The sun sets at 5:00 P.M.. November is grey. It’s cold, rainy in some places, and finals season looms upon us all. The Sunday scaries turn into Whole-Week scaries, and soon, New Year’s is here, but there’s no news for you. How can we prevent this? How can we avoid the Winter Depression that sometimes befalls the happiest?
It seems so difficult. It all seems so hopeless, thinking you have nothing going on for you. That irritating sore throat, doing badly on exams, and missing home. It all piles up. But there is a way out of the pile. There are so many ways for you to pull yourself up and out of whatever rut or slump you’ve been thrown in.
Now, many people have different things that comfort them – reading books, listening to music, and spending time with friends! And this all does help, truly. It doesn’t matter what you do — all that matters is that you do something you love, something that brings you true joy, during this “un-joyous” time. Here are some things that bring me, personally, some true joy. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something for yourself! And if you do, keep it.
Finding Good people
The people and things you surround yourself with can make or break your experience, anywhere.
I’m not saying you have to have a ton of friends or say hi to every person you meet. If “your people” consists of your family, or only your brother, or your aunt, or that one person you randomly made friends with on the first day of school, so be it! FaceTime those far away from you, and hug those who are close. Find joy in their stories, have a good time with them, and most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy their company! It may seem hard, especially now. One bad thing after another, constantly piling up, can take a serious toll on you or anyone. But there will always be people around, whether you think so or not, who will be ready to help you. They’ll be ready to lend a listening ear, a warm hug, a good joke, or even a yummy meal. Take it all in, and find solace in your company!
Media and literature
There are so many different kinds of music that many people enjoy. My personal favorite during these cold winter months? R&B and Jazz! R&B artists like Kehlani and Jazz artists like Berlioz fill me up with an unexplainable warmth through their sweet lyrics and lively tunes, so much so that you’ll always catch me with them on repeat! “Folded” by Kehlani has especially been a favorite of mine recently. I play it on the way to and from class, at night to unwind, and any chance I can really! But these artists aren’t just my “favorite.”
They truly change my outlook on my day, filling me up with the warmth that these days seem to suck out of me. And that’s why any good tune can have the biggest impact on your day, in a way you never would have thought of.
German poet and author, Berthold Auerbach, once said, “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” And I strongly believe in this! The weariness, exhaustion, and overall sadness that cloud your mind, body, and soul during these times are tough to overcome and get past. But music can play a part, if any, in your happiness in bringing you some much-needed warmth and help.
It’s not for everyone, though, and that’s completely understandable.
Have you heard of the phrase, “mindlessly doomscrolling”? It refers to, literally, mindlessly scrolling on your phone, consuming short-form content that gives you, at most, short bursts of serotonin. Now, this does give many people a chance to relax after a particularly hard day, helping them feel relieved because their stress of the day is over. But if you’re in that stage of switching between TikTok and Instagram reels, getting overwhelmingly bored with both, here are some other ways you can relax while still consuming the media you want!
Books, in my humble opinion, are a great place to start. Picking up your favorite mystery read, snuggling into your warm bed, and letting the words on the page whisk you away into a wonderland of imagination has more positive benefits than you think! There won’t be anything fake jumping out at you (unless it’s something in a fiction book!), and you won’t feel overwhelmed with the sheer amount of media you are consuming! Books are a great way for you to still feel relaxed, giving you the liberty of enjoying whatever form of literature you like! You can get anything you need from a good book, whether it’s a good laugh, a cry, or a thrill!
And then there’s always movies! Movies, shows, you name it. Any form of long-form content will let you feel the effects for, well, longer! And with the Winter dragging on, feeling like the slowest three to four months of your life, you need something, maybe a little less long, but long enough so that your sadness isn’t the only thing on your mind. Maybe a baking show will help! Or maybe your favorite children’s cartoon will bring you the same unrestricted happiness you had as a child. Again, whatever it is, finding what works for you is the most important!
OVERCOMING YOUR WINTER DEPRESSION
Like I said, Winter Depression is tough, and long, and it sucks! But you have the power to bring yourself the happiness you deserve. Find joy in whatever you can find it in. Baking in the sunlight like a cat on a windowsill. Making your bed. Eating a good meal with good friends. Whatever it is, no matter how big or small, it will help! And when you’re at the lowest of your lows. The lowest you’ve ever been, when you’ve hit rock bottom. Where else are you going to go? Up, of course! Because that’s the only way you can go now. You’re not going to waste your time hammering away at the bedrock beneath you. If anything, figure out a way to climb back up, back to your true self.
I’m me again. Feels like it’s been years.
Finn, “Adventure Time”