So, here’s what we aren’t going to do.
We are NOT falling into this seasonal depression.
Every year this is always something I tell myself. Does that always work though? No. Do I do it anyways? Yes. Because if I don’t tell myself that, then I will definitely fall into it.
It’s one of the hardest yet easiest things for me. Fall is my favorite time of the year.
The leaves are changing to these beautiful reds, oranges and yellows. The air has a nice chill to it, but it’s not too cold yet. Halloween, the best holiday, is during this season. Yet even though all of my favorite things are during this time, I still get the worst seasonal depression.
What I do, however, is enjoy my favorite things. These are my top five ways to avoid my seasonal depression.
1. Baking
This is something I never thought I would say, but I miss having a kitchen.
There are so many things I didn’t realize I would miss coming to college that I do in fact miss now. And a kitchen is probably number one on that list.
Whenever I am feeling down or even just bored, I love to get in the kitchen and bake. It’s something I’ve enjoyed doing since I was little.
I wanted to be a baker so bad. I even took private baking lessons with my grandma’s friend. It brings me peace of mind.
During the fall, I love to bake the most. There are so many sweet treats that just hit differently when you make them during the chilly season.
My favorite thing to bake? Snickerdoodle cookies. Oh, how I miss my snickerdoodles.
They take forever to make but they turn out so good. So many others have begun to love them and know me for them. My best friend even says they are her favorite and I can’t blame her because they are mine too.
I’ve given my mom a list of things I’m going to bake when I come home next break so she knows to have the kitchen open for me.
When I’m mixing ingredients, measuring each one just perfectly, the colder weather blues seem to disappear. And I know they are going to be even harder to get rid of this year without the ability to do it.
2. Photography
Luckily, there is more I enjoy that keeps happier moods around and photography is another one of them.
Fall is the perfect time for photography. The vivid colors of nature at their best allow for the perfect center shot or simple background in a photo.
Whether it’s with my phone or my Canon, I am always snapping photos. St. Bonaventure’s campus has become one of my favorite places to take them, too.
The mountains, the water, people, buildings, it’s all here. This has become the perfect place for any style of photography.
The fall colors on this campus are absolutely breathtaking. I can’t help but to constantly be behind some sort of camera. I get swept up in the beauty of the views here and have to take a shot of them.
3. Reading/Writing
Sometimes a good book or some paper and a pen is all I need.
When I’m reading, I venture to a new world, a new life. I am no longer me anymore, and I become the main character of whatever book I am reading.
It’s a simple escape from reality when I read. It’s so easy to just slip into some comfy clothes and dive into a good book. There are so many of them out there that it’s a limitless number of lives I can live, and boy have I lived many already.
I especially like a good mystery book. They are the best during the fall.
Like the clothes I wear, all my books are seasonal. I have specific ones I read for specific times, and then there are ones I can never get tired of, and I read them any time of the year.
Mystery books are for the fall. I think that speaks for itself, and no one can tell me otherwise.
Writing is also a great breather during the dark season. Whether it’s poetry or my books, writing clears the brain.
With poetry, I get all the dark emotions out and the light ones can shine through. With books, my creative side comes out and all the stories I think up, short and long, just come out on the page.
Sitting in bed, on a bench or in the grass, I write everywhere. Even if its simply in my notes app on my phone. It’s a great way to relax and be creative at the same time.
4. Walking
Take it all in.
A nice walk outside is a great way to take a deep breath of the fresh air and take in all the changing views.
The colors of the leaves changing are an amazing view to just relax in. Whether you are actively walking or you take a pause to sit, just look at the nature around you.
I love fall walks. My roommate Taylor and I tend to go on them a lot. The trails along the water with the mountains in the back create a beautiful scene that we love to be in.
These are times for us to just be with each other in the moment. We put our phones away and we talk.
We even have selected spots around campus that we have designated as “our” spots. We will go and talk for hours in these locations, do our homework or sit in complete silence.
It gets us out of our dorm, which is the root for most of our lows. We don’t like being couped up so getting out, even for a short 30-minute walk, helps wonders.
5. Any fall activities
What is the best part of fall? All the different fall activities that happen.
There’re pumpkin patches, haunted houses and festivals. Even just watching fall movies or having a fall flavored snack or drink.
These are the best parts about the entire season. Taking part in them is what makes this my favorite time of the year.
I don’t have a car, so I don’t get to take part in some of these things this year, but when I do, that’s when I feel happiest.
Spending time with my friends and doing my favorite activities, how could I not be my happiest?
The only issue is I have to constantly be on the move. When I slow down is when I begin to feel my seasonal depression creep its way in again. That’s why even simple things like watching a fall movie or T.V. show or reading one of my mystery books are other ways I keep it at bay.
This year, I am trying to find how to keep these feelings away in new ways. I am going to explore and go out and discover the great things in this new world I live in. That’s what is going to keep my seasonal depression away.
So, here’s what we aren’t going to do.
We aren’t going to sit around, and mope in these feelings. Everyone should go out and keep those seasonal lows away and allow for the season’s highs to shine.