As college students approach the halfway point of the semester, the weight of deadlines, assignments and upcoming responsibilities may feel overwhelming. For many, the “mid-semester slump” is a familiar challenge as students’ motivation declines and mental health struggles intensify.
According to Psychology Today, burnout occurs in the middle of the semester when students try to take on college expectations all at once – social, academic and financial – until they reach this breaking point.
“You’re not alone in this mess,” Rob Danzman, a licensed clinical mental health counselor with a focus on college student complexities, said in the article. “Everyone is feeling the mid-semester crunch in some way or another.”
PLNU students have felt the pressure, too. Luciana Pareyon-Gil, a fourth-year literature major, said she’s learned to manage her time more effectively.
“I once took five literature courses,” Pareyon-Gil said. “I think it was sophomore year, and I was losing my mind.”
Pareyon-Gil said that she has experienced a mid-semester slump before, but learned from it by planning her schedule ahead of time. She said that for her last semester at PLNU, she can manage her time and responsibilities.
“Planning has a lot to do with it,” Pareyon-Gil said. “I think that advisors have a lot of help and support that they can provide us, including scheduling your classes and making a clear planner. Just allow yourself time and space for all the things you have to do.”
Iris Mercado, a third-year accounting major, said that she manages stress by doing things she enjoys – exercising, getting a coffee and investing time in herself away from school.
Mercado offered a piece of advice to her fellow students on shifting their mindset during tough times.
“I would say to push through it,” Mercado said. “It’s only one month out of many months that you are going to live. I’m sure you’ll look back on it and think fondly of these times – like, ‘Oh, I miss studying; I miss my friends; I miss college.’ Think of it as a once-in-a-lifetime thing, because once you’re out, you’re out in the real world. It all depends on the way you look at it.”
PLNU students also have additional resources available to help them get through tough times and manage their stressors.
The PLNU Counseling Center is open to traditional undergraduate students seeking support in developing and maintaining their emotional well-being. Many of the common concerns addressed in the Counseling Center include mild to moderate anxiety and depression, academic performance and motivation and adjustment and developmental issues.
Students can complete a counseling service request form to schedule an appointment with one of PLNU’s mental health care counselors.
Students can also go to the PLNU Writing Center, either on campus or online, at any stage of their writing journey to get the academic help they may need.
Holland Prior, PLNU professor and program director of the Writing Center, said that the Writing Center is a great resource to help students navigate work that may seem overwhelming.
“The earlier in the process of an assignment that you visit the Writing Center, the more useful it is because one of the things [it] can help you do, as you meet with a consultant, is to map out what needs to be done and then figure out how you will work through that,” Prior said. “So that it doesn’t become this overwhelming last minute affair – you’re setting yourself up for success from the beginning.”
Aside from individual appointments, the Writing Center also offers a series of student-led workshops that help students equip new knowledge or tone their skills. Many professors are offering bonus points for attending these workshops, Prior said.
Students can email questions to writingcenter@pointloma.edu or follow the Instagram for workshop information at @lomawritingcenter.
Grace Barrera