Freshman Mike Luzietti has been feeling the strain since the moment he stepped on campus. A health science major and member of the lacrosse team, Luzietti began playing lacrosse in his sophomore year of high school, but college athletics introduced a new level of stress.

For many college students, burnout is a private battle they fight long before anyone notices. Between demanding course loads, new responsibilities and the pressure to plan a future, students often find themselves stretched thin.

As the pace of college life accelerates and expectations pile up, burnout has become a quiet but constant presence on campuses everywhere.

“I experience burnout all the time, especially with the start of college,” Luzietti said.

Between early morning practices, coursework, team commitments and adjusting to life away from home, the pressure to perform leaves little room to breathe. What keeps Luzietti going, he said, is thinking about his long-term goals. “Having a successful future keeps me going every day,” he said.

Luzietti said he expects that burnout is simply something student athletes have to learn to manage. He said his professors were supportive early in the semester, but ultimately, time management makes or breaks students in his position.

“You get a lot of work thrown at you,” he said. “You need to stay disciplined and stay organized if you want to keep up.”

Time management is also a challenge for Tyler Fineza, a sophomore fire science major, who balances two jobs, one at his local fire department and another as a front desk associate at a gym. His schedule shifts constantly, especially when emergency calls come in, and forces him to adjust on the fly.

“A typical week is pretty full,” Fineza said. “Classes during the day, then work a few evenings or weekends. If I’m scheduled at the fire department, it can be unpredictable.”

A 2025 study from Germany’s Bielefeld University found that repetitive negative thinking, rumination during the day and worrying at night play a major role in student burnout. Students with lower self-esteem reported more exhaustion, and burnout itself fueled even more negative thinking, creating a cycle that’s hard to break.

A separate survey from SRM University AP involving more than 1,600 young adults found that nearly 70% experience moderate to high anxiety related to academic pressure, social isolation and lingering post-pandemic stress.

Fineza said he tries to use any open time, even breaks between classes, to stay ahead on homework. His motivation comes from his desire to become a full-time firefighter and serve his community. Even with clear goals and strong discipline, he still feels the weight of burnout.

“There have been times when I’ve felt completely drained, especially during midterms or after long shifts,” he said.

He’s had to learn the importance of stepping back, even briefly. Sometimes that means a day at the gym, and other times it means simply relaxing with friends before things pile up again.

Burnout isn’t limited to students. Marc Ramia, a senior assistant State’s Attorney with more than 24 years of experience who teaches at the university, said burnout has been a constant part of his career.

“When you deal with violent crimes or child pornography cases, it does impact you emotionally,” he said.

Ramia said he often works until midnight preparing cases that involve murders, sexual assaults and other serious crimes. The emotional toll is heavy, and he said he believes students experience a version of the same mental wear down, especially when deadlines collide with poor planning.

“You have so much free time, which is amazing, but if you don’t manage it right, that’s when you start to burn out,” Ramia said. He explained that procrastination builds pressure that eventually becomes unmanageable. “At some point, you just can’t get it done, and then you start to unravel mentally and physically.”

Ramia suggests, “take things in small chunks.”

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Most professors will work with you if you reach out before it’s too late,” he said.

He said he sees burnout not as a sign of failure but as something that requires awareness and practical steps to control.

“When you start to lose steam, take a step back, breathe, and ask for help,” he said. “One step at a time.”