By : Makayla Campbell
WHAT IS BURNOUT?
Burnout is “a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress”.
EXPERIENCES
Personally, I didn’t experience burnout until my sophomore year of highschool when I took all honors classes. In my freshman year, I only took two honors classes while the rest were regular, so some days I felt tired and unmotivated. However, never to the extent where I couldn’t even look at the assignment. Anyways, one day I was doing english homework and felt overwhelmed because I still had Chemistry, Japanese, an article to finish, plus editing the work of my peers. I felt as if the work would never stop piling up and nothing would ever get done. I was so exhausted, as if my brain was no longer working.
THE SWITCH TO ONLINE SCHOOL
Now that school is online for myself and others, the way to do work and the necessity of time management is completely different. For my school, we have 30 minute live sessions and then an hour after that for independent work time. The live sessions may range from 10 minutes to a full hour. And for independent work, I either do the assigned work, nap, eat, or watch TV. Now that I am doing school in my room rather than the classroom, there are a lot more distractions and temptations right by me. I try my best to discipline myself and fight the urge to cuddle on my bed with a blanket and sleep for independent work time.
This year, I decided to take two AP classes and an IB class this year, which means time commitment. The work level for my APs consist of two to three hours of homework that vary from two to four assignments each class, and one to two hours of studying. Now, add my other classes and I usually do about two to three hours of homework each day. Some days I am fine and I can handle it, but other days I end up spent.
A few weeks ago, I had a Physics test and an AP US History test on the same day, and an Algebra quiz the day before. I was very stressed out and didn’t even wanna study. I ended up studying, but I wouldn’t count it as productive. All I did was look at my notes and do the Quizlets, but instead of actively studying, I was just going through the motions. That, to me, is also a type of burnout.
OTHER PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES
I conducted an Instagram poll and asked people if they have ever experienced burnout. Only 11% said yes. That’s an 89% yes.
“The tests and unexplained directions lead me to spend hours crying and not eating,” answered Kat, a junior in high school.
This is only one example, and the poll shows how a countless number of students have experienced burnout.
THE BIG PICTURE
Everyone has their days where they feel as if they are tired of school, assignments, and the stress that comes with it. I know that I do. The point being, burnout happens, and it honestly sucks, but we have to find ways to work around it.
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Sources
Melinda, Melinda Smith, M.A., Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Lawrence Robinson. “Burnout Prevention and Treatment.” HelpGuide.org, Oct. 2020, www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm.