Is anyone else ready for this school to just be over already? Same! With no spring break, the stress and exhaustation is definitely start to take its toll, and motivation is decreasing every day. The silver lining: we have less than a month left! What matters the most is making sure that you still take care of yourself even if you’re burning out.
Here’s what we recommedn to manage your end-of-the-year stress and burnout.
- Move in the morning, even if it means stretching in bed
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As someone who has danced for the majority of my life so far, the benefits of stretching and moving in some capacity each day is a premise that I can attest eases stress. This is not to say that there weren’t many nights in high school and college when going through barre combinations was far from my mind, which was spiraling out of control about all of the homework I had to do. Although I have since put my ballet slippers and pointe shoes to rest, I still stretch almost every night and have since become a pilates stan. It is now my routine to wake up at 8am (I am a morning person for sure, but you can move your body any time of the day), grab my yoga mat, and choose a pilates-focused video by Melissa Woodhealth. Her approach to movement is warm, simple, and accessible which I appreciate especially when I have less than 20-minutes to workout. I find that on days which I dedicate some time on my mat, I feel more loose and ready to approach the day. I may have to write a 12-page paper or read 200 pages of a novel, but downward dogs and deep breaths do make an impact, I promise. Burnout is temporary and pilates is one way to recharge.
– Elizabeth Berry ‘21
- Get outside and enjoy the warm weather
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At this point in the semester, I am struggling with zoom fatigue, and I am sick of sitting in my room staring at my computer screen all day. I have found it refreshing to plan out little blocks of time to go outside and walk around campus. Lately, the weather has been nice and sunny, and the campus is in full bloom. I highly recommend taking a quick loop around the campus to admire all of the beautiful spring trees. Taking even 5 minutes to get fresh air and stretch my legs in between classes or before I start my homework rejuvenates me. Even when the weather is not the best, I always feel better after stepping outside for a few moments to clear my mind and rest my eyes from my draining computer screen. I would definitely suggest making time to get outside, especially if you are suffering from burnout. I guarantee it will make you feel better and dispel some of the stress that is accumulating at this point in the semester.
– Sarah Hennig ‘24
- Have yourself a solo dance party
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Though it may feel ridiculous to dance around your room, I’ve found that by moving my body and making myself have a little fun for even a few songs helps me better focus throughout my study sessions. To really set the mood, I like to turn off my big light, put on sunglasses, and lip-sync into my pink bedazzled microphone while I jump up and down in front of the mirror. Personally, I’ve been dancing along to Vampire Weekend and the Mamma Mia soundtrack, but whatever gets you up and moving is perfect!
– Kendall Foley ‘24
Even though it feels like there’s still an eternity left, we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Be sure to try some of our tips, and remember, as we said on our Instagram, “your mind deserves rest days too.”