High school is supposed to be about finding yourself, chasing passions, making friends, and preparing for the future. But somewhere between the late-night study sessions, early morning practices, and part-time jobs, many students start to feel something heavier: burnout.
It’s a word tossed around a lot, but for many Eagles it’s real exhaustion from trying to do it all. How do students balance everything, and what happens when the balance breaks?
Freshman Haylee Jo Jackson juggles bike practice at Monarch three days a week, weekend races, a family mowing business, and household chores. “I’m a student athlete, and burnout affects me,” she admits. “With my sport and family needs, I can’t figure out how to fit everything in one day. It feels like the workload never ends.”
Her classmate Sofia Skufza shares the same struggle with balancing figure skating, all advanced classes, and hours of homework. “Burnout definitely describes how I feel. I am only a freshman, but this feels like a hill I can’t ever finish climbing.”
But how does this affect their performance in school? According to the National Education Association, being “overscheduled” is an often occurrence that has “adverse” effects on the mental health of students: “The cognitive benefits flatline while student mental health is being jeopardized,” as stated by the N.E.A.
Clearly, the overload that many students face in high school only deepens their stress levels. But what about our other Eagles?
Sophomore Jolee Jackson, a dedicated ballerina and student, takes ballet classes three times a week while managing advanced and AP courses. Her take is simple and relatable: “I do a lot of stuff. I’m burned out, and I need chocolate,” she says.
Classmate Nava Koren-Zoloto agrees. Between theatre, dance practice, band rehearsals, and heavy homework loads, she admits that burnout affects her, too.
And the further that students spread their wings in high school, the more that pressure seems to grow. Between harder classes, college preparation, and leadership roles, upperclassmen seem to bear the brunt of burnout.
Juniors especially face what many call “junioritis,” which is a term used to basically describe the, debatably, hardest year of high school. With SAT prep, AP classes, figuring out what college you’ll want to attend, and for many, a job, the workload piles up fast.
“Sometimes it feels like I can’t keep up with everything,” said Junior Caleb Jennings. “I want to do well, but there’s barely enough time to just breathe.” Jennings juggles with a job, a sport, and a relationship. For him, it seems like there isn’t enough time in the week to do anything else but hustle.
For our seniors, burnout looks a little different. Senior projects, college applications, and the fear of the future all add up to a big ball of burnout. “I’m so close to the finish line, but so far at the same time,” said Senior Case Thomas.
But why does this all matter? Why does this pressure affect performance, and how can we help it?
Well, to start, recognizing burnout is the first step. Just complaining about it won’t do. In order to make a change, you need to acknowledge that overcommitment negatively affects everyone.
According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress can reduce focus, lower motivation, and even affect memory. When students push themselves too hard, school stops being about growth and starts feeling like survival.
So next time you feel like you’re running on low, remember that it is okay to slow down and take some loads off your shoulders. Once you make time for yourself, you allow yourself to put your best effort into everything else you do.
