Students form study sessions and prep for upcoming finals in the John C. Hitt Library on Thursday.
Kymani Brown
As spring break ends, the final weeks of the school year bring a surge of pressure — from exams and sports to graduation — leaving some students facing burnout.
Students like Brianna Borges, junior chemistry major, said she felt extreme energy loss and was less motivated to do assignments as the semester progressed.
“I think it is common amongst a lot of students — just talking to my friends, they’re so tired and could normally do the assignments,” Borges said. “I could only imagine other students in other places that are just done with school just because of that little break.”
Around 78% of students reported experiencing moderate or high stress levels, according to a 2024 survey from the American College Health Association.
Academic stress is a direct result of the end of the semester and can cause side effects such as fatigue, loss of appetite, headaches and gastrointestinal issues, according to the Frontiers of Psychiatry.
To help combat seasonal burnout, UCF offers the Counseling and Psychological Services program, included in tuition, and provides students with support.
CAPS specialist Caiti Bradbury said the spring semester tends to be the most draining.
“Spring is specifically more challenging in my opinion opposed to fall or summer,” Bradbury said. “In the spring, not only are you coming back from a month break, but you only have one holiday and then after spring break it’s crunch time.”
Bradbury said the CAPS team and she support students year-round as they manage academic stress.
Students unwind at the Reflecting Pond on Thursday as finals week rapidly approaches.
Kymani Brown
“Every week throughout the year, we have a few workshops on different topics to benefit students,” Bradbury said.
Workshops for the rest of the semester include building resiliency, dealing with burnout, the seven types of rest and distress management skills, among others, according to the UCF CAPS Instagram page.
Jeliann Colon, junior kinesiology major, said she was surprised to learn the program was available.
“I’ve been at UCF for two years now and even though I haven’t felt a big need personally, I’ve had many peers who I could’ve recommended it to that were going through a tough time,” Colon said. “I think it could be really good to know about.”