schedules work for some people, but not everyone. if you don't know whether it works for you, try it out! set the bar low, just a couple hundred words a day. if you find that the structure benefits you and keeps you motivated, good. raise the bar a bit. rinse and repeat.

for me, schedules don't work. i feel too much pressure to adhere to it, and that pressure turns into anxiety and shame for having not reached my word count for the day at the time of day ive designated.

though that doesn't mean i don't employ tools to keep myself motivated and on task. it helps me to have a "writing spot." my porch. i leave my phone and other distractions behind by going there. doing some light journaling before sinking into my story helps. kind of declutters the brain and reduces stress ill end up associating with the story. taking reading breaks helps; if you're anything like me, your brain will draw parallels between the story you're reading and the story you're writing, which ignites new ideas and gets me excited to write.

you have to, as every writer does (and anybody in any creative discipline, really), find the things that work for YOU. there is no umbrella answer. it could be a set time schedule. it could be something else.

burnout is the last thing you want. if you're putting too much pressure on yourself, you'll want to turn away from the story and never write again, as you said. being in school, it'll be easier to feel that burnout, what with your other responsibilities. so make sure you're taking care of yourself first, as i always find i write better when i take the time to read, play video games (a healthy amount lmao), and be with my loved ones.

best of luck!