How many times do we, as students, engage in brag-athons with our peers about how busy we are and how little sleep we get? Put differently, how many times do we, as students, choose to prioritize our academic work at the expense of our mental health, and keep going until our academic performance declines because our mental health declines?

This immersion in the overworking culture, the burning ambition to be the perfect student, and the self-imposed shame and guilt associated with not getting enough work done compels a person to prioritize their work over themselves and their mental health. However, is being the perfect student really worth fueling sleeplessness with caffeine and going above and beyond to complete tasks that do not deserve that amount of effort?

A student’s endless cycle of pursuit for academic validation can quickly become an unhealthy obsession; this is nothing unpredictable when we students are expected to eat, sleep, and breathe our work just to keep up with the standards set for us. Regardless, this detrimental urge to achieve and maintain excellence will undoubtedly take an emotional, mental, and physical toll on anyone who attempts to thrive in academia. And so, anxiety, stress, imposter syndrome, eating disorders all start to surface, just as different manifestations of the same problem: working yourself to the point of exhaustion.

While these damaging sentiments and actions have become normalized, they are typically the same ones that contribute to poor quality of life. Sleep, food, and exercise, as well as time spent outside, become superfluous. Family, friends, and relationships become a source of distraction rather than a source of fulfillment in one’s life. We are practically asking ourselves to let go of the pieces inside us that make us human in order to be the ‘perfect’ student.

We are all guilty of perpetuating this culture, but it does not have to be that way. I strongly believe that we can work together to change the destructive culture we have inadvertently perpetuated to save not only ourselves but also future generations of academics. Working hours should not – and certainly do not – equate to passion, success, or excitement. We must promote balance rather than normalize one-sided, unhealthy devotion.

More importantly, it is crucial to understand that rest is not a reward. You do not have to earn rest. You need to rest. You deserve to rest. You are worthy of rest simply because you are a living being. Being able to take time off to relax is just as much a skill as working hard. Burnout should not be regarded as a badge of honor in any way, and we, students, deserve to learn at a pace where the work is not leaving the actual learning behind.

One, if not the most, important aspect of having a successful life that we always seem to overlook is self-care. I personally would not wish to be the most successful person in the world if I do not get to sleep, rest, and take care of myself and of my mental health. In order to achieve this goal, we first need to stop idolizing overworking. We must also let go of our ego and realize that our sleep and sanity are more important than reading every assigned page. And so, every once in a while, take a step back and think for yourself.