Winter: sparkling icicles forming on buildings, beautiful fresh snow falling onto the ground and celebrating the holiday season. All of this sounds positive, so why is returning to school for the winter so much more challenging than the fall, even after a six-week break?
Seasonal depression, scientifically known as seasonal affective disorder, impacts most during the winter for many reasons. For one, there aren’t as many activities to do in the cold weather as there are in warm temperatures, especially for college students. Students could go outside in the fall and do something with their friends; for instance, people often stayed up at night and played a sport such as volleyball, and I even caught a few people sun tanning a couple of times. With it being so cold now, people can no longer do as many activities as they’d typically like, even if it’s just going outside for a walk.
The beautiful winter weather also has extreme downsides: it is incredibly freezing, especially in January and February. Last semester ended at the beginning of December, before we started to experience intense winter weather.
“The hardest part is getting yourself to class because it is freezing outside and you don’t have the motivation to get yourself out of your dorm,” said Taylor Lamothe, a second-semester psychology and political science major. As a few days this week are reaching highs of 17 degrees Fahrenheit, many of us are rushing back to our warm dorms as soon as classes end. During this time, people are less likely to go to places such as the library or the recreation center, dreading the idea of having to leave afterward.
When asked why she thinks it’s harder coming back to school during this time, Jagruti Tirunagari, a second-semester psychology major said, “I think it’s because the sun sets so early, so I feel like I need to be in bed by 5:00.” The short winter days may cause one to feel tired quicker and then have less energy to go to classes and complete work. Additionally, since the days are shorter and nights are longer, we get less sunlight exposure. More sunlight exposure can lead to higher serotonin levels. One’s productivity may heavily depend on the weather and what mood it puts them in.
So, what is the difference between returning to school for the winter and the fall? We just came back from a six-week break, so we should feel energized and ready to learn again, right? It is important to realize that summer and winter break are entirely different. During summer break, students make plans with their friends to hang out in the warm weather, go to the beach, adventure parks, picnics, etc.
The hardest part is getting yourself to class because it is freezing outside and you don’t have the motivation to get yourself out of your dorm.
Taylor Lamothe, Second-Semester Psychology and Political Science Student
I don’t know how other students spent their winter break, but I spent most of my time at home and anytime I left the house, it was for a quick grocery trip or a lousy gym session in the gloomy weather. I know that a few of my friends did the same but also went to work, which isn’t relaxing. Our brain never feels relaxed as our opportunities for unwinding are so limited.
During these cold times, we are less likely to make plans with our friends since there is less to do, but could this just be harming us more and increasing our chances of seasonal depression? Sure, there may be less to do outside, but that doesn’t mean that you and your friends can’t do something inside. Have a movie night with snacks, bake something together or play board games. Remaining social during the winter season may be the key to pushing through the downsides of winter and staying motivated for your classes.