How I’m Fighting Winter Blues

I love the fall semester: fall is my favorite season. All my favorite holidays are in one place, and the weather is cool enough for cute sweaters, but it still allows me to be outdoors without complaining. It ends in the best way with Christmas when everything feels magical and lighthearted. 

But, like many people, January hits me hard. Spring semester sounds nice in theory, but then January rolls around and it is very much not spring, and it will continue to be very much not spring for a while. It’s cold, the sun is out for what feels like an hour a day, and suddenly it’s like I’ve lost the  motivation to do the things I did last semester. There’s no time to slack though—it’s a new semester, and you have to impress a whole new set of professors and deal with new expectations. 

So what are you supposed to do when winter is getting you down? This winter, I’m focusing on the little things that make me happy. Here are the pick-me-ups I’m incorporating into my routine this semester.

Writing.

I’ve hesitated to call myself a writer the past few years because I’ve always felt like I don’t have enough work to show for it. But hello! Writing is what I’m doing right now, and just because I don’t have some massive portfolio (and I should definitely be writing more regularly), that doesn’t mean I should just not do it. My spring 2020 semester is going to be all about just putting my thoughts on a page, and I’m trying to focus less on making my writing sound amazing to other people. Once I get into that headspace, I overthink every sentence I write and eventually abandon the project. The simple therapeutic act of writing through my feelings, even if it’s something as casual as an entry in my notes app, makes me feel a lot better about my day.

Spending time with friends.

When it’s cold and nasty outside, it’s easy to spend all day cuddled up in bed, binging a TV show. And while we all need days like that every now and then, it’s not a habit I want to let myself fall into this semester. Ending the night by just chilling with friends is a nice way to make sure I’m keeping up with the people I love. Winter gets to a lot of people, and talking to friends makes me feel a lot better and less alone.

Taking advantage of the day.

I’m not a morning person, and if I had it my way, every room would only be lit by dim string lights. That’s why it always surprises me that my brain suddenly revolts when the sun is out less in the winter. Being deprived of sunlight is apparently a lot different than choosing to hang out in the dark or liking nighttime. I’m going to (attempt) to spend more time taking advantage of the day before the sun goes down. Going for a quick walk (when it’s not freezing) is a simple, but efficient, way to make me feel like I haven’t let the day go by wasted, and even making an effort to wake up earlier and enjoy that morning dorm room sunlight makes a difference.

While sticking to these little habits might not be life-changing, they’re little things that are easy to achieve and make me feel better about my days. Whatever makes you feel just a bit better is helpful for keeping yourself above those winter blues.

• january
• winter