What are symptoms of being burned out?

[clashclashbang]

Hello fellow MCAT sufferers! 😛

While visiting many SDN threads during my pre/current-MCAT, I've frequently seen the term "burned out" so, so many times. However, I've been wondering... what are the classical symptoms/signs that one should look out for before they (and their brains) are over burnt into a crisp, tasteless piece of toast?

I've been wondering if my drop in scores is due to being burned out, although I don't exactly feel that I am at this stage yet.

Currently, with my test on Friday (9/2, hollaaaaaa!), I am feeling very... ambivalent about it. I don't necessarily feel burned out, but at the same time, my AAMC scores have been fluctuating and taking a rapid downward trend, with my lowest score being today (29).

#3: 11/10/9 (PS, VR, BS): 30
#4: 12/11/10: 33
#5: 12/11/11: 34
#7: 13/11/10: 34
#8: 12/7(I felt like crying)/11: 30
#9: 13/10/11: 34
#10: 10/9/10: 29!!!!! I was really disheartened/sad and stood in front of the fridge opening and closing the door for a good minute. :C

So I'm not sure what to attribute my score drops to. I know that for the PS section today (#10), I missed a good 3/4 questions because I did not fully read/comprehend and think through the question that was being asked, especially in relation to the passages/graphs being presented. And for the most part, as I've been taking these last couple of tests, I've found that I've been caring a lot less and have been just going through the motions and trying to work my way through them. Also, recently, I haven't really been working myself to the bone and studying my ass off as much as I used to (I did SN2ed's schedule w/o breaks up until these weeks of practice tests), so is this drop in my score because I've been taking it a bit easier, which is what's usually recommended?

I don't feel burned out, but am I? Can someone please help provide me with some clarity/insight, so that I can perform well this Friday and get this test done with once and for all?

I really need any help and guidance that I can get. Thank you.

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[tendiw]

Trying to review and giving up after 20minutes
Taking practice exams and doing bad because you misread 1/3 questions and ignored every question that had the words EXCEPT, and NOT in the question stem thus leading you to believe tests are hard because 3 out of 4 of the answers look so right.
Confusing similar words like Conduction and Conjugation even though one has to do with physical sciences and the other with biological sciences...but heck you're too burnt out to realize it.

Just take a break for a while, especially before your MCAT. Sleep well, review lightly

 

[Morsetlis]

Those are acceptable variations.

 

[kexy]

It sounds like you're burned out. Maybe have a few days of light content review before you take #11? If you've only been doing practice tests without content review, that could definitely explain the drop. Keep reviewing the things you're shaky on and the things that need to be memorized. It will give you lots of confidence to get back to those 34's. 🙂

Btw, I disagree with the usual advice to take it easy the week of the test. I know for me that would have stressed me out more. Try to find a balance where you study enough not to stress about forgetting the material, but don't study so much that you get burned out right before the test.

 

[clashclashbang]

Thanks for the advice, everyone!

I think I might be a bit burned out from what some of you have been saying, mixed in with a bit of apathy and a loss of attention span/ability to concentrate. I definitely mixed up the words "astronomy" and "astrology" on the verbal section, so tendiw's comments/symptoms really spoke to me -.-

I've been doing a bit of content review in these last few weeks of taking practice tests, but I think the biggest part of my score drop was due to my low PS score, in which I got a lot of questions wrong because I didn't fully read the question / was skimming as I was taking the test =/

kexy, I also feel quite uneasy taking it "easy" during this last week and taking the whole day (or two) off before my actual exam, but everyone else seems to really stress the necessity of such a process. But then again, I'm also a firm believer that cramming definitely helps on exams, although I'm not sure how applicable this is to the MCAT.

I'm thinking of doing light review / a few verbal passages and taking AAMC 11 before my exam (although I'm really worried about the huge confidence drop that might result if I do poorly on AAMC 11 right before my exam. Do you all think this is a good approach for me?

 

[notbobtrustme]

if you are varying wildly between AAMC practice tests, you might have some content issues. Doing well on one exam and poorly on the next indicates that some exams are testing content you don't quite understand fully.

Ideally, you should only have a 2-3 point spread on practice exams. That's the whole point of standardized tests 🙂

 

[clashclashbang]

notbobtrustme, that's what I had thought originally, as well, but then I noticed that for the most part, my drop in the scores are attributed to the verbal section, for the most part except for the last test, in which my PS scored dropped by far (but when I reviewed, I realized that I didn't read/understand many of the questions. For instance, when asked for the lowest freezing point, I gave the answer for the lowest change in freezing point because I had skimmed and misinterpreted the question).

For the reasons above, I thought that maybe I was starting to sink like the Titanic, except from the firey flames of being burned out instead of from an iceberg. But in any case, I think I'm still going to chug along for the next few days, but just try to be more conscious about not stumbling through questions at full force with little thinking going on upstairs. Yup. 🙂

 

[NickNaylor]

I think you generally have a solid trend of averaging around 34. There will be random variations on tests that are somewhat surprising; try not to let these bother you too much. It's trends that are most important. I would bet money that you'll more than likely score a 34 +/- 2 points rather than something around 30.

That said, if you feel burned out, take a break for a few days. If you've been taking exams very frequently (i.e., every two or so days), don't take one for a few days and do content review instead.

 

[salim271]

I'm burned out when I feel tired, read something, and my very next thought isnt 'so that means...' its instead 'I dont really give a **** anymore...'

Anyone else like that? lol.

 

[deleted329605]

Asking a forum what the symptoms are of burning out

 

[deep122]

When I burned out, I stopped caring. I would get questions wrong, but I wouldn't care. I was fed up with studying for the MCAT. You sound a little burnt out, but not terribly. Take a break and have some fun, especially with your test so close.

 

[cinamin]

Asking a forum what the symptoms are of burning out

LOL 👍


brain fog for sure.. ie getting words like reversed and released mixed up .. difficulty focusing.. being overly tired from studying for short amounts of time, etc..

 

[clashclashbang]

omgosh, brain fog seems to be the perfect word to describe the state of my mind right now. hahaha. -.-

so in the case of this (minor) burn out, would it be advisable to just beast through it for the next few days and then take 1 or 2 days off before Friday? i feel so lazy when i don't do anything, but at the same time, i am finding it hard to concentrate for extensive periods of time :C

and thanks for the words of encouragement nicknaylor! i have my fingers crossed for that range 🙂

 

[sc4s2cg]

Asking a forum what the symptoms are of burning out

Hehe

Symptoms from what I call burnout:

- Forcing yourself to start studying, only to realize an hour in that nothing was absorbed
- No motivation to run (or anything you like to do as a hobby)
- Negative thinking/foggy mind. Can't really describe it.

That's my big three. Took me freakin' 6 weeks to get out of that mess. Started working out, running. Did some relaxing things (baked, focused on getting that new bike, volunteered with children, so on). 2 weeks in I began to get a routine going in prep for the semester (workout/run/eat at same times every morning). And lots and lots of Portal 2/Anno//SimCity for a week or so.