As the weather gets cold and the vines on our beautiful buildings start to die, I can already feel the familiar seasonal depression starting to creep up on me and those around me. I have a few tips to help deal with this time of year.
Find your feelings
The cold weather can make you feel off and unmotivated. It is okay not to be okay. Take more time to do things that can relax you. Last year I made a seasonal depression playlist that I found helpful.
Link to the playlist: Â https://open.spotify.com/playlist/66gyF8z25yj4ZejjiZYcvM?si=7bf8fc4f8d5b4b22
CHANGE UP YOUR ROUTINE
My second tip is to change up your routine. Maybe you were a morning person in the warmer months, but now, you need more sleep. In this case, you will want to structure your day differently. You can schedule studying or working out for later in the day when your energy is higher.
WORK ON CONSISTENCY
It is easy to get down on yourself because you may not have the motivation to utilize your time as well as you were before this season. Personally, a 20-minute mindset helps me a lot. If I do not feel like going to the gym, I will tell myself that I have to go for just twenty minutes. Twenty minutes feels like nothing once you are there, and most of the time, I feel motivated to keep going. Even on days when I do not keep going beyond 20 minutes, I still feel accomplished for going. This same mindset can apply to studying as well. You can work on things for short bursts of 20 minutes to make them feel more manageable. I also try to accomplish little tasks like making my bed every morning to help get me in the right headspace.
go outside
In the colder months, cocooning in your dorm room twin xl bed can be tempting, but getting outside can keep you in a good mindset. You can take a longer route back from a class or even sit outside. Whatever you do, be sure to enjoy the outdoors as much as you can. Additionally, opening your shades in your dorm room and getting natural light inside can give you more vitamin D, helping with energy levels.
TALK IT OUT
Even with all of my tips, you need to make sure that you communicate to friends and family when you are feeling down. Talking to people you care about can make your day better even if you don’t think it will.
There’s no one solution for everyone, but what is most important is to be aware of how you are feeling and find solutions that work for you.