Tufts Blogs

Coming to college is no joke when it comes to academics. I thought that I was going to be comfortable, considering I did a 2-year rigorous course called the International Baccalaureate, or IB for short. The academics are rigorous and can be demanding, but they are also rewarding. I wanted to focus more on the “rigorous” and “demanding” aspects by highlighting the efforts I have made to complement my workload. 

I have taken many difficult classes throughout my college career. Whether that be Organic Chemistry or a history class, I feel like I have done it all. I would say that academics come in waves, where you may find yourself with little to no work one week and then have exams and papers due the following. When those tough weeks arrive, it can be pretty stressful. I have had study sessions where I stayed up until 2 AM, thinking I would fail my exam. My friends can vouch for the fact that I do overwork myself at times.  To overcome these challenging nights, I have tried various approaches, and here is a bank of ideas you can use if you ever feel stressed.

Take a 15-minute break

Sitting somewhere and doing work can be quite a challenge, especially if you've been there for a long time. I have found it extremely helpful to get up, leave my belongings with my friends, and go outside or walk around campus. I feel that this is extremely useful when there are problems you think you cannot solve, or have been doing an assignment for quite a while. Taking a break to grab some more water or eat has allowed me to clear my head for a bit, and then I can return to work with a fresh mind. 

Talking with your friends

Something that I appreciate, especially within my community at Tufts, is that they are such a supportive unit whenever I feel distressed. Similar to taking a 15-minute break, I found that talking to my friends has also allowed me to clear my mind and prioritize engaging in wonderful conversations with them. Sometimes, the conversations get so involved that I forget about the work that I am doing, but by doing so, I allow myself to find the motivation to continue moving forward. What I love about Tufts is that you are never alone through your education. I have had so many friends in each of my classes, and talking to them has also been essential to my learning. Tufts professors love it when students can collaborate with one another on complex problem sets and highly encourage it! Therefore, it never feels like I am being isolated by my work, and I always feel the urge to reach out to my peers. 

Attend office hours and utilize the academic resources

This is a different approach that I have started to take advantage of when dealing with academic burnout. This was particularly helpful whenever I felt stuck (which was a significant portion of my studies) and needed guidance to keep moving forward. It was usually the inability to complete the work that led to my stress and worry about the content that I was learning in class. When I took Calculus II, I had a tough time understanding trigonometric substitution or Taylor series when doing the problem sets, so I utilized going to office hours and getting that individualized support from the professors and TA. I would say that office hours are generally overlooked as many see it as a waste of time, but because of the one-on-one setting, it usually benefits in understanding the concept a bit deeper. I think most of all, the connections you make with the teaching staff are everlasting. I see my professors and TAs when walking down the street and saying "hi" has always been extremely friendly. I plan to continue building those connections with them as I continue my undergraduate experience here.

I believe that academic burnout is a real phenomenon that affects a lot of college students. Taking these steps has significantly improved my mental health and stress levels as I navigate through difficult classes. Hopefully, this can serve as a guide for students who ever feel stressed or confused on their academic journey.