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How do I make sure I don't burn out from maintaining my undergraduate agree and making time for myself?
I am currently a Law and Society major at my high school. I hope to pursue my interest in law/politics through my undergraduate degree. Throughout my academic career, I’ve taken classes such as Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, and Forensic Science. Outside of the classroom, I’m a Rho Kappa member, Black Student Union Vice-President, and Senior Managing Editor at my school’s newspaper (The Survey). Though I've done a lot, I've found myself burnt out throughout the years due to the stress from maintaining my social and academic life at the same time. I'm enrolling in school and the fall and I worry about how I will manage taking on difficult courses while still having time for myself and my friends.
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Isida’s Answer
Hello Amaiya,
Your inquiry has gone through my weekly mail. You are a mentor to me, and connections matter as much as skills. Reach out to Career Village as often as possible if you’re curious about. A short message asking for advice can open doors. It seems that you are a multitasking person, which is a wonderful trait if you want to be successful. You need to take care of yourself sometimes, and to find time for leisure, it is very important to have a good balance of life-school/work. I completely understand the dynamic of New York, even though I have not visited the sleepless city.
From my international perspective, because I live in Southeastern Europe (Western Balkans), when life is more easy-going, I recommend immediately spoiling yourself. Confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s built by trying, failing, and trying again. Celebrate small wins like going out with friends, and do some interesting things that you like and enjoy - make a list of what kind of interests you would like to do in your leisure time (cooking class, biking through parks of NYC, gym classes if you like sports).
Hope it helps. May the blessing follow you always!
Your inquiry has gone through my weekly mail. You are a mentor to me, and connections matter as much as skills. Reach out to Career Village as often as possible if you’re curious about. A short message asking for advice can open doors. It seems that you are a multitasking person, which is a wonderful trait if you want to be successful. You need to take care of yourself sometimes, and to find time for leisure, it is very important to have a good balance of life-school/work. I completely understand the dynamic of New York, even though I have not visited the sleepless city.
From my international perspective, because I live in Southeastern Europe (Western Balkans), when life is more easy-going, I recommend immediately spoiling yourself. Confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s built by trying, failing, and trying again. Celebrate small wins like going out with friends, and do some interesting things that you like and enjoy - make a list of what kind of interests you would like to do in your leisure time (cooking class, biking through parks of NYC, gym classes if you like sports).
Hope it helps. May the blessing follow you always!
Updated
Marcos’s Answer
Hey Amaiya!
First, I want to congratulate you in pursuing everything you are doing, and having the ability to multi-task and coordinate all those activities! Many people are not able to do that, and so let's take a step back, turn around and see how far you have come.
Now, it's perfectly normal to feel burnt out, and I think admitting you feel that way is the first step, and the second step is now what do I do? I'd try first in reorienting my goals and understanding + visualizing the end goal. Picture the end goal, how would that feel, how would that change you, how the 5 or 10 yr old Amaiya would think about that older version of themselves with the completed undergraduate degree and/or any other goal you wish to pursue. I feel that helped me while I, myself, was undergoing challenges pursuing my own professional+academic goals.
Lastly, I think it's possible, so don't give up! I have 2 Master Degrees, both were completed while I was working in some capacity, and married! What worked for me is using more time in the day, and keeping fit as possible.
What does more time in the day look like? Well, I would be waking up around 4-6AM to study, and not staying up too late at night. For the weekends, I would and still have time-blocks where I do not work and go out with my wife, and I encourage you to do the same, go out with your friends! On the weekends, I also would work/study, but only during the morning hours, and have my iPad or second laptop right by my bed in order to reduce friction. Keeping fit is also ideal, as you can only push yourself as much as your body allows you to push yourself, and so I recommend joining a gym. It will also be a de-stressor!
I hope it all goes well!
First, I want to congratulate you in pursuing everything you are doing, and having the ability to multi-task and coordinate all those activities! Many people are not able to do that, and so let's take a step back, turn around and see how far you have come.
Now, it's perfectly normal to feel burnt out, and I think admitting you feel that way is the first step, and the second step is now what do I do? I'd try first in reorienting my goals and understanding + visualizing the end goal. Picture the end goal, how would that feel, how would that change you, how the 5 or 10 yr old Amaiya would think about that older version of themselves with the completed undergraduate degree and/or any other goal you wish to pursue. I feel that helped me while I, myself, was undergoing challenges pursuing my own professional+academic goals.
Lastly, I think it's possible, so don't give up! I have 2 Master Degrees, both were completed while I was working in some capacity, and married! What worked for me is using more time in the day, and keeping fit as possible.
What does more time in the day look like? Well, I would be waking up around 4-6AM to study, and not staying up too late at night. For the weekends, I would and still have time-blocks where I do not work and go out with my wife, and I encourage you to do the same, go out with your friends! On the weekends, I also would work/study, but only during the morning hours, and have my iPad or second laptop right by my bed in order to reduce friction. Keeping fit is also ideal, as you can only push yourself as much as your body allows you to push yourself, and so I recommend joining a gym. It will also be a de-stressor!
I hope it all goes well!
