Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

It’s almost the end of the semester for Colorado State University students. Plans for summer are underway, and the trees are starting to get green again, which also means finals are looming eerily in the distance.

This point in the semester is rough for many students. Each Friday comes with a defeated sigh and a determined attitude that next week will be better.

Around this time of the year, students are also prone to burning out. Burnout is caused by a prolonged period of stress that leads to a pessimistic outlook on one’s work or other aspects of life. Everyone is susceptible to burnout: teachers, parents and especially college students.

College students have many stressors that can often lead to burning out. On top of classes, many students work a job or two, participate in clubs and try to maintain a social life. All of that sits in a pretty delicate balance, and often one area has to be sacrificed in order to keep the rest of them from sliding out of control.

“Taking care of your mental health is undoubtedly important to leading a functional life. But let’s be honest: It seems like no one has the time for that right now.”

However, there isn’t the option to do that when the primary stressor is school. Some professors might allow for extensions, but everything has to get done eventually. Not caring about college simply isn’t an option, especially when some students are sinking themselves into debt for it.

The other factor to consider is mental health, which plays a role in our lives whether we want it to or not. We can’t detach from our mental health; we can’t quit it like a bad job. It’s always going to be there. 

It’s easy to think your mental health isn’t as important as school, as the common yet concerning phrase “pain is temporary, GPA is forever” would have us believe. However, this is not true. Having poor mental health is nothing to brag about, and it leads to worse performance in school. Fighting through burnout is only going to lead to it happening more intensely later.

Taking care of your mental health is undoubtedly important to leading a functional life. But let’s be honest: It seems like no one has the time for that right now.

In a time as busy as finals season, it can be borderline impossible to manage schoolwork and mental health. Time management is key here, but even then it’s sometimes not enough. You can manage your time all you want, but when it comes down to it, you might feel like you’re never going to have enough. There’s never going to be more than 24 hours in a day.

“Right now might not seem like the time for nights of elaborate self-care, but little things can be done to make life a little more bearable.”

So what can be done to maintain mental health and keep on top of schoolwork?

In short: nothing. There are not many things that can be done to manage schoolwork and mental health when both are too intense. It’s impossible to prioritize everything, but you also can’t completely neglect one without it affecting the others.

Focus on school, but also know where things can slip. Maybe one professor is an easier grader than another, so it’s OK to spend less time on the essay for their class. Some things are going to be busywork, and others are going to be 25% of your grade, so prioritize accordingly.

Maintain mental health to the best of your ability. Right now might not seem like the time for nights of elaborate self-care, but little things can be done to make life a little more bearable. If it’s not windy, a 10-minute walk with good music or a favorite podcast can really help you recharge. Maybe venture to a local coffee shop one afternoon so you can both treat yourself to a drink and simultaneously work on assignments to keep up with school.

This balance is always delicate, and as finals approach, there is less time to treat your mental health while keeping up with school. However, you don’t have to completely neglect mental health just to stay on top of schoolwork.

It comes down to ensuring you get the bare minimum. Get good sleep. Eat healthy and fulfilling meals. Interact with your friends. Get some fresh air. It may be the Band-Aid solution, but it can still help. Once finals are over, you can go back to actual, meaningful self-care.

While it’s still a few weeks away, the end of the semester is in sight. Everyone will make it to the end, and it’s important to remember we don’t have to burn out in the process.

Reach Dillon Gross at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @dillongrosss.