Linette Garcia | Staff Writer
The holidays are over and we’re supposed to revitalize ourselves for this new year. But yet I have this lingering sensation of sadness looming over my head.
This winter season instilled in me a gnawing sense of bleakness and sluggishness, a common state known as the “winter blues”.
The winter constraints filled me with constant boredom. Winter breaks are considerably shorter and far less relaxing than summer breaks, exhausting me before the spring term.
It feels like I didn’t get a break at all.
And the escalating strain related to seasonal changes, post-holiday comedown and academic pressure cannot be overlooked. Trying to stick to our New Year’s resolutions while also getting back to our routines is easier said than done.
The winter blues are a brute, and they don’t go away when you enter the spring semester.
Almost 25% of all college students in the United States undergo symptoms of winter blues. Being cooped in a house for days with low energy and a depressing mood, in addition to professors piling multiple assignments at once, is never easy.
As an online student, being stuck at home has already completely sapped my energy. So you can only imagine how much worse the winter blues make me feel as I start this spring semester.
Fortunately, there are tips to lessen the severity of the winter blues.
To avoid feeling depressed in the first week of the spring semester, I decided to cease making New Year’s resolutions. Crafting long ingenuine lists merely to conform to societal expectations exacerbated my mental state.
Creating daily to-do lists with smaller goals kept me motivated and productive during my winter break, and it’s a habit that will help me this spring term.
I also distracted myself from the winter blues by watching trashy 2010s drama shows with my mom. Spending quality time with a family member, a friend or a significant other can help.
While these remedies are useful to try, actually doing them is not that simple, especially for those who can’t muster up the vitality to get out of bed. In this case, you may need to notify a healthcare professional if you don’t see improvement in your mood during this spring term.
We must remember that Jan. won’t last forever, and Feb. is the shortest month. Before we know it, it’ll be spring, and I find solace in knowing this gloomy time of the year will pass quickly.
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The opinions presented on this page do not represent the views of the PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect the perspectives of contributing writers and/or university community members.
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