Updated
Kayla’s Answer
Hi Amaiya!
First of all, it's incredibly impressive that you are self-aware enough to recognize that burn out is a concern for you. As someone who has experienced burnout throughout my career and while in school, it took me 10+ years to actually do something about it so you are way ahead of me! I think the most important thing besides being mindful of burnout, which you're already doing, is to create strategies for yourself to prevent burnout in the future. These strategies can include setting boundaries for yourself (yes, often easier said than done), and taking a step back periodically to check in with yourself and evaluate which of your activities are no longer serving you, and maybe causing more stress than positive return for you. You are clearly very driven, and there will be opportunities for burnout no matter what phase of life you're in or no matter what the next goal is for you - there will always be the next milestone or goal you want to achieve.
That being said, reflecting back for me, take the time for friends and fun while you're young. Yes, don't let grades and important activities fall to the wayside, but college is a time for more than learning and doing all you can to get your dream job - it's a time to learn more about yourself, make friendships that will last a lifetime, and have some fun that you can tell stories about for years to come. Wishing you all the best!
First of all, it's incredibly impressive that you are self-aware enough to recognize that burn out is a concern for you. As someone who has experienced burnout throughout my career and while in school, it took me 10+ years to actually do something about it so you are way ahead of me! I think the most important thing besides being mindful of burnout, which you're already doing, is to create strategies for yourself to prevent burnout in the future. These strategies can include setting boundaries for yourself (yes, often easier said than done), and taking a step back periodically to check in with yourself and evaluate which of your activities are no longer serving you, and maybe causing more stress than positive return for you. You are clearly very driven, and there will be opportunities for burnout no matter what phase of life you're in or no matter what the next goal is for you - there will always be the next milestone or goal you want to achieve.
That being said, reflecting back for me, take the time for friends and fun while you're young. Yes, don't let grades and important activities fall to the wayside, but college is a time for more than learning and doing all you can to get your dream job - it's a time to learn more about yourself, make friendships that will last a lifetime, and have some fun that you can tell stories about for years to come. Wishing you all the best!
Updated
Anuj’s Answer
Transitioning from being a hyper-involved high school overachiever to a college freshman is the perfect time to reset your boundaries. College burnout happens because students try to apply their high school schedule (packed from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM) to a college environment, where you have massive amounts of unstructured free time.
To maintain a high GPA for law school without losing your mind, use these four strict rules:
1. Drop the "Completionist" Mindset
In high school, you had to join five clubs to stand out. In college, law schools only care about two things: your GPA and your LSAT score.
The Rule: Join one club for your passion (like the Black Student Union) and one for your career (like Pre-Law or the campus paper). Say a firm "no" to everything else. Deep impact in two activities looks much better than shallow participation in five.
2. Treat College Like a Strict 9-to-5 Job
The biggest trap for freshman is having a class at 10:00 AM, a gap until 2:00 PM, and spending that gap napping or scrolling on TikTok. This forces you to pull stressful all-nighters to study.
The Rule: From 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, you are "at work." If you aren't physically in a lecture, you must sit in the library reading your Constitutional Law or politics cases. If you study efficiently during these hours, your evenings and weekends will be 100% free for your friends, hobbies, and yourself without a shred of guilt.
3. The "Syllabus Shield" (Protecting Your Time)
Law and politics courses require hundreds of pages of reading per week. You cannot read every single word and stay sane.
The Rule: Learn to skim strategically. Focus heavily on the introductions, conclusions, and headings of your legal briefs. Your professors will highlight the core arguments during the lecture anyway. Use your class syllabus to map out your entire semester's deadlines on Day 1 so major papers never catch you by surprise.
4. Schedule "Do Nothing" Time
If you only schedule classes and social hangouts, your brain never gets a chance to reset.
The Rule: Block out at least three 2-hour windows a week in your calendar labeled "Me Time." During this time, you are completely unavailable to your friends, your clubs, and your homework. Use it to sleep, watch a movie, or just sit quietly.
To maintain a high GPA for law school without losing your mind, use these four strict rules:
1. Drop the "Completionist" Mindset
In high school, you had to join five clubs to stand out. In college, law schools only care about two things: your GPA and your LSAT score.
The Rule: Join one club for your passion (like the Black Student Union) and one for your career (like Pre-Law or the campus paper). Say a firm "no" to everything else. Deep impact in two activities looks much better than shallow participation in five.
2. Treat College Like a Strict 9-to-5 Job
The biggest trap for freshman is having a class at 10:00 AM, a gap until 2:00 PM, and spending that gap napping or scrolling on TikTok. This forces you to pull stressful all-nighters to study.
The Rule: From 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, you are "at work." If you aren't physically in a lecture, you must sit in the library reading your Constitutional Law or politics cases. If you study efficiently during these hours, your evenings and weekends will be 100% free for your friends, hobbies, and yourself without a shred of guilt.
3. The "Syllabus Shield" (Protecting Your Time)
Law and politics courses require hundreds of pages of reading per week. You cannot read every single word and stay sane.
