Fight the Burnout, Pass Your Finals

Finals week is quickly approaching and almost every student at MSU is feeling the stress. With only two weeks left of class, teachers are urging students to ‘finish strong’ and ‘put in the work’ for the rest of the semester. The only problem is that students are facing a phenomenon that rears its ugly head every year at the end of the semester: burnout.

Students are no stranger to burnout and it inevitably hits every final exam season. Burnout usually has three stages. First, students feel exhausted (and slightly panicked) with all the work laid out in front of them. Then, motivation begins to run out and it becomes even harder to get work done. Finally, negative feelings toward school are on everyone’s mind, and students long for warm weather and no more class.

Although giving up seems appealing at this point, it’s not really an option if you want to pass your finals and get credit for your classes. Luckily, there are ways to fight the burnout and do your best to end school on a high note.

The key to maintaining your mental health while still getting schoolwork done is balance. One of the best ways to prevent burnout is to make sure you aren’t only working on homework this time of year. Yes, there is a lot to get done, and yes, there are only so many hours in the day, but failing to take a little bit of time for yourself can be detrimental to your motivation. One way that I like to focus on self-care with the limited time I have is to schedule a time slot in the day, even if it’s just twenty minutes, to do what I want. This could be either taking a walk, grabbing a coffee, spending time with friends, watching a TV show or just shutting your brain off and relaxing for a bit. Keep in mind you should never have to compromise your own health for success; finding a balance should always be possible.

Another way to keep the burnout at bay is to get things done early. If you can prevent procrastination and stay on top of due dates, assignments will be less likely to pile up and stress will be a little less intense.

Sometimes, a change of scenery can also alleviate stress and burnout. Studying and finishing up final projects is usually necessary, and sometimes staring around the library blandly just adds to the want to quit. So, try taking your work to a new spot. Local coffee shops are always a great option, or, if the sun is shining, working outside is always nice.

Finally, remember to give yourself a break during this nerve-racking time. Feeling burnout is completely normal, and avoiding it completely is nearly impossible. Be kind to yourself and those around you as finals wrap up. You’re trying your very best, and that’s what matters.