When pressure builds up and tasks accumulate, there’s not much to do but keep working, Atiksh Yadav said.

“Whatever’s happening is happening,” the sophomore biomedical sciences major said. “It’s stressful. It’s not ideal, but you just have to get through it at this point.”

Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused the USF Tampa campus to close for 10 combined days, students like Yadav said they feel more stress and burnout.

Lashley Marks, a licensed psychologist and assistant director of Clinical Services at USF’s Counseling Center, said when people feel anxious and worried, the body can develop a stress response. 

Marks said the hurricanes could have made these feelings last longer, potentially leading to burnout.

Yadav said he is stressed because work is piling up over the missed weeks. He said he has one or two exams each week.

“At this point, I don’t even know what exams I’m taking,” Yadav said. “There’s built-up pressure, but I guess after the hurricanes, that’s just how it is.”

He said with Veterans Day just passing and Thanksgiving coming up, he feels like he is missing more classes than he is attending.

Paul Spector, a professor emeritus in USF’s psychology department, said stressed students should talk to their professors to create a plan for managing their workload.

“Students are often reluctant to talk to their professors,” Spector said. “But my advice is, if you’re struggling in a way that’s affecting your schoolwork, talk to them.”

Related: A guide to USF’s post-hurricane resources

Grace Ayensu, a senior criminology major, said while some of her professors are helping students cope by removing assignments, others are not offering the same leniency.

“It’s been hectic because we’re all playing catch up,” Ayensu said. “We’re trying to figure out life since everything happened.”

She said she would like professors to be understanding in situations where students are unable to submit assignments on time.

Ayensu said she prioritizes sleep, exercise and self-care when she feels burnt out.

“I take myself out for a day to appreciate myself for what I do on a daily basis,” Ayensu said. 

Rosa Nafrere, a senior management and marketing major, said she felt “lucky” to have professors who spaced out assignments to help students recover.

“They did everything in their power to make sure we weren’t falling behind on our learning,” Nafrere said.

Nafrere said she is not feeling overwhelmed because she uses Google Calendar to manage her time and create to-do lists. 

Organizing tasks based on importance and time sensitivity is a helpful way to cope with stress, Marks said.

“Something that can help is breaking tasks into manageable pieces,” Marks said. “While the mountain may feel insurmountable to climb, each individual piece might feel doable.”

She said breaking work into smaller tasks builds “momentum” as items are checked off. This supports self-care by making time for activities that help the body “thrive,” such as eating healthy meals or spending time with loved ones, Marks said.

Related: USF experts say students need mental health support post-Milton

Spector said students can also practice relaxation exercises such as mindfulness, meditation and deep breathing to feel better. 

He said feeling burnt out is a “normal” response to stressful situations like hurricanes. In these cases, getting support from others is key, Spector said.

“Sometimes people need help,” Spector said. “Don’t be shy about seeking it.”

The Counseling Center offers student support, including individual counseling and drop-in workshops. Marks said workshops like Magic of the Middle Path, which takes place Tuesdays from 12-1 p.m., focus on building coping skills for when emotions feel overwhelming.

Other resources available to students are the online platforms Togetherall, TimelyCare and Therapy Assistance Online.

Marks said leaning onto available support systems is the best approach.

“We’re all going to be stronger when we lean on each other,” Marks said. “We all went through this together.”

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