Is It Normal to Feel College Burnout?

According to CompareCamp, 8 in 10 college students experience frequent bouts of stress. This stress is caused by a variety of factors: academics, balancing life in and out of the classroom, living away from home, and more. As a result, college students can feel weighed down, exhausted, and even defeated at times. What’s important to note is that students aren’t alone in these feelings, and every college campus has resources to help students manage the load, both physically and mentally.

Why do I Hate College?

At some point – or maybe at several different times – you may find yourself thinking and saying, “I hate college.” This could be out of frustration over several different things, like bad food, large classes, and boring course material. However, sometimes the issues go deeper than that. Students can “hate college” because they miss home, or they feel like they were forced into going. They also may feel overwhelmed by the major life decisions they feel they have to make during this time. Further, it could be that students are facing difficult mental health issues, which could stem from any number of sources.

What is College Burnout?

College burnout occurs when a student feels chronic stress over a long period. Chronic stress is not the typical stress that you feel before a test or throughout a busy week. Instead, it’s a consistent, steady stress that you just can’t shake.

Signs of College Burnout

Unfortunately, college burnout, or chronic stress, manifests itself in physical symptoms. As you assess whether you’re experiencing this level of stress, you’ll need to watch for the following symptoms.

Exhaustion

Students who are experiencing college burnout will feel exhausted all the time. This is in part because students who feel stressed have trouble sleeping, but it’s also because carrying the load takes a physical toll.

Lack of Motivation or Interest

Though student burnout can be reached by overstressing about your student life, it can eventually lead to a lack of motivation or interest. This will extend far beyond not wanting to write a research paper or attend class. You’ll eventually find yourself not interested in your friends, family, or social activities.

Increased Irritability

In addition to feeling ambivalent about seeking out fun, burnt out students aren’t that much fun to be around. They can oftentimes feel irritated when around others and can lash out in anger or frustration. This is a product of the frustration they feel with themselves.

Frequent Illness

Mental, emotional, and physical health are so intertwined that it’s common for stress to impact your body’s ability to fight other illnesses. Students who are experiencing burnout will be more susceptible to other illnesses, like frequent headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and common colds.

Feelings of Anxiety or Depression

Finally, college burnout can lead to more serious mental health issues, like anxiety and depression. If you’re feeling anxious or depressed, it’s important to speak with someone on campus about your thoughts and feelings. In addition to having health services for your physical needs, nearly every campus also has mental health resources as well.

Tips on How to Avoid Burnout

While you can’t anticipate the toll the college experience may take on you, there are things you can do to create a healthy environment for yourself. Taking preemptive steps can help prevent burnout or make you better adept at identifying when you’re feeling it.

Learn to say “no.”

If it feels like you’re doing too much outside the classroom, or even if you’re taking too many classes, it’s ok to take a step back. Assess whether you need to be doing everything and drop those outside activities that you’re not that into or are causing too much stress in your life. If you’ve been a student for a few years now and your campus involvement is becoming too demanding, drop a few things. As you become an upperclassman, try to commit to just one leadership role in an organization instead of spreading yourself over a variety of clubs and organizations.

Focus on time management.

This tip goes hand-in-hand with learning to say no. It may take a few weeks, or months, to figure out the correct school/extracurricular/work balance. But once you’ve adjusted, set clear boundaries so that you can meet deadlines and keep commitments without feeling overcome. Extending yourself beyond your boundaries can lead to procrastination, lack of sleep, and other unhealthy habits. To help you better manage your time, list out everything you’re responsible for and prioritize the list. Don’t forget to include self-care.

Prioritize sleep and exercise.

The Sleep Foundation states that most college students need 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night. Ensure that you’re getting the correct amount by setting alarms on your phone. Yes, you may need to study more, but getting the correct amount of sleep is sometimes just as crucial to your performance as cramming. Additionally, the CDC reports that students who engage in physical activity on a daily basis are more likely to have better grades, attendance, performance, and in-class behavior. You don’t need to be an athlete to get exercise. Even something as simple as a 20-minute walk outside can have profound effects on your physical and mental health.

Set achievable goals.

As a college student, you need to set goals for yourself, but they need to be within reach. To do this well, start small with your goal setting. Maybe it’s just finding your classes the first week of school, and then stretching your goal to arriving on time the next week. Goals are great, but don’t consider them an ultimatum. Rather, look at them as feasible steps that you can gradually build upon.

Make time for fun.

Many seasoned college students and alumni will share with you how fun college was. While you’re there, don’t forget to schedule some fun time into your routine. Go to campus-wide events, have dinner with friends, and take study breaks in your fitness center. Socializing with others will enable you to get back to the grind, feeling refreshed and more awake.

Ask for help.

Finally, the best way to prevent college burnout is to ask for help. While you can seek out help at any point during the process, it’s better to ask for it sooner rather than later. If you’re feeling burnt out, you can also confide in your friends, coaches, and advisors. The best way to take care of yourself is to surround yourself with a great support system. People who care about you want to be there for you, especially when you’re feeling at your lowest.

Recovering from Burnout

If you’ve experienced college burnout and you’re looking to gain some control in your life, start with the following suggestions. It may be hard, or even a little scary, to do things differently, but be patient with yourself and you’ll begin to see results.

Remove anything unnecessary in your life.

If there are commitments and classes that led to your burnout, it’s time to drop something – or a lot of things. This may require a huge sacrifice, like quitting your fraternity or sorority or taking a step back from employment. It may also mean dropping a class that has nothing to do with your major or graduation requirements. Whatever the case, you may feel like you’re letting others down or giving up, but college burnout is serious, and your health should be treated as the most important part of your life. Don’t force yourself into a breakdown.

Commit to sleep, exercise, and healthy eating.

This may seem a little basic, but you’d be surprised at how easy it is to stay up too late, neglect moving your body, and choosing sweet, salty snacks over healthy, satisfying meals. These bad choices can easily become a lifestyle. As you’re getting back on track, start with what you can control: your bedtime, movement, and meals. Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb” between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. to avoid getting sucked into emails, text messages, and social media.

Find something fun or relaxing to fill your time.

With your newfound spare time, commit to finding one thing that’s relaxing that will help you unwind. Maybe it’s yoga or mediation. Maybe it’s reading or taking hikes. Find whatever it is that is life-giving for you and commit to spending some time on it each day. It may seem insignificant, but it helps to heal your body and mind in insurmountable ways.