Anna Dorsey | Staff Illustrator

Coming off the school year and into the summer is always a jarring transition from having a jam-packed schedule to zero commitments whatsoever. My friends and I often go stir-crazy after one week of doing nothing at home. This summer, however, the relief of summer break was very necessary. I’d been so busy during the semester that I had been dreaming about lying in bed all day since February. Unfortunately, this was because I was experiencing burnout.

Psychology Today defines burnout as “a state of emotional, mental, and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress.” It is easy to find yourself facing burnout in college because there isn’t a distinct separation between school, extracurricular activities, and personal life when everything takes place on the same campus. The stressors from one area of your life can easily make their way into other areas and can start to feel overwhelming. Part of going to college is learning how to prevent stressful things from piling up and knowing how to manage the exhaustion if they do. But don’t panic. You’re not alone in figuring it out! These tips can help you navigate burnout in your college experience.

Don’t overcommit yourself

I’ll be the first to say that I fell victim to this in my first two years of college. WashU has so much to offer in terms of classes, clubs, and activities, and WashU students are notoriously ambitious. There will likely come a semester when you consider taking on a workload of 18 or more credits, and when it does, please consider what your schedule will truly look like when you add time for homework, social activities, and sleeping. It works in some cases but not all, so be realistic. And don’t be afraid to add or drop classes when you can or to take a class pass/no pass. 

When it comes to clubs, the number of options can be overwhelming, especially when attending the activities fair. My personal advice is to check out those that interest you — whether that’s through stalking their Instagram accounts or attending a general meeting — and choose a maximum of two or three that you can see yourself enjoying throughout the semester. It can be tempting to try to be a part of 10 different things, but you might find yourself becoming more involved than you expected with one club or team. To be clear, this is a good thing! But be thoughtful about what you commit yourself to, and be prepared to potentially choose a few high-commitment activities over several low-commitment ones. 

Set up effective working environments

You probably discovered in high school what the best working environment is for you. It can sometimes be difficult to transition to college with these habits, because the urge to hang out with new friends instead of getting homework done is strong when you live close to everyone you know. This is when that lack of separation between school and personal life can be challenging. A good solution is to ask if any friends want to join you in studying somewhere on campus, since working at a desk right next to your bed can be distracting, and working in a common room really means chatting while you pretend to look at your computer. Setting yourself up with a study location where you can put your phone to the side and get work done while still spending time with friends can be both fun and productive. Being around others can also help you maintain a healthy balance between homework time and social time, since you can always take breaks to chat or grab a meal as a group afterwards. 

Make time for yourself

As important as it is to get your work done in college, it is essential that you allow yourself time away from the stress of classes and clubs. Whether this means spending time alone, rotting in bed, or going out with friends, having downtime is necessary for your well-being. You also have to take care of yourself physically and recognize that you can’t function at your best without proper sleep and regular meals. In the middle of a stressful week, it can feel like you can’t waste a minute sleeping, but that’s exactly how you get to the point of exhaustion where you can no longer do even the simplest tasks. Many people find it helpful to keep to-do lists and calendars to plan time for getting work done, which can be effective as long as you give yourself grace for falling behind your schedule or missing something on the list. Whether you update your Google Calendar meticulously or keep everything written in your brain, be sure to block in time for relaxation and fun. Balance can be hard to achieve, but it is key to the best college experience possible. 

Use your resources

In the event that you find yourself burnt out with a pile of assignments to do, you may feel a combination of incredible stress and apathy. Sometimes, things can get away from you, even if you try to maintain a work-life balance. In these moments, I advise you to turn to the resources offered to you. First of all, communicate with your professors. Many are forgiving and are willing to offer extensions, but they won’t do so unless you ask. Don’t sacrifice your well-being for an assignment if you can get a few more days to work on it. You can also turn to friends, family, or trusted faculty to vent about your stress, because sometimes just saying what’s on your mind can make the weight feel lighter. Trust me, everyone has moments like this, and these conversations can go both ways. If you’re both stressed about the same thing, the shared vent can be cathartic. No matter what, just remember that you’ll make it through the burnout, and there are people all around you, whether friends, professors, or other faculty on campus, who can help when all you want to do is blow off all of your work and lie in bed. 

Don’t let this advice preemptively stress you out. College is fun and not just about classes or work! I offer these tips as someone who tends to be overambitious in how much I can fit into my schedule, and in the hope that you can implement some practices of a healthy work-life balance early on, rather than learning about their importance the hard way. WashU has so much to offer, and I recommend taking advantage of it while you can, but be realistic about how much you can do. Set yourself up for success going into your first year by balancing your academic and social commitments with time for yourself.