Occasionally, the colder weather gets the best of us and causes us to get down in the dumps. Here are a few ways to fight off the seasonal depression and enjoy the season!
We both know you have a book sitting on your desk, waiting to be read. Curling up with a good book is a great way to put yourself in a good mood on a slow day. If you’re finding it difficult to start your book or the four walls of your room are starting to drive you crazy, find a new reading spot! The High Library, the Jay’s Nest and the Blue Bean are all great places to read, but you could also go off campus. Reading a novel out in nature could be just what you need.
You may not want to think about your schoolwork, but working ahead may help rid you of any anxiety surrounding this semester. One idea might be to form a study group with friends to go over the previous class and work on your homework. Working ahead on any projects you have coming up may also relieve some stress, and give you more free time!
With the days getting shorter, now is the time to go out and enjoy nature! The leaves are changing, and the animal world is bustling with little critters getting ready for winter. There are plenty of places, both on and off campus to explore. You could take a walk around the lake next to Leffler Chapel or explore hiking trails. The Conewago Recreation Trail is just seven minutes from campus, and good for both walking and biking. With less light during the day, it’s important to get up and go out into the sunlight.
Remember to reach out to your loved ones! Make plans with friends, meet up with classmates and call your family back home. Sometimes reaching out can be hard, but nothing beats the exciting feeling of making plans with someone you can’t wait to see. It’s getting closer to Halloween, so you and your friends could get together to set up a group costume or make plans for the 31st! If you’re not into costumes, you could get a group together to carve and decorate pumpkins.
To fight off your boredom, you could learn a new skill, such as knitting or painting. Learning something new is a great way to challenge your mind and entertain yourself! It will take a lot of hard work, but it would be that much more rewarding when you see the fruits of your labor, such as a newly made scarf or a colorful canvas. If not a skill, you could learn how to play a new game! Whether it be a newly downloaded game on your phone or a new board game for you and your friends, a new game could quickly become a new favorite!
Besides all the fun stuff, it may also be a good idea to keep your room cleaned. Keeping a clean and organized room helps your brain feel less cluttered and gives you one less thing to worry about. Picking up dirty laundry and organizing your desk are a great start. By picking up your laundry, you may find you need to do your wash. If you do your wash, you may realize you should wash your sheets. By just starting to clean up a bit, it gets the ball rolling, and motivates you to get more things checked off the to-do list.
Above all, remember to be kind to yourself. Give your body plenty of time to rest by trying to always get a full night’s sleep. Remember to eat three meals a day, even if they’re not entirely healthy. Don’t forget to treat yourself, maybe to a warm drink or a baked good. Find the activities that help you get through the colder seasons.
