This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.
After summer break, I feel pumped to get back into the school routine during fall quarter. Winter quarter, I push through because the chilly weather makes it easy to stay indoors and study. When spring quarter rolls around, the weather gets warmer, and I discover it is *almost* impossible to stay focused. The promise of a relaxing summer just around the corner is way too distracting. The so-called “spring q vibes” hit hard in a college town, and I find it difficult to want to study instead of enjoying time outside with friends. Maybe it is because we students have spent the last year online, but this year’s spring quarter burnout feels more intense than ever.
Photo by Kinga Cichewicz from Unsplash
It is officially week three, and classes are picking up. Since the weather in Davis has been consistently above 70 degrees, I have moved my studying outdoors. While I cannot say that this has been beneficial for my focus, it has helped fight the “study scaries.” We all know vitamin D helps decrease depression, and I have been feeling that effect. I think it is super important to incorporate time outside because our screen time has been majorly up this school year: eat lunch outside, take a walk, watch some lectures in the shade – just any way to see the sun.
Photo by Alexis Brown from Unsplash
As a student who likes to stay busy, I have fallen victim to the mentality that you must always be productive. Because of this, I fail to take breaks from school, meaning I go and go until I get overly burnt out. To me, taking breaks feels counterintuitive, but I know it is usually the best route to take. Taking time to do things for yourself helps you restart when you sit back down to work. I think it is equally important to have things to look forward to! I find it easier to stay in tune with the school routine if I have plans coming up.
I know spring quarter burnout hits every student in different ways, but these are just the little things I am doing right now to keep my sanity. They seem small, but anything helps during hours of lectures, labs, studying, and homework. If anything else, fake it till you make it, and summer is almost here!
Lauren Wharton is a third year UC Davis student majoring in Animal Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, CrossFit, eating copious amounts of Halo Top, and spending time with her family, friends, and Shiba Inu, Mable.
