I’m going to be honest here: I’m not writing this for you. I’m writing this for me. I’m in the middle of the burnout that I knew was coming, and I’m searching for a way to climb out of it.
For 18 years—82% of my life—I’ve been in a very specific rhythm. Start school in the Fall, take breaks for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, and rest, play, or work during the summer. My whole conscious life has been dictated by this rhythm—a rhythm that just ended. Just like that. I tossed my graduation cap in the air, moved back to my home state, and quietly changed the life rhythm that I had known my entire life—dramatically.
Can we stop to think about how jarring that is?
Why don’t we talk about this more in college or high school? We think about how different life is going to be now that we have to pay all of our own bills and work 9-5 desk jobs far away from our friends, but we don’t talk about what happens when back-to-school time comes around again and you're suddenly not going anywhere.
Maybe this is affecting me more than others. I'm a huge school nerd, and I went to school out of state. For the past 4 years, I've been moving every couple of months. Our Christmas break at Biola was 6 weeks long, so it really was like moving after each semester. I lived in Spain for a summer, and I also studied abroad for a time in Cambridge. So there were dramatic life and location changes that happened every few months. And now, I've been in the same spot for about 3 months and I'm starting to see Social Media buzz at Biola... and I'm not going anywhere.
I mean, I am going somewhere in a loose sense of the phrase. Just not literally. I got this great marketing internship at a tech company. It’s an established firm that feels like a startup: with flatscreen monitors displaying grammar tips and in-house designed art, kayaks and paddle boards for employees to use, and espresso machines around every corner. I get unlimited paid vacation time, and I can sleep in until noon every day as long as I get my work done.
My work is appreciated here. Nobody takes credit for things I’ve done. I’m given exhilarating projects, and my opinion counts.
“It sounds like this is the best job you’ll ever have,” my dad noted of my shining reviews.
I was quickly promoted to this, my first “real” job—complete with salary and benefits. We actually agreed to end my internship early so I could get started on even bigger projects. Now, I’m heading up entire marketing campaigns, making sure that all of the moving parts work together to contribute to the success of a campaign.
I like what I do. I feel good at it. I might not curing cancer or saving the world, but I spend 8 hours a day trying to convince people to study the Bible better, which is pretty sweet.
But I'm already feeling burnt out. I think it's because I’m in my first ever back-to-school slump.
So let’s be real. Not going back to school is a big deal.
Here’s a list of things I’m doing to fight the back-to-school burnout.
Will they work? I’m not sure. But I’ll try.
Sabbathing. See this excerpt from one of my favorite books, Garden City. Better yet, read it yourself. It's worth it.
Donate to a Cause. Decide on a humanitarian cause that you care about and actually start to care about it. Is it homelessness in your community? Volunteer at the local shelter. Is it international poverty? Check out the Fair Trade or Microfinancing movements and look for ways you can help. Invest time or money into a cause.
Celebrate Fall. I never really got an Autumn during school. We would wear sweaters and boots in the 80 degree weather and pretend that the leaves were changing. Now that I moved to a place with seasons, I can celebrate that. Here's to something new (kinda?): Autumn.
Enjoy the Small Things. I live alone, and while it's nice to not have to worry about other people's sleeping or cleaning schedules, it can get a bit lonely. I found a local florist, and every couple of weeks I'll buy myself a single flower to brighten up my day. Things like that allow me to find small joys to celebrate, even on days that feel lonely.
Create-Your-Own Curriculum. I love reading, so during college I compiled a list of all of the books I would read once I got the chance. I also made a list of reading prompts that will help me to find new books. I'm excited to dig into these lists, finally. Also, I'm working on learning biblical Greek with Logos Mobile Ed, which I got for free! Work perks.
Journal. Writing things down just soothes the soul. Especially if you're using an unlined Moleskine. Trust me on this one.
10's. I'm trying out churches in Bellingham, and I think I found the one I'll attend. A few weeks ago, the pastor encouraged us to spend 10 minutes a day praying, and 10 minutes a day reading our Bibles. He was convinced that this would make a radical difference in our daily lives. I agree with him—it's just really difficult for me, for some reason.
I have the most hope in this final option. "For freedom Christ has set us free," after all. God wants good for me. He wants me to trust him, and to enjoy the things that he's given me. He wants me to look at the future with hope and joy. I just need to open my heart to hear from the Creator of the universe. Wild, isn't it? That it's so hard for me to convince myself to spend 20 minutes a day talking with the Creator of everything?
If you get the chance, pray that things will go well. That I'll get through this slump and learn to thrive. That this transition will teach me more than I could have imagined. That I'll become a gracious and loving adult.
