May carries a lot of baggage—exams, end-of-year projects, and assignments, and for seniors: graduation, college deadlines, prom, and the transition from high school to college—but coincidentally, it is also Mental Health Awareness Month. By the end of the year, everyone is burnt out from the school year’s stress, and many people tend to calculate how they can do the absolute bare minimum and still pass. So, how do Barons manage end-of-year burnout and keep their mental health in check?
Emotional and physical burnout is hard to pull yourself out of, but making sure to implement good workload management strategies can mitigate its effects. When asked how he deals with the end-of-year burnout, senior Trent Lopez shares some advice: “It’s really about the little things, doing the little stuff every day, getting the smaller assignments done, and overtime it just stacks.” Starting assignments early and dedicating time in order to prevent a pile-up is crucial for avoiding even more stress in the future.
It is also important to take care of yourself and your mental well-being to gain the energy and mental capacity necessary for any task. Sophomore Virginia Giller explains her methods for success: “Ensure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, and finding fun things to do in between work to let your brain rest for a little bit. …these things can make a huge difference in your energy levels and overall mood and allow big, overwhelming moments to feel a lot less daunting.” Many people don’t take good enough care of themselves, leading to even worse mental exhaustion, but implementing little things each day helps.
By focusing on these little things consistently, students can navigate the challenges of the academic year and maintain their mental health.
