Burnout in college as a student is a significant ordeal. And if you are a parent, mentor, or professor looking to find ways to help your students make the most of their college experiences without losing sight of what is most important, obtaining their degree, you have come to the right place. There are some great ideas below to help prevent student burnout.
Evaluate Course Load
One of the quickest ways to burn out in college, particularly as a new student, is to take too many courses at once. Perhaps it would be best to use this time to take a look at your student’s college courses and go over each and everyone together. Help your student determine which types of courses are needed to achieve their degree, and which are geared more towards their personal interests.
If you find that their major classes are the ones that are most challenging, it might help to limit those courses to no more than two or three per semester. You want to help them work towards getting their degree without having the experience become overwhelming.
On the other hand, if their personal interest courses require too much time, have them consider cutting back on those in the future and adding courses that will be less time-consuming. The ultimate goal is to balance courses each semester so that the student is academically challenged but also has enough free time to engage in other activities.
Ask for Help
If, after going through the course requirements, it becomes clear that the courses are needed, but they need help with the homework or concepts that are discussed in class, finding a tutor may be beneficial. Many colleges offer tutoring in a variety of subjects to help students become more comfortable with the subject matter. Making use of their available resources can make all the difference in alleviating burnout and getting good grades.
Another area perfect for getting additional academic support is for graduate school entrance exams. The most challenging tests tend to be for the sciences, medicine, and law. And while preparing for any test requires a certain level of dedication and commitment, MCAT tutoring, for example, can help provide the skills needed to get into the best medical schools.
Carve Out Self-Care Time
Another aspect of college life is that there are always so many activities to enjoy. From parties to conferences, and everything in between, having the ability to take part in so much often can seem like college students should stretch themselves to the limit to take advantage of the available opportunities.
However, learning to take care of themselves and their health is a major part of transitioning to being an adult. And one of the most vital aspects of this is figuring out which events and activities are most enjoyable versus those that provide mild entertainment.
Focus on helping them navigate this area by discussing which activities have provided them with the most information or closest friendships. Are there just one or two clubs that they tend to enjoy most? If so, perhaps they should focus their time on these events and meetings and only occasionally frequent others until they feel less burned out.
Get Into a Healthy Routine
Now that the core of college has been addressed, it is vital to take a look at the college student’s health. To prevent and recover from burnout, living a healthy lifestyle is a prerequisite.
Help them navigate better eating habits. And note, that does not mean all they can eat is a salad. However, having a few servings of vegetables and fruit instead of French fries can be a great start. Teach the importance of taking small healthy actions each day that can add up to a much healthier lifestyle overall.
And lastly, it is important to use exercise and movement to maintain health. There is no need to go to the gym every day. But trying to get in an extra ten minutes or so of walking a day can play a great role in helping them to feel better.
Working together with college students to find ways to prevent burnout can be key to helping them achieve success. Utilizing the above tips can provide a strong foundation for how to start to intervene if college life becomes too stressful.