The Rule: Learn to skim strategically. Focus heavily on the introductions, conclusions, and headings of your legal briefs. Your professors will highlight the core arguments during the lecture anyway. Use your class syllabus to map out your entire semester's deadlines on Day 1 so major papers never catch you by surprise.
4. Schedule "Do Nothing" Time
If you only schedule classes and social hangouts, your brain never gets a chance to reset.
The Rule: Block out at least three 2-hour windows a week in your calendar labeled "Me Time." During this time, you are completely unavailable to your friends, your clubs, and your homework. Use it to sleep, watch a movie, or just sit quietly.
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1403
Answers
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Amaiya,
You are already noticing something important before college begins: achievement without balance can become exhausting. You have managed leadership, academics, and extracurricular commitments at a high level, so burnout is not a sign of weakness; it is often a sign that capable people have been carrying too much for too long. Seeing that pattern early gives you an advantage.
College will give you more freedom, but that also means you will need stronger boundaries. The biggest shift may be moving from proving yourself through constant activity to being intentional with your energy. You do not need to join everything, lead everything, or say yes to every opportunity. Choose commitments that truly support your goals or bring you joy.
Start each semester by building a realistic workload. Difficult classes, leadership roles, part-time work, and social life all compete for the same time and energy. It is usually better to do a few important things well than overload yourself and feel drained halfway through the term.
Protect personal time the same way you protect deadlines. Put rest, exercise, meals, hobbies, quiet time, and time with friends into your schedule instead of treating them as optional extras. Recovery works best when it is planned, not squeezed in after exhaustion.
Also, learn to notice your warning signs early. If you become constantly tired, irritable, unmotivated, anxious, or disconnected from things you normally enjoy, that may be a signal to reduce pressure and reset before burnout deepens.
Since you are interested in law and politics, there will always be competitive students doing more. Do not let comparison drive your decisions. Sustainable success often comes from consistency, not nonstop intensity. Strong grades, thoughtful involvement, and well-being can outperform constant overextension.
One practical strategy is to keep one “anchor activity” each semester that supports your identity outside academics, friendships, writing, fitness, faith, volunteering, creativity, or something that helps you feel like yourself. That can protect your mental balance during demanding seasons.
You already have leadership experience and clear ambition. Now the next level is not doing more; it is learning how to perform well without losing yourself in the process. That skill will serve you in college, law, politics, and life.
Best wishes!
You are already noticing something important before college begins: achievement without balance can become exhausting. You have managed leadership, academics, and extracurricular commitments at a high level, so burnout is not a sign of weakness; it is often a sign that capable people have been carrying too much for too long. Seeing that pattern early gives you an advantage.
College will give you more freedom, but that also means you will need stronger boundaries. The biggest shift may be moving from proving yourself through constant activity to being intentional with your energy. You do not need to join everything, lead everything, or say yes to every opportunity. Choose commitments that truly support your goals or bring you joy.
Start each semester by building a realistic workload. Difficult classes, leadership roles, part-time work, and social life all compete for the same time and energy. It is usually better to do a few important things well than overload yourself and feel drained halfway through the term.
Protect personal time the same way you protect deadlines. Put rest, exercise, meals, hobbies, quiet time, and time with friends into your schedule instead of treating them as optional extras. Recovery works best when it is planned, not squeezed in after exhaustion.
Also, learn to notice your warning signs early. If you become constantly tired, irritable, unmotivated, anxious, or disconnected from things you normally enjoy, that may be a signal to reduce pressure and reset before burnout deepens.
Since you are interested in law and politics, there will always be competitive students doing more. Do not let comparison drive your decisions. Sustainable success often comes from consistency, not nonstop intensity. Strong grades, thoughtful involvement, and well-being can outperform constant overextension.
One practical strategy is to keep one “anchor activity” each semester that supports your identity outside academics, friendships, writing, fitness, faith, volunteering, creativity, or something that helps you feel like yourself. That can protect your mental balance during demanding seasons.
You already have leadership experience and clear ambition. Now the next level is not doing more; it is learning how to perform well without losing yourself in the process. That skill will serve you in college, law, politics, and life.
Best wishes!
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Balance can be really hard to achieve, particularly when early in your career and trying to establish yourself. My best suggestion is to choose a few things and do them *really well.* Complete the task/project/milestone in a way you’re really proud of and document it - share it with your stakeholders, with your network directly on LinkedIn. Be clear what you learned from the experience and how you think you’ll apply that experience or knowledge going forward. Put a bow on each project before moving to the next. This is all about intention - be sure your busyness is building to something real! And take a minute to acknowledge your own success - regroup, take a breath - then set your next task/goal/milestone with intention … and go get it! You’ll do great.
Updated
Rohan’s Answer
You're already highly driven, so the key is balance, not doing everything perfectly. Prioritise your health, set realistic limits, schedule personal time like it's important, and remember that consistency beats overworking yourself. Burnout usually comes from never giving yourself time to recharge.
Updated
Brendan’s Answer
This can be tough to figure out. I had the same question when I started college. Try to make a schedule and follow it as closely as you can. Unexpected things will happen, but be sure to set aside time to spend with friends or for yourself.