Is High School Burn-Out a Thing?

As students began to ease out of E-learning, the rise of burnt-out high school students has been atrocious. The transition from waking up and doing schoolwork on a Chromebook in bed to being inside of a classroom every morning at 8:05 has really set students in a spiral. In addition, converting from a 4 period to a 7 period schedule has also affected the work and determination of classmates at EPHS. Becoming burnt-out in high school is not uncommon. This has occurred worldwide for an innumerable amount of years and it is definitely not a facile thing to ease out of. It takes a genuine effort to subtract yourself from the equation, but that doesn’t mean that it’s nonviable.

This issue has been set apart from former years specifically because of the global pandemic that cut many high schoolers' 4-year experience short. Statistically, in 2021 alone, Stanford discovered that 43% of students in high school have reported sleeping LESS, while a good 5% reported that they only sleep for 4 hours or less a night. According to the CDC, teenagers ages 13-18 should be sleeping 8-10 hours a night per every 24 hours. You can see how this decline can affect the students overall outcome in terms of focusing and alertness. Additionally, Med Alert has found that college students have reached a 1:5 ratio for thoughts of suicide, which means that 20% of the students who were a part of this study have been in this state of mind. This correlates with current high schoolers because college students were affected by the pandemic halfway through their high school experience. For obvious reasons, the suicide ratio is detrimental to student’s mental health and should not be disregarded specifically because it was just a suicidal thought. Classmates are becoming excessively pessimistic and depressed from the weight they carry on their backs.

There are numerous options when it comes to preventing a mental block, with one such option being asking for help. If you feel like you are starting to fall behind because of exhaustion, tutoring or staying after school for help is always an option! Teachers at EPHS do have workshops and such after school you can go to, or you can schedule a time to see them. Another tactic for becoming invigorated again can be by prioritizing. Making a mental note of how you plan your day-to-day schedule during and after school can start your day off positively, giving you some room to breathe and preventing things from piling up. Moreover, buying a planner can also help embellish your organization skills as long as it stays in your budget! You can also download apps for free on your phone or write your plan into your notes app. There are several options as to how you can maintain a schedule, even if it is just a mental note of how you want your day to go. The problem is keeping up with that schedule or staying persistent. Students need to remind themselves that they are in control, and that their schedule is up to them. You can plan your itinerary based on your idea of what you find most important first, then the less relevant activities can follow.