With finals season right around the corner, the amount of final exams, papers and projects can feel overwhelming and have a grave impact on one’s mental health. Sarah Kalny, a licensed mental health counselor, tells Her Campus, “Depending on the nature of the mental health concern(s), sleep, mood, motivation and energy levels can all be affected, which can make it very difficult to manage work, social and school expectations.”
When students find themselves feeling anxious and depressed, they often don’t know how to cope with these feelings, which may result in students feeling unmotivated, exhausted and burnt out by the time the school year ends. “If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted, burnt out, or are struggling with more serious struggles like a depressive episode or a psychotic episode, then the last thing on your mind is getting school work done,” Kalny says.
According to USA Today, studies have proven that heavy workloads can be destructive for students and largely impact their mental, physical and emotional health — in fact, a majority of students claim that homework is their primary source of stress. Although it’s difficult to battle feelings of depression and anxiety, there are ways to help yourself to feel better when you’re stuck juggling your schoolwork with your mental health.
Acknowledge your feelings.
Oftentimes, we don’t even acknowledge our own feelings because we don’t want to admit when we are struggling. But by ignoring how you feel, you only make it more difficult on yourself.
According to Verywell Mind, accepting your emotions may better emotion regulation, result in fewer mood swings and enhance emotional balance. The flip side is true, too: Rejecting your emotions may worsen your condition because emotions provide helpful insight about the world. Acceptance is the first step to making yourself feel better, and remember that it’s okay to not feel okay.
Instead of suppressing your emotions, try accepting them without judgment or trying to alter them. If talking to other people about your struggles and emotions is not your cup of tea, take a journal or open the Notes app in your phone and write about how you feel. Not everyone feels comfortable talking about their emotions to others, so writing down your emotions or even verbally talking to yourself may have the same effects as talking to someone else. According to Kaiser Permanente, journaling may reduce stress and anxiety, and writing about your emotions can release negative thoughts from your mind. You might even come to a resolution that you hadn’t considered before writing.
Remember you are more than your grades.
It is vital to always remember that your grades do not define you. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a C on an exam will ruin your life when in reality, this probably won’t affect you in the long run. There is so much more to life than school and work, so rather than stress about a bad grade, reflect upon all of your accomplishments thus far. Don’t let your academic and professional self overrun your life.
Jamie Keaton Jones, a psychotherapist and adjunct professor, tells Her Campus, “I like to remind my students and clients that letter grades are not identifiers. You are always more than a letter grade. Grades are feedback. And sometimes that feedback might be that things are tough right now and that it’s okay to ask for help.”
Give yourself a break.
Even though it may feel as if you have no time to accomplish all of the tasks on your to-do list, you still need to carve out time in your day for some self-care. Similarly to how the fuel tank of a vehicle can run out, our own brains and bodies can only function properly for so long. Renee Rosales, CEO of Theara, a company that advocates for education and neurodiversity, tells Her Campus, “Mental health issues can cause lowered energy levels, decreased concentration, cognitive function and overall optimism. Too much homework can also cause undue stress physically and mentally. This can manifest by irritability and/or negative mood swings, refusal to complete schoolwork, loss of interest in additional activities, excessive worry and complaining about school.” You need to give yourself breaks, so you can rejuvenate and go back to studying or completing homework with a clear mind. A break may include cooking your favorite meal, going to the gym, or catching up on your favorite show.
Also, do not feel guilty for giving yourself a break. In an op-ed for the New York Post, psychologist and author Stephanie Brown argued that Americans live under a burden of real and imagined demands, which causes physical, emotional and behavioral health problems as we overstimulate and overschedule ourselves. Oftentimes when you do slow down, you can feel guilt because you consider yourself to be unproductive. However, breaks and self-care are forms of productivity — but rather than producing work for something else, you’re actively working on your personal well-being.
Talk to someone.
Professors may be more understanding and compassionate towards students who are overwhelmed than you might expect. Talking to a professor and communicating your feelings to them can help them to understand how they can help you. Professors don’t want their students to be depressed and stressed, and many professors would rather grant students extensions so that they may submit high-quality work rather than submit their work on time but have it not be up to par.
If you don’t want to talk to your professors, talking to loved ones like friends or family members can help you get your own feelings off of your chest. Ask them first if you can talk to them about your emotions, so as to not emotionally dump onto them, and then, if they are receptive, express how you feel.
FoundCare, Inc. states that emotional dumping is the unconscious act of expressing your feelings or perspective without a consciousness of the listener and their emotions or needs. On the other hand, a healthy venting session is when the listener offers the person venting helpful responses, empathy for their state and actively engages in the conversation. Prior to starting a conversation, it is crucial to acknowledge the other person’s emotional state because they might not be in the right headspace to help you, and that is okay. Tell the listener whether you want useful feedback, advice, or a listening ear. While you shouldn’t emotionally dump on people, don’t be afraid of talking about your problems and asking for help.
In the end, remember to be kind to yourself. Acknowledge how hard you are working, and remember that you are not alone. Everyone, especially students, experiences feelings of being overwhelmed and overworked. However, these feelings will not last forever, so do your best not to let them control you and your mental health.