Burnout is an Issue for College Students

By Sarah Newberry
Staff writer
IG: @luv2dance43

Burnout is an issue for college students, and Hutchinson Community College is no different. It’s stressful and puts a strain on schoolwork and life in general.

“I really think I would define burnout as feeling constantly unmotivated and exhausted. Kind of to the point where it’s really hard to focus or care about your academic work,” said Hutchinson freshman Adalyn Walton.

There are a lot of demands and expectations of students, and it can be a lot. Parents expect their kids in college to get good grades or be student athletes, too. Assignments, tests, and projects piling up are a lot for someone, especially an 18- or 19-year-old.

“Mrs. Carithers gives us work that is easy enough for us to do within the class period, so we don’t have to take it home with us,” said Hutchinson freshman Jillian Ferguson, referring to English instructor Amber Carithers.

Burnout can be hard, and many students might want to give up and throw in the towel. There are many demands on students, from their family’s to society’s expectations, to get a degree.

“It gets very overwhelming trying to balance school life, work, and also your personal life. It’s hard to find the right balance, making it very easy to feel drained both mentally and physically,” Walton said.

Finding joy in the little things can help, such as taking a walk or treating yourself to a coffee from a coffee shop.

“I take personal days, or I treat myself to something to look forward to at the end of the week to keep myself motivated,” Ferguson said.

Mental health is crucial to being successful in school. It’s not good to be so stressed that someone might crash out.

“Promoting mental health days and making counseling services more accessible and talked about would be extremely beneficial for students who struggle with burnout. I believe there are resources available, but often students don’t know about them or feel they don’t have time for them,” Walton said.

No matter whether someone is a stressed student or a successful student, there is always someone who is struggling the same way. Reach out to fellow students, counselors, or professors about the stress and maybe even anxiety.  Counseling services are free at HutchCC and students can schedule an appointment by calling 620-665-3377 or walking in and making an appointment. Also, students can reach out to their advisor to adjust class load and can spread it out. Tutoring services are available at Rimmer Learning Center on campus. Also, you can find more mental health resources here https://www.hutchcc.edu/student-success-center#counseling

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