By Shakty Rubiny Nageraja
It is 2AM in a hostel room. Students staring at their laptop screen for hours, surrounded by lecture notes, unfinished assignments, messages from club members, upcoming program tasks and a calendar full of back to back events. Tomorrow’s presentation is not ready, a group project deadline is approaching, and there is still an event meeting to attend. At this point sleeping feels like a crime, so they just continue to work.
For many university students, this scene is no longer unusual. What was once considered “working hard” has increasingly become a culture of constant exhaustion, where being busy is often treated as a badge of honour. Across campuses, students are juggling academics, leadership roles, part-time jobs, and personal responsibilities, often trading their mental and physical well-being.
At Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI), Mr Joel Jeyamaran, who serves as the Vice President of the UPSI Indian Cultural Club, believes that burnout among students is becoming more visible than ever.
“Many students feel like they have to say yes to everything, assignments, events, leadership
positions and even social commitments,” he said. “At first, it feels manageable, but after a
while, the exhaustion starts to build up and students begin to lose motivation.”
According to him, the pressure does not always come from lecturers or university requirements alone. Students often place high expectations on themselves, wanting to excel academically while also building an impressive portfolio for future employment.
“We are constantly told to be productive and to prepare ourselves for a competitive future,”
Joel explained. “The problem is many students forget that rest is also important.”
The Pressure to Keep Up
For Catherina Edward, a Semester 4 Finance student, balancing assignments with other commitments has become a daily challenge.
“Some weeks feel overwhelming because deadlines come one after another,” she said. “I try
to keep up with my studies, help with group projects, attend meetings, and still make time for
friends and family. Sometimes it feels like there’s never enough time.”
Catherina admitted that she often sacrifices sleep to complete her work.
“I’ve had nights where I stayed up until 3 or 4AM just to finish assignments,” she said. “You
Tell yourself it’s only for a few days, but then it becomes a routine.”
Her experience mirrors that of many university students who feel trapped in a cycle of deadlines and responsibilities. While technology allows students to work from anywhere, it also means they are rarely disconnected. Notifications from lecturers, classmates, and student organizations continue long after classes end.
When Productivity Becomes an Identity
Experts often describe burnout as a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. Among students, it can appear as constant fatigue, difficulty concentrating, declining academic performance, and a loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable.
However, one of the biggest challenges is that burnout is often normalized. Students may compare workloads and compete over who sleeps less or works harder.
“Sometimes students joke about being tired all the time, but behind those jokes, many are
Genuinely struggling,” Joel said. “The campus environment can make people feel guilty
for taking a break.”
Social media can further intensify the pressure. Seeing peers post achievements, internships, leadership positions, and academic success may create the impression that everyone else is coping perfectly.
“When you see other people doing so many things, you start wondering if you’re doing
enough,” Catherina said. “That comparison can be very tiring.”
Finding Balance Before It Is Too Late
Despite the challenges, both students believe that change is possible if universities and students become more aware of the issue.
Joel suggested that students should learn to set boundaries and prioritize tasks instead of trying to excel in every corner all at once.
“It is okay to say no sometimes,” he said. “Being involved in activities is good, but students
should not feel pressured to do everything.”
Catherina emphasized the importance of checking in on friends who may appear overwhelmed.
“A lot of students don’t openly say they’re struggling,” she said. “Even a simple message
asking if someone is okay can make a difference.”
Universities have increasingly introduced counselling services, mental health campaigns, and student support programs. Yet awareness alone may not be enough if students continue to view exhaustion as a normal part of success.
Beyond The Hustle
As another semester unfolds, thousands of students across Malaysia will continue racing from lectures to meetings, from assignments to examinations. Ambition is not the problem, many students genuinely want to grow, learn, and build a better future.
The real question is whether that future should come at the cost of their well-being.
For students like Joel and Catherina, the goal is not to stop working hard. It creates a campus culture where achievement and rest can exist together, and where students no longer feel like running on empty is the only way to move forward in life.