I Feel Lucky to Be Burnt Out
My name is Mobley, and I am officially burnt out.
As a second-semester senior in high school, I’ve hit that point where my motivation is running on fumes, deadlines blur together, and even the simplest tasks feel like monumental efforts. Many would call it the infamous "senioritis" stage, but I have been running out of juice far longer than my twelfth-grade year. After years of pushing myself through IB classes, college applications, and a part-time job, I’m spent. If you were to perform a CT scan of my brain, it would probably show me waving a white flag. My body clock is already shifting zones from High School Daylight Time to College Standard Time.
Believe me, it’s been difficult to admit this burnout to myself, let alone to the friends, family, and strangers who come across my blog. As a middle child and a self-proclaimed Girlboss™, I constantly feel the pressure to prove that I’m not only successful but genuinely excited about my work. This sudden loss of motivation has really clashed with the Rory Gilmore persona I’ve been channeling for the past few years. Then again, even Rory needed a break after all that constant pressure.
As I’ve been reflecting on all of this, I came across something funny the other day: a post I wrote during my sophomore year about how important it is to take breaks. When I re-read sixteen-year-old Mobley’s writing about feeling burnt out, I laughed. In hindsight, my tenth-grade year was a walk in the park compared to the last seven months. Back then, a tough week meant a couple of tests and maybe one late-night study session. Now, I’m juggling IB deadlines and final projects and trying to soak up my last months of high school while resisting the urge to quit everything and nap until graduation.
But here’s the thing: I actually feel really lucky to be burnt out. Sure, I might have spent countless nights studying for exams and tweaking my essays to ensure they were perfect. But, through all of the struggles, I was able to challenge myself and see things through until the end. It was rough, but it proved that I could handle much more than I thought I could. A little struggle has been good for my mental strength, and I know it’ll help me in the future. Even though the exhaustion sometimes felt overwhelming, I’ve realized that overcoming those challenges has made me more resilient, focused, and even more prepared for the inevitable obstacles I’ll face in college and beyond.
Looking back on my sophomore year now, I know that someday, whether from my college dorm or office desk, I'll read this and laugh at how far I've come. Starting new chapters has never been easy, but instead of being daunted by the challenges, I've learned to embrace them. Each hurdle has taught me something new about myself, and I now approach every new challenge with a little more confidence and a lot more resilience. The burnout I’m feeling now? I’ve learned to accept it as part of the process. It means I’ve pushed myself and come out stronger on the other side.