The start of the winter term at school feels equally exciting as it feels preemptively draining. While I feel both tentatively refreshed from the winter break as well as motivated by the potential of new subjects and new friends, I feel a sense of impending stress as the struggles of time management, personal hygiene (eating, exercising, socializing, etc.), and scholarly output linger in my body from the previous term. The concepts of mental and physical burnout might not be new in regard to the experience, but it has recently become a well-known phrase to describe the sheer exhaustion caused by persistent demands of labour (whatever this ‘labour’ may be for an individual).
In addition to the vulnerable nature of the recovery offered by the winter break, the days of a new term seem bleak. While the fall term is punctuated by holidays and festivities, I’ve often been told by friends and family that January and February are some of the hardest months to get through. This only compounds the state of burnout, and I often find myself counting the days until summer break before the term is half over. It feels nearly impossible to devote the same amount of time and energy to the new courses as I devoted to the previous courses.
Despite all of this, the second term luckily tends to feel shorter than the fall term for many. My approach to the drudgery of second term this year will be self-acceptance and kindness. Even though the new year brings pressure for resolution and improved habits, I am embracing the fact that I am unlikely to have the energy to do everything I was doing before in addition to an ambitious new year’s resolution. I have realized that my habit of pushing myself when I am already in a state of burnout from the previous semester only leads to more problems. It is crucial to honour my needs as a person who can only do so much - as a person who deserves to feel nourished, healthy, and connected.
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