The first thing on the internet you will read about burnout syndrome is that it mainly affects top managers, doctors and social service workers. Therefore, it often happens that those who do not fit into these groups assess that the problem cannot affect them. But the opposite is true. Burnout can affect anyone who is passionate about what they do. Like college students.
Burnout syndrome - a problem that is becoming a public awareness and affecting more and more young people. Individuals who suffer from this syndrome may not be aware of it at first. However, it is important to remember that burnout syndrome is recognised by the World Health Organisation WHO included in the International Classification of Diseases in 2019, so it is important to pay attention to it and not take it lightly.
The most important thing you should know about burnout syndrome (and what we purposely talk about over and over again at Nevyhasni) is that it can affect anyone, including college students. Although student burnout is not an official term, several things distinguish it from job burnout. First, school is usually not the only thing students do. Project date Eurostudent show that up to 92 % Czech students work while studying at university. This is the third highest number of the 26 countries surveyed. Nowadays, employers often look more at the experience of the graduate. Secondly, students are often forced, especially during the exam period, to to put more on their shoulders than they can bear. Pressure also plays a big role, which is often directed at students by family. If I don't finish school, I'll fail, right?
The student can get caught up in an unbearable cycle of school work and stress that can result in serious mental and physical problems. On 14 November 2023, a student University of Economics in Prague (VŠE) a lecture on "When it's too much or how not to go crazy while studying", which was also supported by our favourite organisation Don't let go of the soul. During the lecture, the students were presented with the short documentary "Do you have to?" prepared by students of the University of Economics, which showed specific stories of students.
At the beginning of the event were graduate of the University of Economics Jakub Žofčák presented the results of his questionnaire survey on mental health.
This questionnaire was administered to 811 students of the University of Economics, comprising 65.8 % females, 33.8 % males and 0.4 % other genders. The questionnaire revealed that almost 90 % of the respondents are working while attending school.
The following charts divide respondents into two groups, namely those who had no difficulties before entering university and those who experienced difficulties before starting university.
The first two charts focus on whether the respondent was experiencing burnout and whether they felt isolated from people. In both cases, more than 50 % respondents experienced these problems.
Next, on a scale of 1 to 10, respondents were asked to answer whether they experience any of the symptoms of burnout.
It should be added that this is not an official psychological questionnaire and basic analyses and methods have been used, but as an outline that this is a real problem, it is enough.
So what do we do now? First of all, we need to talk more about burnout syndrome in universities (for example, through voluntary lectures or whole courses) and this problem also actively address. Research shows that many university students suffer from burnout or its symptoms without knowing it, and only start addressing the cause when it is very late.
How do we get out of this?
If you feel that the topic is relevant to you, the main message we want to convey in this article is, that there is no failure to shut down. Your health comes before school and work. And remember, there's always a solution. You can take a break from studying and come back to it when it's possible for you. It could be in a month, six months, a year or even more. You wouldn't be the first or the last to take a break from studying and come back to it after a few years. And if you're currently experiencing job burnout, the solution may be to change jobs or fields of work, for example. There are a number of retraining courses that can open doors to other areas of work, and it is through these that you can find work that fulfils you. Sometimes it's not even necessary to leave straight away, but it can be very helpful to find a space and time where the subject of school or work won't be able to.
Also, remember that there is no shame in telling your loved ones about your problems or seeking professional help. The last step is to remember that improvement does not come overnight. Recovery time is very individual for each individual. Research shows that recovery takes around 6 months to a year on average. So you need to be patient and not put too much pressure on yourself.
The college years tend to be the most beautiful, but also the most challenging in a person's life for those who embark on them. And on this roller coaster, it is more necessary than ever to take care of your mental health. Do you have your own experience with college burnout? Feel free to reach out to us on our social media or at sara.voldanova@nevyhasni.cz.
