Everything has its consequences, and consequences often have a negative connotation when speaking at the expense of something. There is always a standard for determining what is enough and what is too much. Standards are continuously evolving; sometimes, the healthiest method takes too much time and effort, and some things are sacrificed to reach it faster. Sacrificing one’s mental health and sleep for the sake of academics is nothing new in this day and age, but disregarding complete rest should also not be an option.
Sometimes these standards drive us too hard to a wall and perplex us. This wall symbolizes our limit and once reached, overcoming it provokes us to either transcend or retreat. But what’s even more complicated and bewildering is running into the wall, losing your passion, and forgetting your true goal. You end up just having sheer perseverance, and while there’s nothing unusual with that, it is one of the ways a person gets burned out easily and degrades the quality and perspective of their outlook in life.
As time ticks louder and hurriedly, you contemplate where this is all going and if it will all end up nowhere but in dust and the dark. In a world where the hustle is praised and commended, and competition is relentless, taking a rest seems like a crime and a privilege only to be enjoyed by those who have already attained their goals and have reached their full potential, or in short, have already made their mark in the world. While those who are still on the journey of finding themselves and learning about their desires and goals are left behind, trying to match the pace of those already above. However, comparing your journey to someone else’s is a bad habit and unrealistic.
Admittedly, I am among those who are still lost and wandering around, taking a careful look at the path I chose, contemplating whether I’ll end up like how everyone expects me to— a successful and licensed medical physician or the other way around. Ever since I was young, I was always told that I was going to be a medical practitioner when I grew up, and since I had zero idea of who I truly wanted to become, I have adapted and limited myself from dreaming otherwise. As I immerse myself in my chosen path, I face the harsh reality that it was one of the determining factors of my future and life to be upheld. Drowned in constant attempts to love my course and looking at the positive side, the attempt always has a little victory against my contemplation. There’s nothing more draining than squeezing your brain and heart out for a passion and love that does not exist and tricking yourself into thinking that the feeling and phenomenon of passion will come if you just mimic others enough.
But in the face of academic validation and phony fervor, I strive hard to become the best in the class. As college students striving for our hardest in hopes of someday becoming the reliable and competent professionals we aspire to see in our respective fields— although it is currently not the exact case for me, we persevere through different educational systems and different methods of teaching to overcome each year and each test, hoping for nothing less than a tres, the passing grade. But to work hard just to surpass a number and get through a course can take a toll on one’s mental health and exhaust the way someone functions and absorbs information, leading to burnout without even realizing it. One moment, you’re all giddy about learning the material, and in a whirlwind, you suddenly feel like you’ve fallen out of love with your course and start questioning its purpose and your proficiency.
Burnout is the complete exhaustion of one’s body and mind due to excessive and prolonged stress, but being burned out doesn’t mean that you’re just tired. Being burned out is also when you develop a negative attitude towards your work and perceive that everything you do related to your work is not enough and is either poor or par in quality. Being burned out sucks the motivation and the vividness of life out of your body and leaves you wondering how to bring it back. When you’re burned out, even the basic things feel difficult because your brain seems to register nothing. Sometimes, everything will weigh you down too much, and no one can pick you up from the slump but yourself. Acknowledging that you are burned out and taking the initiative to overcome it is already significant progress. At times when you can’t handle yourself anymore, seeking help from your family, friends, peers, acquaintances, and medical professionals is also an option for overcoming burnout.
To rest is to be in a relaxed state mentally, physically, and emotionally. When you rest, you do something else besides work; you treat yourself and surround yourself with positive vibes, going out with your loved ones and alloting a day just for yourself. Resting is not a foreign concept; instead, it is an apparent and straightforward concept emphasizing the importance of valuing taking a break and being cognizant of your limits. Trying to love something that does not root from one’s sole interest is enervating but as we proceed with our journey, let’s all be reminded that one failure or one misjudgment does not diminish your value as a person and as a student. It is okay to not be perfect. It is okay to not be perfect. It is okay to make mistakes. And, most importantly, it is okay to take a rest. Whether or not we are struggling right now, our self should always be among our top priorities.