When opportunity, ambition, and curiosity come together, most of us may initially envision nothing but future possibility or potential. However, we may fail to recognize the high cost of high achievement and the exhaustion that can follow sustained effort.
If you’ve gotten so used to running, why stop for a break? When you’ve grown accustomed to UW’s co-op program, from applying and interviewing to the grind of the work-study sequence, the idea of not studying or working can feel almost foreign. Although many of us can maintain a sense of work-life balance, continuing to invest in other relationships and interests, it can still be easy to lose sight of that balance as a UW student.
In this continual process of optimization and the chase for both academic and professional success, are we giving ourselves the time and space to stop along the way? To admire the garden we’ve been tending and notice the roses that have already bloomed along the way to receiving our degree?
Heather Westmorland, associate director of the Student Success Office at UW, offers her thoughts on how students can seek to integrate balance into their routines, whether they’re heading back for classes or co-op this fall.
Transitions: Navigating between terms
Whether you’re transitioning from a co-op term to a study term, beginning your first term at university, or preparing to graduate, the constant switch between environments or pursuits can feel overwhelming. Asked whether she has noticed students struggling academically more during certain points in the co-op cycle or during the transition back into a study term or start of a work term, Westmorland shares, “We know that times of transition can be particularly challenging. Moving from a structured workday back into classes, assignments, and exams require[s] students to shift their routines and expectations quite quickly.” While she concedes that students are adaptable and their ability to cope with transitions is unique, “[transition] points take energy and can leave them feeling stretched.”
As for what students can do to support themselves between these transitions, she recommends that students plan ahead by “resetting sleep and daily routines before classes begin, look[ing] at course expectations and anticipate workloads early, and be[ing] thoughtful about what they take on in the first few weeks.” If you’re feeling pressured to hit the ground running on your first day back to classes, remember to give yourself time to adjust. She emphasizes that it takes time to rebuild academic habits and that students “do not need to be operating at full capacity on day one.”
Ayo Onaifo, a 2025 UW graduate who pursued a co-operative program while majoring in psychology and legal studies, can relate to feeling overwhelmed by the transition between co-op and study terms. She shares, “Study terms gave me more flexibility with my schedule, but the workload could fluctuate a lot, whereas co-ops gave me a more predictable routine but less energy left for a social life.”
Constantly optimizing: The cost of success or the road to burnout?
In a time when we have instant access to each other through digital means and constant exposure to one another’s accomplishments via social media, it can become easy to normalize the idea of constantly working. While working hard and persevering are admirable traits, being able to care for yourself and make time for other aspects of life that are fulfilling, is equally important.
Asked if she ever felt pressured as a student to maximize her opportunities or be constantly studying or working during every free moment, Onaifo says, “100 per cent. UW is incredibly competitive and there’s definitely a culture of feeling like you should always be doing more.” She went on to describe how the environment at UW and social media posts can increase the sense of pressure: “Seeing people studying late or constantly posting about a new opportunity can be encouraging… But it can also lead to comparison.” To avoid such comparisons and retain confidence in herself, she often reminded herself that “someone else’s productivity doesn’t determine whether I’m being productive enough in my own life.”
When asked what she might say to a student who feels the need to constantly self-improve to remain competitive in today’s job market, Westmorland says, “I would remind them that they do not need to optimize every hour of every day to be successful. Employers value more than a long list of accomplishments.” She adds that soft skills, such as adaptability, self-awareness, communication, and collaboration, are equally valuable. She highlighted the need for achievement that remains balanced, adding, “Growth is important, but it needs to be sustainable.” If you’re concerned that making a little time to socialize or maintain close connections will cut into your study or workload, consider reducing your commitments. Westmorland emphasizes, “Taking care of yourself and maintaining relationships are not signs that you are falling behind.”
Can rest mean progress?
So, amid work and study, could learning to rest and take time for yourself actually be one of the most effective ways to reach your professional and academic goals?
A 2021 study on the effects of skill development and rest, led by researchers from the National Institutes of Health, found that the brain may more effectively solidify the memories of recently acquired skills when participants take a short rest. Researchers emphasized that rather than believing that constant, continual practice is the key to developing a new skill, integrating several short breaks can actually supercharge our ability to develop new skills.
In the context of life as a student, such research findings are a reminder not only to integrate rest when studying, but perhaps, more importantly, to remind us that taking time to rest can help our brains and bodies work more effectively when we get back to working or studying.
Westmorland echoes this sentiment when describing the importance of rest, “Rest supports concentration, learning, emotional regulation, and good decision-making. I think students sometimes delay rest until everything else is done but [rest] is part of what allows them to manage competing responsibilities and sustain their effort over time.” She adds that knowing when to rest and finding good sources of rest is a life skill that we all need to continually practice: “I wish more students understood that rest and academic success are connected, not in competition.”
When students cut out time for sleep, relaxation, and social connection amid a busy schedule, “they will find it harder to focus, stay motivated, and manage stress.” Westmorland highlights the importance of social connection in particular, emphasizing its role in “provid[ing] support, perspective, and a sense of belonging.”
Onaifo admits to experiencing burnout during both study and co-op terms. She describes how the stress of navigating life as a young adult while finding your place can be challenging. For her, having friends who understood the importance of rest reminded her that rest wasn’t something she should feel guilty about needing. She encourages current students to schedule time for rest and leisure as they would schedule time for classes or appointments: “If you treat rest as optional, school and work will always give you a reason to skip it.” She also emphasizes the importance of perspective when university life becomes challenging: “Some tomorrows will be worse than the ‘yesterdays’ and that’s okay too. It’s part of the journey.” Rather than comparing your accomplishments to another peer’s, she encourages students to focus on becoming the better version of themselves.
Seeking support: Knowing where to look
Are you struggling to manage your academic workload? Unsure about a co-op requirement? Having a hard time coping with anxiety or stress in class? Westmorland emphasizes the importance of knowing where to look for support at UW, adding, “Behind every service is someone who can help guide students to the next resource or support they may need.” She suggests students check out UW’s “Current Students” website, which provides “an excellent starting point where students can see what’s available and determine what resources make sense for them.” Whether you’re looking for mental health support or need to discuss your academic path, there’s a resource for you at UW. Westmorland encourages students to “seek help early and often and before you reach burnout.”
