November is often associated with family and friends, pumpkin spice everything, Thanksgiving, cooler weather and cute fall outfits. For many college students, this month is associated with a mad dash to the finish line of the semester and a desperate last push to make the dream GPA or pass a required course. Yet, beyond the stress that accompanies the last few weeks before finals, some students experience feelings of being overwhelmed and burned out. For some students, these feelings of burnout may not be new. Instead they may have been present since midterms or maybe even since the competitive, high-achieving high school years of AP, dual enrollment or ACE classes.
What exactly is burnout, though?
The Mayo Clinic says, “Job burnout is a special type of work-related stress—a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” A pamphlet for Louisiana State University Shreveport describes college burnout as “Fatigue, frustration or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork or intense activity.” However, according to the Mayo Clinic, burnout is not an official diagnosis and may be related to other conditions such as depression.
Her Campus UFL interviewed students outside Library West to ask them what burnout means to them. Mackenzie Platt, a UF computer science major in the College of Engineering, said, “Burnout means kind of losing that will to work after working so hard and you feel really defeated and like you’ve been kind of grinding forever. And then you just kind of lose it at a point and you just feel overstressed and overworked and filled with anxiety and things are just going downhill real quick.”
Lorena Reis, a UF public health major, said, “For me, burnout means being emotionally exhausted.”
These feelings are not unique to UF students. Data from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) in 2015 indicates that 85% of college students within the past year said they felt overwhelmed by all that they had to do. The editorial board of the Johns Hopkins News-Letter wrote an article urging a cultural change at their university after describing a burnout “culture” among students at the prestigious institution. As the article says of John Hopkins’ students, “We prioritize success while sacrificing health and happiness. We skip meals. We pull all-nighters. We neglect friends and family, saying we’re ‘too busy’ for them—all while piling on difficult classes and extracurriculars.”
How can students deal with feelings of burnout? Southern New Hampshire University suggests that students should reach out, prioritize assignments, learn to say no to at least some commitments, stay engaged with fun classes and exciting opportunities and change up study spots and study schedules to reduce tedium. However, academic advisors at Southern New Hampshire University also pointed out that it is important to recognize when these feelings are not symptoms of burnout but are symptoms of more serious mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. If you or someone you know are experiencing more serious symptoms there are resources available through the UF Counseling and Wellness Center.
When things feel a little too much and you find yourself struggling to get through all your obligations, don’t forget to do something you love. Mental health is more important than a perfect GPA.