I am by no means an expert on mental health. I am just a person who openly suffers from mental illness. Which means I have a lot experience trying to pull myself out of a slump, more times than I care to admit. As many of you know it is cold outside, and combined with the lovely wind in Bowling Green it makes going outside hard. Unfortunately, many people experience seasonal depression and a lack of motivation during the cold winter months. It’s okay if you have been feeling like this. Fortunately, winter ends and so does that seasonal depression, for most. However we live in Ohio, so who knows when it will start to feel warm out again and we get that much needed energy from the sun (I know I personally miss the sun). However there are some tips and tricks on things to do to make this time a more enjoyable.
Go somewhere else to do your homework: it could be as simple as going to the Lounge in your dorm or going to a different building, I personally love the business building. Go to events on campus: on any day of the week you could probably find some event going on, even a sports game, right now Hockey, both Men and Women’s basketball as well as numerous club teams are in the height of their seasons. Join a club. BGSU has many clubs on campus, from Academic to Political clubs and many things in between there is something for everyone. Go to the gym. Going to the gym can be intimidating, believe me I know. Physical activity is a crucial part of improving mental health and our student REC center has many option. There is weight lifting, a track, rock climbing and there are even special events sometimes, bring a friend with you too. Speaking of friends, hang out with people. It’s easy to get caught up in your struggles and avoid people without even realizing. Ask your friend to get food once a week or see if they want to go to the hockey game coming up or even just hanging out and watching a movie.
Other thing you could do are find a good book to read. There is a book about almost anything out of the market, reading sucks but finding something you are interested in can open up a whole new world. Find a hobby, that could be running, drawing, or even going to the slater ice arena and ice skating. It’s all about finding something to bring out your creative side and get your mind off school and just life in general. Find a good tv show to watch or listen to a podcast. Again, there are so many different kinds out there. If you are a true crime fan like me I highly recommend a podcast called “My Favorite Murder”.
Keep in mind these tips and tricks will not work for everyone, these are just ideas that have helped me and other people I know. I encourage everyone to find things that will make you happy. It’s hard to get out of a slump, but I have faith that everyone can do it, you just have to want to.