By Stephanie Starks | Staff Writer
For college students, the pressure of balancing academic, personal and social responsibilities can lead to burnout, which can affect concentration and overall well-being. According to a 2026 survey by Crown Counseling, about 55% of college students reported experiencing burnout.
It’s 11:58 p.m., and the essay is due in two minutes. Between midterms, organizational meetings, classes, time with friends, eating and sleeping, it is easy to get stressed.
Bački Petrovac, Serbia, second-year master’s student Irena Nvota said students can feel overwhelmed during the middle of the semester, when the beginning feels far behind and the end still seems distant.
“It’s this awkward season where everything is overwhelming,” Nvota said. “Students are in the reality of college.”
Nvota said students need to recognize what matters most to them and maintain relationships with people who can support them when academic pressures build.
“Only [the student] can be a friend to their friend,” Nvota said. “Only they can be a child to their parents. Only they can be a student to their grades. Only they are responsible for their relationship with God and with others. That is a student’s priority — to value the relationships that only they can nurture and no one else can do for them.”
Tyler freshman Will Butts said he has not experienced significant burnout because he enjoys his classes. When he does feel overwhelmed, Butts said slowing down and changing his study environment can help.
“When I have experienced slight burnout, it helps to take a little break,” he said. “It helps me to move my location while studying to have a change in scenery.”
Dr. Kallie Kobold, a Counseling Services staff psychologist, said the middle of the semester can be particularly challenging as deadlines for classes and student organizations begin to overlap.
“There are many things pulling for [students’] time and attention,” Kobold said. “It can be a perfect storm of having too many things to do and not enough time. The demand on students naturally builds up, and eventually it might feel like too much to carry. This is when things like sleep and eating that developing adult needs get neglected.”
Kobold said students can manage some of that pressure by anticipating conflicting deadlines and making time for activities they enjoy.
“If students can anticipate what deadlines are going to collide, they can plan around some of the work that they need to accomplish,” Kobold said. “Before things get to the point where students do not have the metaphorical breathing room to protect their time, they need to prioritize the things they enjoy and make them human.”
When academic responsibilities feel overwhelming, Kobold said breaking larger assignments into smaller tasks can make it easier to get started.
“It can be helpful to take baby steps to make your brain more approachable to the big, daunting tasks that make the brain want to shut off,” she said. “When the brain focuses on one small task, it can propel it to the next task. The hardest part is getting started on things, especially when you have so many different things to do.”
Recognizing burnout early can also help students seek support before they feel they have reached their breaking point. Kobold encouraged students to reach out to a licensed counselor even when their stress does not yet feel unmanageable.
“[Students] need to give themselves permission to reach out,” she said. “Even when it does not seem like they are at their breaking point, that is often the best time to reach out to a licensed counselor.”
Students can contact Baylor Counseling Services throughout the semester for support, regardless of how overwhelmed they feel.
“No matter what part of the semester, students are always welcome to talk with someone,” Kobold said. “We’re here to serve students.”
