another reason you might be overwhelmed is that you’re setting unrealistic study goals. For example, maybe you set a goal of studying five chapters a day. However, this may not be reasonable due to your busy lifestyle.
Therefore, the best thing to do would be to create a realistic study routine that fits your life. For example, if you’re only available for an hour a day, set your study time for that.
When you set unrealistic goals, you put pressure and unnecessary stress on yourself. However, the key to succeeding in college is not the quantity of your studying; it’s the quality. So, if you only study an hour a day, make that hour count.
There’s no need to push yourself to study for five hours a day when you can’t. Therefore, think about your daily routines and what would be a realistic study goal for you that’s easy to stay consistent with.
13. Read in your free time
My saving grace in university was books.
Here are some of the benefits of reading when you’re in college:
- Reading gives you a fresh perspective.
- You can escape your life and responsibilities for a while.
- It teaches you new things and motivates you to improve yourself.
Therefore, incorporate reading into your study routine by taking a 10–20-minute book break between studies.
14. Do a social media detox
A brilliant way to recover from burnout is to take a social media break.
The internet creates unhealthy expectations, comparisons, and overall negativity. However, when you do a social media detox, you will realize how much of your time is spent on the internet. And this is time you could use to do healthier activities such as yoga, meditation, etc.
15. Take care of your physical and mental health
Take care of your physical and mental health by exercising, getting proper nutrition, meditating, journaling, and being one with your emotions instead of escaping them.
When you start prioritizing your health, you will become more aware of when you are burnt out and can take the necessary steps to prevent it.
16. Learn to manage your time
Students become stressed in university because they are unable to manage their time.
College loads you with many responsibilities. You may work a part-time job, have relationships to worry about, friends to meet, and projects to complete. And this could be why you aren’t managing your time correctly when it comes to your studies.
However, learning proper time management will allow you to excel at college and have a more fulfilled personal life.
Final Thoughts
Every student experiences burnout at some point. It’s inevitable with the pressures of college. However, it’s not impossible to beat if you follow the above steps.
Of course, the primary step is recognizing that you are burnt out. When you are aware that you are burnt out, you can make the following changes in your life to overcome it.
And remember, don’t be harsh with yourself. Take your time, and you will conquer burnout.