Symptoms of being overworked cause students to feel burned out
Students are being burned out by the amount of work they do for school. While the World Health Organization states that burnout syndrome is a “occupational phenomenon,” students can feel like going to school is similar to working a job.
One of the issues currently faced by college students across the country is the symptoms of burnout syndrome.
Burnout syndrome affects people both physically and mentally, leading to fatigue and an increasingly negative attitude, according to non-profit mental health and wellness website HealthGuide.
Crystal Martinez-Alire, a counselor on campus, said she sees at least two students a week who show signs of burnout.
“Students who are parents or work are usually a lot more likely to be suffering from burnout,” Martinez-Alire said.
Burnout syndrome was included as part of the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases. Presented to the World Health Alliance in May, the ICD is a system used by healthcare workers to define and report diseases and health conditions.
The World Health Organization, who publishes the ICD, specifies on their website that burnout syndrome only applies in the context of work and should not be applied to other aspects of life.
Issac Shankar, a 19-year-old computer information systems major, said work was the main reason why he feels burned out.
“One of the main sources of stress for me is being overloaded work-wise,” said Shanker. “I work full-time, and it’s a struggle between work and school.”
However, 22-year-old photography major Shaylea Duckworth said that school can be like having a full-time job.
“It kind of depends on how many classes you take,” said Duckworth. “But I know I have had to spend all night on an assignment, hoping I can get a break, and then just getting another.”
Alyssa Bangs, a 19-year-old business administration major, also said she thinks the symptoms of burnout could be caused by the pressures of school work.
“Studying is work,” Bangs said. “If you want to be a good student, you have to devote a lot of your time to it.”
Shankar said when he felt he was getting burnt out, he dealt with it by taking a step back and resting.
Studying is work. If you want to be a good student, you have to devote a lot of your time to it.
— Alyssa Bangs
“I’ll take a break from my work to disconnect, and then I’ll come back to it,” said Shankar.
Tavy Chap, a 32-year-old biology major, said she does something relaxing to deal with burnout.
Chap also said she would “have a drink or read a book that a teacher hasn’t assigned me.”
Martinez-Alire said there are also services provided by the campus that can help students being affected by burnout and other issues. She said the Meditation Space and personal counseling sessions are available to students, as well as workshops to help them learn better organization and time management skills.
Students who are experiencing burnout and need someone to talk to can make an appointment with one of the counselors for a personal counseling session. Appointments can be made in L-200 or at 916-691-7316.
