Despite what many people may think or believe, no – you do not have to be a senior in college to be burnt out. For some, this is the last year of our lives that things will be this normal or flexible. For others, it is the first time that we have one hundred million things on our plate. For most, it is the very beginning of the rest of our lives, and it can be difficult to comprehend that.
Of course, everyone has a different experience in college, especially depending on your major and program. At this point, my freshman year seems like it was forever ago, and sophomore year flew by faster than I could say “gen ed.” The last few weeks in particular have put into perspective for me just how tiring my life is bound to be for the rest of my days. However, there is a great positive from all of this: I am getting prepared better than ever for my future.
Junior year is typically when responsibilities start to seriously pile on. Field experience, the heavy workload in classes, job, social life, and personal care. It feels like there is sometimes not even a minute to sit and take a breath. Something very important to keep in mind during this time is to stay organized (use a planner – Google Calendar is a lifesaver!) and take breaks. Something that I think is a great method is for every hour of work, to take a 15-minute break. For example, when I sit down and spend 3 hours on schoolwork, I take at least a 45-minute break to get some food, read a book, or do a Target run with my bestie. Take care of your responsibilities but also take care of your well-being! If you do not take care of yourself mentally and physically, you will not be able to take care of yourself academically and professionally.
Speaking of lots of responsibility – to any fellow junior or senior education majors out there… you are doing great. We have so much on our plate. PRAXIS, edTPA, etc., etc., etc. Shoutout to you all and remember your “why!” Student teaching is difficult and very tiring on top of everything else. Roughly 37 hours a week in the field, plus schoolwork, plus meetings, plus your actual job. Check on the junior and senior education majors in your life. We are unwell and probably will be until graduation.
At the end of the day, we can’t complain (as if I haven’t been venting this whole time). All of the hard work is preparing us for the future careers that we chose for ourselves for a reason. We are learning every day, and we are getting ready to go into the rest of our lives in the real world. Allow yourself to feel the burnout – don’t push away your feelings. But allow yourself to see the positive and enjoy this precious time while you still have it. Your life is in the palm of your hands. Hold it steady!
I have had this thought lately that this time in our lives is the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. Let’s use our power to end this one on a good note and start the next one ready as ever. Good luck to everyone and stay strong!