It’s almost the end of the semester and most of us students have reached the point where we are knee deep in final exams, papers, and projects. This time of year is pretty stressful for everyone. Most of the time students are trying to balance their time between studying for finals, writing papers, and remembering to eat – and sleeping if you’re lucky. While I usually get pretty tired during finals week this year I’ve found I’m not just exhausted. I’m burnt out.
For the past two weeks or so I just haven’t had any creative energy. I haven’t been happy with most of the work I’ve been producing, and I haven’t felt motivated to work on them like I usually do. I’m an art major so being creative is something that is fairly important for me, but I’ve also noticed this trend happening with my non-art major friends. I’ve heard them express how they’re frustrated with not having good ideas for their papers or how they’re having difficulty with their group projects. It’s easy to feel burnt out – we all go to an excellent school that offers rigorous coursework, but at a certain point it takes a toll.
So what do you do? Well for me I find it helps to step back and try and take some time for myself. I know that’s easier said than done but sometimes it’s just little things. It can be taking a nap to relax, drawing something for myself instead of for homework, or getting a change of scenery, like going to a new coffee shop to work instead of the same library.
It’s ok to feel burnt out. We all have times where we hit writer’s block, or just simply feel stuck. It can be frustrating and annoying but it’s important to not beat yourself up over it. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy or a bad student. If you’re feeling burnt out use it as an excuse to do something nice for yourself or practice some self-care. And most importantly don’t be discouraged; you’ll be back on your feet before you know it.
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