Ohio University Bobcats are just over halfway through the semester, and academic burnout is striking students of all majors.
The American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology defines burnout as “physical, emotional or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes toward oneself and others.”
Willow Downard, a senior studying commercial photography, said she believes academic burnout affects students on two fronts: mentally and academically.
“Mentally because you put in all this work and get so little reward out of it, and then you're just expected to keep putting in more and more work,” Downard said. “You get exhausted from working, you just don't want to. And then when you don't want to, your grades tend to suffer.”
Students affected by burnout may feel alone in their struggles, but they are certainly not the only ones who experience it.
Cameron Everett, a junior studying psychology, juggles her studies, job, lab work and responsibilities as president of the OU Color Guard. She studied biology for two years and said academic burnout and lack of support contributed to her decision to change her major.
“In general, everybody is affected by it at some point,” Everett said. “I feel like it's not talked about as much as it should be, and I don't think there are as many resources for kids who are struggling that there could be, because I know if I had something, I would have been able to manage everything a little bit better.”
Atlas Hyacinth, a senior studying human biology, agrees with Everett and said students could use more support through burnout.
“I feel like the university can do more for students experiencing burnout,” Hyacinth said. “I know that professors are on a timeline, they have a curriculum to teach and all that stuff, but … I feel like (the university) could be holding more events for students experiencing burnout, like a relaxation event or something like that.”
There are a few university events to support students in need of stress relief, such as the weekly Marti & Stewie Craft Night in Baker Center's West 82 and the Creative Coping Café in Lindley Hall room 052.
Hyacinth participated in a coping café and said it was a positive experience.
“I actually really liked it,” they said. “They gave out free coffee, and they had coloring pages and stuff.”
Despite the difficulties students face with burnout, there are tips to cope with it. Downard said she recommends talking to someone about burnout and doing grounding activities.
“Breathe, it’s always good to breathe,” she said. “Don't stress about it too much. There are other things in your life to do, do that for a bit. Get back to it when you feel better.”
For students looking to debrief with peers, Counseling and Psychological Services offers Togetherall as a resource where students can access free, around-the-clock and anonymous peer support. Everett said she also suggests talking out burnout, but understands that it is not an option for everybody.
“If that feels like it's not an option for you, join something as a creative outlet,” she said. “That's really helped me, as it kind of helps me manage my stress a little bit to have something I can go do and not think about school.”
Community is also an important aspect of coping with burnout, especially for students. Hyacinth said forming a study group may be beneficial for students who need support in completing their schoolwork.
“Go meet up with people in your major or your classes that you know of, even if it's your first time saying hi to somebody,” Hyacinth said. “If you see them in the library, or they're like, ‘Hey, can I sit at your table?’ or something like that, I'm sure they wouldn't mind.”
Burnout may be a strain on the mind and body, but with support and coping techniques, Bobcats can power through the rest of the semester.
