Academic Burnout: Anecdotal Discovery

Last month, I attended my city’s first-ever teen wellness summit. I was a presenter alongside many other teenagers in my city. Our main concern was Academic Burnout, so we realized this is a topic that isn't talked about that much. Seeing the faces of the audience watching our presentations helped me realize that this is a topic that needs to be talked about more. So, to start, what is academic burnout? 

 Academic burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged school-related stress. It often happens when students feel overwhelmed by constant assignments, exams, extracurricular activities, and pressure to perform well. Over time, this stress can build up until students feel drained, unmotivated, or disconnected from their schoolwork. 

It is the continuous studying (months or weeks) of the same material/project, or the continuous years of schooling. This is NOT the occasional feeling of studying for hours on end; this is more of a chronic condition for long-term study or schoolwork. 

Some symptoms of academic burnout are: 

• Feeling exhausted despite getting enough sleep. 

• Losing motivation to attend classes or start assignments. 

• Lashing out at others and becoming more irritable due to frustration. 

• Lacking inspiration and creativity to bring to projects and class discussions. 

• Unable to meet deadlines. 

• Increased pain and tension in your body can be manifested as headaches, sore muscles, or jaw tension. 

• Increase in bad habits like overeating, staying up too late, etc. 

• Weaker immune system. Susceptible to sickness. 

• Inability to concentrate on schoolwork/lectures. 

• Feeling bored or uninterested in aspects of school that you used to enjoy. 

• Feelings of anxiety or depression. 

Academic burnout is concerning because, according to the American Psychological Association’s report “Stress in America Generation Z,” made in October of 2018. Says that Gen Z considers itself more stressed than adults, registering at 5.3 on a 10-point scale, next to the adult score of 4.9. 63% of Gen Z cite family finances as a major stressor. Other issues may also be a component. This is concerning because Sara Villanueva, a writer for Psychology Today, says that modern-day teenagers are expected to know their future, and standardized testing may also be a stressor. All this could have an impact on a student's mental health. 

If a student ignores academic burnout, it can lead to the following... 

• Brain fog, poor memory retention, and inability to focus. 

• Insomnia, weakened immune system, and frequent headaches. 

• Disconnecting from peers, losing enjoyment in activities. 

• Increased risk of failing a class = money spent on retaking it. 

• Development of chronic anxiety and depressive disorders, 

• Could be carried over into your professional career 

To cope with academic burnout, doctors recommend: 

• Break large tasks into smaller steps. 

• Prioritize important assignments. 

• Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or mindfulness. 

• Avoid perfectionism. 

• Stay connected with supportive people. 

• Reward yourself for completing goals. 

Written By: Trinity Kejbou