Beating the Winter Blues

Overcoming Winter Gloom

Coming back from winter break, something beyond the crispness in the air immediately struck me…the air seemed to circulate around me with words like "senioritis," "sophomore slump," and "junior jitters" jittering down my spine. The air was cool, but the academic stress could not be hotter.

My freshman year, I quickly picked up on a common theme during the Winter quarter: the weather is dull, summer internship applications are due, and cramming in all the hard classes seems to be a respite from falling deeper into this cycle.

As students, we experience stress in various domains all the time. However, for some, the Winter season greatly adds to this atmosphere of stress. Post-winter break, many students may feel a newfound sense of homesickness, social anxiety when reconnecting with peers, and pressure to meet ambitious academic goals in the new quarter. With shorter days, colder weather, and reduced exposure to sunlight, many students may lose motivation or feel generally down, a symptom of seasonal affective disorder. The point is, feeling especially stressed during the winter quarter makes sense.

However, high amounts of academic stress are not inherent to the Winter quarter, and there are things that you can do every day to manage it.

Establish Routines

Establishing a routine can be an effective way to get back on track for a new quarter and decrease the feeling of overwhelm that contributes to academic stress. Waking up at a consistent time, allocating certain days to different classes, and scheduling meals are small but important steps you can take to ground yourself in stability, which can help minimize additional sources of stress.

Find Time to Rest

You've heard it so many times before, so I won't repeat it to you. But keep this in mind: so many of us pack our days with work. Inevitably, though, throughout this schedule, we all feel the human urge to rest or take a break. Many of us claim that we don't have time for it or that it isn't scheduled into our gcals, but the exhaustion that takes over or the urge becomes so strong that fighting it, procrastinating the break, or working ineffectively ends up being more time-consuming and unproductive than just scheduling in that break. So please, pause what you're doing and add a recurring gcal event named "break."

Make the Most of Natural Light

Because of shorter days and cooler weather, we can all benefit from making the most of the limited sunlight that we get. While you're locking in or even eating a meal, doing so in a room with natural light is an easy way to boost your mood and focus.

Carve Out Time to Socialize

With colder weather and shorter days, our time may already feel limited. While we're stressing academically, limiting our social time can feel isolating and exacerbate this stress. Plus, for many, socializing can be immensely revitalizing and help you continue your day feeling more energized. Scheduling a weekly meal with friends or attending club meetings and events can be an easy way to integrate socialization into your daily routine and help prevent compounding stress.

Your Winter quarter doesn't have to be defined by stress, slumps, or jitters. While the seasonal challenges are very real, they don't have to dictate your experience this year. So take your breaks, step into the sunlight, connect with friends, and give yourself the same grace you'd extend to others because, ultimately, you have more control over your Winter quarter than you think.

Written by: Niku Sedarat, Class of 2028