Burnout Buddy

Hi Burnout Buddy!

Thanks for writing to The Bureau! You had submitted, 

“It’s the beginning of the year and I’m a senior suffering from major burnout. It takes so much effort for me to do homework, let alone attend a class. I feel like I’m so close to graduating, but it’s also a million light years away. I have to go to medical school after I graduate undergrad and I just can’t imagine functioning in that kind of environment right now. I feel so much pressure all the time, and I’ve started to just shut down. Is there any way to prevent this? How am I supposed to navigate med school if I can’t graduate?”

It’s always a difficult transition as summer ends and fall begins. Days are getting shorter, and oftentimes so does patience. I’m so sorry to hear about your struggles with burnout. Every year it feels like more and more people struggle with these issues, especially in our fast-paced, competitive American culture where breaks are frowned upon and issues such as mental health are pushed aside. Unfortunately, I can’t say that I have the cure to burnout but I hope the advice that I do have is helpful to you.

Burnout Buddy, I have to stress taking care of yourself. College is overwhelming, especially when you have to manage so much of your time on your own. You might be working a job, taking care of family members, dealing with schoolwork, and clinicals, on top of just attending classes. Everything you’re going through is completely understandable and you’re not alone. Part of managing your own time, though, is setting aside time for yourself. Making sure you eat well, get proper sleep, and have down time throughout the week is essential to staying afloat during college and are just healthy habits to develop. 

It’s through developing these habits that recovering from your burnout becomes more and more possible every day. By being able to take care of yourself, hopefully you will grow to be able to accomplish bigger tasks. Keep in mind that you can only eat a whale one bite at a time. Finishing the homework for one class is an accomplishment! Even if you aren’t able to finish homework for another. College is difficult and sometimes it feels like everyone else is able to do it so easily, but I promise you, Burnout Buddy, there are people in the same situation as you. As long as you remember that you are not alone, and that you deserve time to relax outside of the stress of school, your academic habits can build themselves up! If you feel you cannot do this alone, please contact USJ’s counseling services as they can help you set up an achievable plan and it may be a good place to vent your frustration. 

You can find them at: [email protected] or call (860)-231-5233 for help.

The Bureau team is in your corner!

Sincerely,

The Banter Bureau