Ah, winter. With it comes the start of second semester, hot chocolate, snow, fuzzy scarves, warm blankets, and…depression?
If you start to feel depressed or tired during the winter, you’re not broken. In fact, 10-20% of people experience this feeling, according to American Family Physicians. These winter blues are known as SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. It’s totally normal to feel low when temperatures begin to fall. However, there’s no reason to suffer with your symptoms.
Coping strategies are something used to get through difficult times in your life, when sometimes you just can’t pick yourself up. Not all skills work for everyone, but there are literally thousands of skills to choose from – it’s okay to not know what works for you.
To try to help any of you who may be feeling low this season, I’ve created a list of skills specifically for college students to hopefully help you get out of your winter funk. Don’t worry: I promise you’ll get through!
1. Color
2. Read
3. Bake
4. Talk to a loved one
5. Cry
6. Explore your campus
7. Take a nap
8. Take a walk
9. Hang out with friends
10. Find a new place on campus to spend time or study
11. Plan a game night
12. Do your makeup
13. Exercise
14. Go to an on-campus event
15. Find things to look forward to
16. Do crafts
17. Go (window) shopping
18. Explore new hobbies
19. Journal your feelings
20. Remind yourself that it’s only temporary
I know there are only 20 skills listed here, but there are tons of resources for more if these don’t work. Even just googling “coping skills” will provide you with more than you could ever think of.
Don’t let winter bring you down, collegiettes. Just remember that you’re strong, powerful, and independent – you’ve got this!