Battling Seasonal Depression in College

Winter according to the internet and winter in real life are two very different things. If you look up pictures of winter on Pinterest, you get images of fluffy white snow, glistening on bare branches of tall, majestic trees in some faraway forest. However, if you look outside at any time during the months of November through March, you see grey slush on grey sidewalks under the grey sky. Because everything looks so grey and depressing outside, it can be easy to feel that way on the inside too, which is never fun for anyone. Here are some ideas to keep the grey outside and continue feeling sunny and 75 on the inside. 

1. Stay active

It can be so easy to look outside at the gloomy weather and decide to watch movies in bed all day, but that can take a toll on us. Instead of logging on to your new Disney plus subscription and putting on another pair of fuzzy socks, throw on a pair of workout shorts and do a little workout while you watch High School Musical for the third time today. If you have no idea what workout to do, here are some ideas to get you started:

• High knees, butt kick, and jumping jacks 

• Jump squats, lunges, wall sits 

• Leg lifts, mountain climbers, crunches 

• Normal push-ups, tricep push-ups, T-push ups  

If none of these sound appealing, don’t worry! Many fitness accounts on Instagram have workout ideas for college kids that you can try. 

2. Don’t forget your friends

I don’t care how well you get along with your roommate, don’t forget to call up your other friends and make plans. Meet at the dining hall, get coffee, or go for a walk around campus. Being in the presence of someone that makes you laugh and that you can talk to that you haven’t been living with all year makes it a lot easier to keep your spirits up (as opposed to sitting in your dorm room all day staring at the wall with your roommate). You can even call someone to go grocery shopping with you or go to the next town over for lunch as a change of scenery. Doing something different than your normal schedule will help keep things interesting. 

3. Stay on top of school work

While it may seem like a good idea to procrastinate until the absolute last second, we all know it’s not. I’ve been guilty of it too – waiting until the day something is due to even look at it and then wondering why I’m so stressed or why I received such a bad grade. Instead of putting it off until later, start your projects early. This will help unneeded stress later which will end up helping your mood stay happy. Try investing in a planner or making a list of things you need to do for the day to help you stay on top and productive. 

4. Eat better and drink water

It can be so easy to lay in bed and eat chips all day instead of making a real meal, but it is very important to make sure you’re eating the right things. Try to eat at least one healthy meal a day- maybe a chicken salad or a wrap and make sure to get a vegetable in there too. Along with food, make sure to drink water throughout the day. Nurturing your body from the inside out can do wonders for your mental health. 

5. Keep a journal

As cliché as it sounds, keeping a journal can really help to improve your mood. Focus on writing down productive things you’ve done today, or things you did that made you happy. It’s okay to vent and write about what is negatively affecting your mood, but make sure not to dwell on them. Keep the journal as a safe place to vent and keep account of the good things that are happening in your life.