Quarter Quell: Let The Burnout Games Begin
| Nicola Ampere De Guzman
Layout by Princess Idulan
What happened? Students were fine a few months ago—laughing and all excited for the start of the new school year. On the first day of class, they even gathered together in front of the mini photo booth to capture the memories and smiles, not knowing it would slowly fade. They captured on their polaroids the colors that no one knew would turn black.
What is happening? Greetings have become too much to bear, and silence has now become their sanctuary. Tears unconsciously fall from the warm, painful eyes. One war has been over—the first quarter is done. We should be celebrating; it’s the end of an ‘era’ and the start of something new.
But how could one celebrate and manage to smile when warships are already approaching the coast? What will happen now that the battle is not over yet? How will we fight if our armor is still broken, our body and spirit bruised?
And so one question lingers: will we survive the burnout?
The Tributes
In the blink of an eye, the crucial period started too soon. College is nearer than ever for senior high school students. Mornings no longer feel the same. They wake up and get out of bed with questions and decisions already covering them as heavy as the exhaustion they are experiencing. In psychology, this feeling refers to burnout.
WebMD’s article defined burnout as something that keeps you from reaching your full potential. It is the hope that flees from you—the resentment slowly creeping in. But in the life of students, burnout is the back-to-back quizzes and assessments that beat them up; the expectations from people around them that feel like weapons built against them. As Krisshna Esguerro, a tribute from the 11th grade and a member of the Red Cross youth, describes it—“Draining.” As her words reflect, she is not alone.
In a survey conducted by Ignite, among the 112 Senior High School students of JCSGO Christian Academy (JCA) who answered, 95.5% admitted feeling burned out
Of the 112 students, 41.4% said they are exhausted every day by school requirements—overwhelmed from all the tasks piled up like a mountain that can’t be moved. The sensation of carrying the weight of the world while handling their own emotion together wraps them in blue.
Krisshna, described something that greets her, “Gigising ka na pagod na pagod yung katawan mo—nakakatamad lahat.” The statement that hauntingly ties most students together.
On the other hand, Johanna Ang from 12th grade revealed the question she asks herself every day before going to school, “Papasok ba ako o hindi?” The phrase that echoes the tired soul of each student, through the empty battleground, and into the restless dreams of each worn-out body. Though it may not be the same for everyone, getting out of bed when you’ve just closed your laptop after hours of assignments and endless PowerPoints feels impossible.
The Quarter On Fire
Then the dream of staring into the void wakes them up—not sleep paralysis, but the fear of burnout. Temarie Gabriel, a Grade 12 student, class secretary, and the Managing Editor of Ignite, expressed: “Nung 2nd quarter na kasi, dun ko na-realize na masyado akong naging chill. Yung potential ko di ko sya na-justify.”
She added, “Di na ako nag-improve—parang ganun yung feeling ko, kaya naging pressuring yung 2nd quarter kasi dun na nag-creep [in] yung pressure na kailangan ko ng umayos.”
The survey also revealed that 70.5% of respondents admitted there were times they felt like giving up due to too much workload; these students did not volunteer as tribute—they were forced to survive. However, there are those who raised their hand and screamed: “I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!”—for their family, for themselves. But that does not mean they cannot suffer just the same or feel the exhaustion, just because they chose the battle.
Outside, however, there are students like Adrian Domantay, a Grade 12 student. He may not have extracurricular activities inside the school, but he carries a heavier load outside of it—his job. He works in a printing service—“taga-print, taga-gupit,” as he simply put it. Adrian works for up to eight hours a day, if possible, depending on the dismissal time of his classes. There were even times when he had to miss work due to pending projects that needs to be completed.
Adrian shared that he has faced problems early on, with financial struggles at the top. Therefore, he refuses to waste his time, choosing to work instead—earning money and helping his family. Students like him sit in class, participate in recitations, and be seen with friends during the day; at night, they work for tomorrow, handling stress in the simplest way: “Kumakain lang ako ng pagkain, tapos tulog—importante ‘yung tulog.”
The easy days are now over; the free trial has now expired. You will now wander endlessly alone in the dark, bruised and tired—thirsty not of water, but of rest, of answer to the infinite hows.
The Mockingjay
Still, the journey continues—in search of peace and a safe place to breathe, away from the fire that threatens to consume you, toward the warmth the sun offers. Burnout is not an endless battle. Even if you have to face the monsters of reality—whether it’s the pressure to pass entrance exams, the weight of deadlines, the difficulty of choosing between school, work, or rest, or the fear of entering a world you have not yet known—you can still make peace with it, even if it seems impossible.
For Krisshna, one thing truly helps her get through the exhaustion—something she does to see the light that dimmed during the battle: “‘Pag burnout na burnout na ako pupunta ako ng church, dun ako iiyak.”
She also declared: “Don’t be afraid na ipakita nyo na nabuburnout kayo. Talk to someone—talk to God and cry out all your problems, kasi I know na [he will] help [you].”
On the other hand, Adrian hopes for his peers to avoid it from the start: “Wag [kayo] palagi mag-cram para hindi ma-burnout, and magbigay kayo ng time para sa sarili nyo—time management.”
However, what truly matters is what you choose—as a student, as a person—in order to let go of the heavy feeling you have been carrying. Their voices might have pulled us out of the deep sea. But at the end of the day, it is you who is in control, and only you know what you feel and how tired your heart is.
And so, the fight goes on.
May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor
This game may never be over, but surviving each round is already a victory. Burnout is not a weakness—it is the reminder that we need to slow down, to let time uncover the beauty of tomorrow. Being burnt out is not something to be ashamed of. Feeling overwhelmed by battles you chose to enter is not a sin—it makes us human.
It may not be a good thing, but burnout is the harsh beauty of life; it is the proof that we are alive, fighting, and striving. And though it feels ruthless, it will never truly conquer you. You have control over the great waves in front of you. The spark remains within you—the spark that could ignite the fire that was lost. And the favor will be with you, always.
Therefore, even if the question “How many hours did you sleep today?” haunts you. And the adjustment time, the days of excitement to the start of the great trial, does not cut it; you are an odd one—a survivor of every battle. When you take time to sit still and let tears fall from your eyes, you are not just a survivor—you are a real fighter.
And so, to all the tributes, to every sleepless night, and to every fight—may the odds be ever in your favor, for you have and you will survive the burnout.
The data used in this article came from a survey conducted by Ignite among Senior High School students of JCSGO Christian Academy. The questionnaire focused on the students’ state after the first quarter, using mostly yes-or-no questions to determine whether they had extracurricular commitments, if they experienced burnout, and how frequently it occurred. A section was also dedicated to coping mechanisms. The survey was designed for statistical purposes only; no personal information or names were collected, in compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012. The scope was limited to the Senior High School Department, as their struggles are tied closely to the transition to college and adulthood. The survey ran for one week, with 112 out of 211 Senior High School students responding, representing 53% of the population. Burnout among students in other grade levels was not included, as this study focused on the experiences of Senior High School students.