Feeling stressed?:
3 Tips To Avoid College Burnout
at DePaul University
Lock-in season is real. Whether it’s an assignment due date or finals, the deadlines always catch up to us!
Luckily, it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming if you approach those deadlines and assignments with a plan to make the work manageable while also keeping your stress in check. Burning out is never good! If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s exactly how it sounds—a sudden, intense spark of energy that fizzles out just as quickly.
Ideally, you want your Blue Demon flame to burn steadily throughout your time here at DePaul. Doing things that aren’t academic-based, like crocheting or thrifting, can really help! Below are my three tips for managing stress and avoiding burnout at DePaul.
1. Work with Your Mind
I love taking things apart and putting them back together. I started very young and progressed to more difficult things slowly. Naturally, I turn to hobbies that are puzzle-like when I need to take my mind off my to-dos.
As a kid, I used to love taking apart my computers or game consoles. This was because understanding how something works, for me, is better achieved when it’s broken down.
Working with my mind to fix or arrange tangible things is how we should approach assignments and school. I say this because when things (school projects) are presented, they can feel overwhelming at the moment, but taking time to work through them mentally, write out the steps to accomplish them, and put it back together makes the “thing” less daunting.
My advice: Start with something you enjoy like a puzzle, a Lego Set or even try to fix a broken device.
2. Work with Your Body
If you like moving your body to make changes for your body (at the gym) or through physically demanding activities like moving 50lb bags of soil, then you know that working with your body helps ease stress immensely.
I loved skateboarding for hours on end daily, but since leaving high school, much of my time has been spent working and schooling. With those changes, the desire to slow down and plant seeds for my future has become necessary for keeping my stress at bay.
Working with your body doesn’t always mean slowing down literally. Working out means slowing down and focusing on simple tasks such as: “Lift this heavy object and put it down.” This is so important, and that’s why I consider it absolutely crucial to work with your body to avoid burnout.
My advice: Think about activities that you like to do and challenge your body. It doesn’t matter what it is, so the main thing is making time to move your body on purpose (and not only because you’re late to class–oops!) with a sense of joy while doing it.
3. Work with Your Soul
Would you believe me if I said that while “working with your body” can mean slowing down, “working with your soul” can sometimes mean speeding up?
I have a dear friend of nearly 10 years whom I’ve grown to know through yoga, and she organizes special events like the one pictured here called “Yoga Mala,” held at the beginning of the year. There is a series of yoga movements called a “Sun Salutation” that, when done in sequence, create a flow. The “Yoga Mala” event involves completing 108 Sun Salutations as a way to start your year with intention. The unique thing about this practice is that you can go as slow as needed or as fast as you’d like, and with each set of salutations, you set special intentions.
For example, you might set intentions for the earth, displaced people around the world, yourself, or your loved ones. It’s a practice of working with your soul while using your body. This can be done with anything you hold near and dear to you—creating art, enjoying art, or simply resting. When you work with your soul, you allow yourself to remember that you can only control what you can. Don’t stress about what you can’t!
My advice: Think about 1 thing you really love to do. What is it? That is something that works with your soul! Hold it near and dear because that is what carries you through life to help you avoid burning out. Return to it when life feels hard.
In summary, the tips are simple: work with your mind, work with your body, and work with your soul to avoid college burnout! Still need advice? DePaul offers incredible resources for students. If you’re considering attending DePaul, rest assured that you’ll have all the support you need when things get tough. Explore the many student clubs and organizations to help you find balance and discover your own Mind, Body, and Soul work!
Visit DePaul’s Student Organizations
Marco Garcia | IG: AstroTheProtege | First-Generation Latino Digital Marketing Student