As the days get shorter, darker, and colder, it can be easy to feel kind of down this time of year. The freshness and warmth of summer is long gone, the excitement of back-to-school has officially worn off, and winter has set in with no end in sight.
I’m going to share with you a couple of my favorites tips to help fend off the winter slump, and to hopefully help bring some light back into your life!
1) Invest in an Oil Diffuser!
Oil Diffusers and essential oils are a great way to lighten and brighten the mood all year round, but can be extra useful during this time of the year. These pure oils come in variety of scents and offer a ton of different benefits. Young Living Essential Oils company has a whole bundle of scents specifically designed for mood enhancement, including scents like Lavender, Orange, Peppermint, and Jasmine. My personal favorite is Orange; I dab it on my pulse points each morning to kickstart my day. You can find budget friendly oil diffusers and essential oil kits almost anywhere. Amazon carries them, as do Urban Outfitters and even Target.
2) Get some good lighting for you dorm room!
I highly recommend getting warm toned or colored string lights to spruce up your space and combat the premature darkness that defines the months of November, December, and January. If you’re really feeling beaten down by the cold darkness of winter, invest in a light therapy lamp. Brands such as Verilux and North Star lighting have lamps that mimic the effect of natural sunlight, brightening your room and your mood.
3) Eat a healthy breakfast!
This sounds corny, but having a good, healthy breakfast really gets you ready to take on the day, even as those days get shorter and shorter. Furthermore, it can be something that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning. Personally, I’m a huge fan of oatmeal; it’s the perfect warm and hearty breakfast in the winter. I love the Quaker Oats Apple Cinnamon flavor, and I usually dress it up with some peanut butter and granola. If you’re not an oatmeal fan, toaster pancakes or waffles feel fancy and fun but are actually super quick and easy. I love Multigrain Eggo Waffles drizzled with a little bit of almond butter and honey, or with syrup and slices of banana. Take some time to find a breakfast that satisfies you and starts your day right!
4) Have an established morning routine!
Although it’s easy to just roll out of bed, throw on a sweatshirt, put your hair into a messy ponytail, and run out the door, getting caught up in a frantic early morning rush isn’t always the most productive way to start your morning. I’ve been challenging myself this winter to keep up a morning routine; I try to spend at least a little bit of time getting ready in the morning so I feel confident and cute as I head out the door. I don’t always need to be a full face of makeup and a bomb outfit; I just give myself some time to wake up and freshen myself up. I always make a cup of coffee, wash and moisturize my face, and pick out a cute outfit: I try to stay away from sweatshirts and sweatpants, so I usually end up in jeans and a cozy sweater, as it makes me feel more put together. I also do a little bit of meditation, reflection and manifestation to start my day on a positive note. Either way, just getting up a few minutes early to allow yourself some time to wake up makes all the difference. I honestly look forward to getting out of bed and starting my day every morning, and as someone who loves to sleep in, that is really saying something!
5) Pamper yourself!
I like to complement my morning routine with a nightly spa session. I am a skincare fiend; I love buying and applying face masks of all kind and testing out new serums and creams. It’s nice to wind down the night with some skincare that helps my skin stay glowing and supple all winter. You can also try other fun spa activities, like painting your nails on regular basis or investing in some good hair masks. I know that when my nails look nice and polished I feel better, and the same goes for my hair. Indulging in self care at night is a great way to relax and unwind, and keeps you looking cute and feeling confident throughout the dry winter months ahead.
6) Try to inject some color into your winter wardrobe!
As it gets darker outside, my clothing choices tend to reflect that darkness. I used to wear almost exclusively grey, black and navy in the winter time. However, I noticed that this was negatively affecting my mood, considering I was walking around campus like a literal dark cloud. So I decided to make a change; I slowly started incorporating fun pops of color into my outfits. Something about embracing light and bright colors immediately put me in a better mood. I just felt that my energy was no longer bogged down, and my vibe was much more bright and positive! You can start small with fun accessories or colorful accents, or dive right in and invest in a colorful sweater or some fun colored pants! I personally embrace color in my makeup, opting for fun eyeshadow looks that cover the whole rainbow spectrum. Making sure you get out of that black and gray rut of can really help brighten your mood this winter.
7) Make a playlist!
Putting playlists together always helps me feel better. I have one for each month, and I add new songs I’m obsessing over as the month goes along. It’s nice to have music playing as I get ready in the morning and to accompany me on my cold trek across campus to and from class. Having a playlist of your favorite songs can help brighten up the mood when the days get dark. If you don’t want to make monthly playlist, organize them by mood or theme. Having a going out playlist, a study playlist, and morning playlist can help add some energy back into your routine. And once it’s time, you can start blasting your holiday playlist to really get in you in the holiday spirit!
As the seasons change, so do our moods. But winter doesn’t need to be a time of sadness, darkness and depression; with these tips, you can start to shake off the seasonal blues and have a great Winter semester! Of course, while these tips may be helpful to get you out of a funk, they aren’t going to solve any prolonged, serious issues. No amount of face masks and fun playlists is going to cure depression. If you or someone you know is really suffering, reach out to someone, whether that be a friend, family member, or mental health services on campus. And if you guys have any tips as to how you survive the winter season, feel free to leave them down below. Stay warm out there!
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