Beat Burnout Before Early Deadlines Hit

We break down burnout during college application season and explain how students and parents can protect energy, keep perspective, and still make real progress. Slowing down can sharpen essays, calm the home, and help you sustain momentum through early deadlines.

• clear definition of burnout for students and parents
• how pressure, perfection, and social media fuel exhaustion
• why admissions values perspective more than perfection
• personal story that reframes rest as a performance tool
• step-by-step student strategies to prevent burnout
• boundaries like no-application zones and non-negotiable breaks
• sleep, micro goals, and celebrating small wins
• parent guidance on emotional check-ins and modeling calm
• reframe of worth beyond any single college decision

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend or family who needs a reminder to breathe this week
And don't forget to subscribe

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Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_00 (01:06):
Hello and welcome back to another episode of the
East Coast College AdmissionsPodcast.
The podcast where we break downthe college admissions process,
share strategies for success,and give students and families
the clarity they need tonavigate this journey with
confidence.
I am your host, Cleopatra, andtoday's episode is one that I
know a lot of you need rightnow.

(01:32):
We are talking about somethingthat doesn't show up on your
common app, but absolutelyaffects how well you perform.
Burn out.
It's October, which meansseniors are in full swing.
Early deadlines, essays, testscores, activities, schoolwork,
it's a lot to juggle right now.
And parents, you are not immuneeither.

(01:53):
You're managing emotions,expectations, and sometimes late
night essay edits.
So today we are going to talkabout what burnout really is,
why it hits so hard duringapplication season, and how to
prevent it without fallingbehind.
Because the truth is you can'tperform your best if you are

(02:14):
running on empty.
Let's start with what burnoutactually is.
Burnout isn't just being tiredor stressed.
It is the emotional, mental, andphysical exhausting that comes
from chronic pressure whenyou've been on for too long
without a break.
For students, it can look likelosing motivation for things you

(02:35):
used to enjoy, struggling tofocus even on things you care
about, feeling like no matterwhat you do, it's never enough.
For parents, Ben Al looksdifferent but feels the same.
Constant worry, comparison, andthe weight of wanting to get
everything right for your child.
And it's okay.

(02:56):
It happens.
The goal isn't to be perfect, itis to recover before it costs
you your peace.
Let's be honest.
Students are juggling essays,schoolwork, standardized tests,
activities, part-time jobs, andemotions.
All while trying to stand out.

(03:17):
Parents are managing logistics,finances, and big emotions at
home.
Then you add the pressure ofperfection, the belief that you
need to have a 4.0, publish aresearch paper, and cure world
hangout before senior year ends.
Social media doesn't helpeither.
You see, accepted to HarvardPost, but not the hundreds of

(03:40):
drafts, rejections, and tearsthat came before.
That's why burnout creeps in.
It's not just the workload, it'sthe pressure to constantly prove
yourself.
But here's the truth admissionsofficers aren't looking for
perfect, they are looking forperspective.
I want to share a littlepersonal story.
When I started working ineducation, I was really young.

(04:03):
I'm still really young in myearly 30s, but you know what I
mean.
I was in spaces where mostpeople were twice my age,
sometimes three times my age.
And as a young black woman, Ifelt I had to overperform to be
taken seriously.
I wept nonstop, I said yes toeverything, I traveled

(04:23):
constantly, sometimes to threecountries in a week, helping
institutions build multiculturalrecruitment strategies across
multiple countries.
And I'll be honest, I bent out,I hit a wall.
There were days when I wouldwake up in a hotel room and
forget which country I was in.
I know this sounds cliche, butit is true.
That was my story.

(04:44):
I'd push through exhausting,thinking if I had stopped, I'll
fall behind.
But here's what I learned.
Slowing down didn't make me losemomentum.
It made me better at my game.
It gave me clarity, creativity,and empathy.
That's the same lesson I want mystudents to learn.
Burnout doesn't mean you'reweak, it means you've been

(05:06):
strong for too long without apause.
So now let's talk about what youcan actually do to prevent
burnout.
Point number one, break biggoals into smaller steps.
Instead of saying, I want tofinish all my essays this
weekend, say I want to revise mycommon app essay today, dropped
my supplement tomorrow, microgoals lead to major progress.

(05:27):
Point number two, setnon-negotiable breaks.
Even 15 minutes can reset yourbrain.
Step outside, touch some grass,drink some water, move, breathe.
Rest is really productive.
Point number three, create a noapplication zone.
Pick one space in your home orone day out of the week where

(05:49):
colleague talk is off limits.
This helps really protect yourpeace.
Point number four, sleep.
And I know easier said thanthat.
Last but not the least,celebrate small wins.
Have you finished an essaydraft?
Submitted one application,celebrate it.
The process is long.

(06:09):
You deserve to acknowledge yourprogress.
Now, parent, this path's foryou.
I know how much you want tohelp.
You want your child to succeed,to have options, to feel proud
of themselves.
But sometimes the best supportisn't about doing more, it's
about being present.
And here is what helps check inemotionally, not academically.

(06:30):
Ask how are you feeling beforehow is your essay coming along?
Avoid constant comparison.
Every student timeline isdifferent.
You have to model calmnessbecause your child is going to
mirror your energy.
If you're anxious, they'll feelit and they'll start to get
anxious too.
And last but not the least,remind them that this process

(06:52):
doesn't define their worth.
One collegiate decision isn't averdict on who they are and what
their worth is.
So if you take one thing fromtoday's episode, let it be this.
Burnout doesn't mean you arefailing.
It means you've been giving yourall, and that's something to be
proud of.
Their goal isn't to survive theapplication season, it's to move

(07:13):
through it really well.
Give yourself some grace, takesome breaks, and celebrate small
wins.
And remember, this is just onechapter of a much bigger story.
Thank you for joining me fortoday's episode of the East
Coast College Admissionspodcast.
If this episode resonated withyou, please share it with a

(07:33):
friend or family who needs areminder to breathe this week.
And don't forget to subscribe.
Until next time, I'm Cleopatrahere to help you stay grounded,
focused, and hopeful throughevery step of the process.