The Mental Load…
Let’s Talk About the Mental Load
Something I’ve been hearing a lot about from clients and friends lately is this idea of the mental load. And honestly? I started noticing it show up in my own life too. Naturally, that led me down a deep-dive rabbit hole to figure out what it really is and how to unpack it—for ourselves and for the people around us.
Back when I was in college, I remember my therapist once described my brain like this: it feels like you have 100 tabs open at the same time, and you’re constantly clicking between them, hoping that each one will give you more clarity or help you get something done.
TL;DR: They didn’t.
The tabs all stayed open until the whole computer crashed or I got that dreaded notification that my RAM was full… whatever that means. And that crash? It wasn’t just digital. It was a full-on emotional shutdown.
That mental (and very literal) image has stuck with me. Because those tabs? That’s the mental load.
What is the mental load?
It’s that invisible weight of constantly thinking, planning, remembering, anticipating-basically managing everything that might come up in your day-to-day life, often without anyone else even realizing it.
For college students and young adults, the mental load can look like a lot of things:
The never-ending to-do list in your brain: You’re juggling assignment deadlines, readings, exams, and (let’s be honest) the dreaded group projects. Especially during your first semester, you often have this nagging feeling: Am I doing enough? Am I already behind? Spoiler alert: half the class feels the same way.
Calendar chaos: Trying to fit in classes, part-time jobs, clubs, workouts, therapy, social events—and still get enough sleep and eat a vegetable or two throughout the week. Your calendar turns into a game of Tetris, and somehow there are never enough blocks to make it all fit.
Relationship juggling (the social kind): You’re trying to make new friends, maintain old ones (often from a distance), remember to text people back, call your parents, and push yourself to go to that club meeting or group hang when you’d honestly rather melt into your bed. Oh, and then there’s roommate drama and relationship question marks too. Casual.
Life admin (aka: the boss level): This might be the scariest and most overwhelming part, because it includes stuff no one really taught us how to do. Things like: paying your credit card, registering for classes, renewing your FAFSA, getting a parking permit (or at least trying to), booking your own doctor’s appointments, and figuring out how to cook something besides microwave mac and cheese.
If you’re reading this and nodding your head, I hope it’s comforting to know: you’re not alone.
It’s a lot.
Because it is a lot.
And you don’t have to figure it all out by yourself.
That’s where I come in. Whether it’s helping you slow down, sort through the tabs, or just having a space where you can breathe, I’m here as a resource, a sounding board, and a friendly face. We’ll figure it out—one step (and one open tab) at a time.
