How I Learned to Reduce Stress and Prevent Burnout

By: Cameron Spencer

Whether it’s studying, working, balancing personal relationships, or a complicated mix of each, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with all facets of the student experience. It is also easy to feel helpless in the face of insurmountable stress, which can lead to intense mental burnout and fatigue that seems to never go away.  I’ve experienced it myself.

At one point last year, I held a full course load featuring quantitative research and an all-encompassing psych class, and was also juggling three jobs in an attempt to cover my tuition and create a better financial situation for my future self. While I’d like to believe that I’ve been fairly successful in both my educational and professional careers, accomplishing this left me feeling more burnt out than I could have possibly imagined. 

It was a common practice for me to remedy my post-secondary woes through the use of copious amounts of caffeine, either from coffee or far-too-large energy drinks. Ultimately, this caught up to me by the end of the semester and I dealt with constant headaches and diminishing energy. I found that the best way to energize myself while also being academically responsible was not through artificial means but through small, yet meaningful actions. So, I scheduled my work and study times in a way that allowed me to have at least 15 minutes on the hour to myself, where I used the time to either stand and stretch, or mentally unwind through some form of entertainment. I had also started to track how much I slept to ensure that I got 7 hours at the minimum, which helped me get through the day without face-planting into my keyboard. While I admit, I do still enjoy a coffee, energy drink, or scoop of pre-workout every now and then, I have come to realize how much more beneficial it is to seek change within myself and not at the bottom of a caffeinated beverage. 

As I was fighting an uphill battle against burnout, it was difficult for me to find ways to let my frustrations go, often to the detriment of my mental state, as well as those around me. It felt far easier to let my feelings remain balled up inside without allowing myself any form of release. In hindsight, this only added to my feelings of despair. In order to work around this, I found myself falling back on my friends and colleagues and spending time with them, allowing myself to step away from my busy life to enjoy the relationships I share with them. Whether it was playing a video game with them or getting sushi together, I slowly witnessed my stress decrease and my head clear itself a bit. Spending time with your friends isn’t always a possibility as a busy student, and it can be very difficult to drag yourself away from your studies, but I have found it to be one of—if not the most important—things you can do. 

Through this journey, my ability to deal with burnout has improved tenfold, and I’m proud of myself when I think about where I am today. Each person who experiences burnout throughout college will venture through their own sets of trials and tribulations, but it is my hope that sharing my experiences will resonate with someone and make their journey just a little bit easier.