Before you wonder about how hectic my workload must be that I am writing about burnout during week three, let me explain myself. 

According to multiple recent studies done by the American College Health Association, 60-80% of college students face academic burnout, and to avoid this extremely common fate this semester, we should take proactive steps. 

Throughout college, I’ve experienced multiple burnouts — some that even 12 days of hibernation couldn’t fix. I retreated into myself during these times, and I was so socially drained that I dreaded receiving the “Are you free for lunch today?” text from my friends. So academically behind that I didn’t even bother starting some of my readings because I knew I couldn’t catch up and overall mentally stuck in a state of stress about my grades. 

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Knowing that this was likely to happen again last fall, when I took 20 units, I promised myself that I wouldn’t be solely consumed by my academics and would strike a balance between work, clubs and fun. To ensure this, I made changes on multiple fronts. 

First, I forced myself to take breaks by meeting with my friends. Though my breaks weren’t as frequent due to my limited free time, I made sure they counted by hanging out more with friends that I valued and who truly brought me happiness rather than with those I felt socially obligated to meet with. Despite my limited time for these catch-ups, my friendships only deepened, and I developed a great support system that allowed me to return to work with a fresh mind and energy.

Another change I made was adding yoga to my weekly routine. Usually, I would be the last person to advocate for physical exercise, but I found the yoga flow exercises that are part of the USC Workout Pass extremely helpful. They were a great way to start my day and brought the calmness I carried for hours afterward. If you understandably don’t want to pay extra, there are other resources, like a two-unit class on “Introduction to Mindfulness” I am currently taking, which could have similar results.

Additionally, like most college students, I live by my Google Calendar, and being organized can be tedious but extremely helpful, especially when you feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things you need to finish. Dividing my day into smaller chunks of manageable tasks and having a visual depiction in front of me helps calm me down and boosts my productivity.

I have heard from friends that resources like Motion, an artificial intelligence calendar that automatically allocates time for your tasks, are also helpful. While I prefer manually allocating time as it makes me feel more in control, Motion may be a good alternative for those who think it takes too much time to plan. 

At the end of the semester, though, I realized that while having daily goals is beneficial to keep me on track, I also wanted semesterly goals so my months have a deeper purpose that motivates me to get out of bed rather than rot. I took some time to reflect on last fall, recognizing things I did well and also areas of improvement. 

This semester, I’m committed to being less emotional and hot-headed and reducing my reliance on external validation from professors, friends or even my readers. I want to set these semesterly goals so I am not just running behind the next deadline but rather living my life with a bit more purpose.

While these are some specific recommendations to avoid burnout, the bottom line is that you need to prioritize yourself. Do what helps you, whether it’s binge-watching movies, taking long walks on the beach or devouring Xiao Long Baos from Din Tai Fung. I promise that no number of A’s are worth you burning out two months into a semester.

At the start of this semester, I suffered from a terrible stomach bug that made it impossible for me to leave my apartment or my bathroom, and Aimee Carty’s lyrics, “I’m two days into college, and I’m three lectures behind,” seemed weirdly accurate. As I recover, though, I know that even though I may be playing catch up for the next few weeks, I will prioritize myself and do well this semester without burning out.

Edhita Singhal is a junior writing about life lessons she has learned in college in her column, “Thinking Out Loud,” which runs every other Tuesday.