It’s actually insane how I walk onto campus when it’s dark, and leave when it’s dark too. I honestly feel like I’m living in some kind of academic night shift. Dublin weather has fully committed to its villain era, and honestly, my motivation is barely surviving the plot twist.
There’s something uniquely draining about days that feel three minutes long, rain that’s always sideways, and wind that could physically lift you off the ground if it wanted to. It’s hard to stay motivated when everything around you is cold, grey, and aggressively damp.
But even though the weather is doing its absolute worst, there are some tiny things – believe it or not – that make it bearable. They are the little pockets of warmth, comfort, and routine that keep you going even when the sun refuses to.
The first step is to create your own light. There is no reason for the sky to be pitch black by 4 PM. None. As daylight fades, your brain shuts off as if it’s on a timer you didn’t set. To help prevent this shutdown, try creating your own light when the sky refuses to give you any. Turning on lamps and fairy lights a little earlier, and making your space warm and soft so you don’t feel like you’re living in a cave.
Then, gravitate towards building habits that actually feel manageable and stop trying to force yourself into some ideal winter routine. These include the small things, such as making yourself a hot chocolate or cup of tea before studying, or wrapping yourself in a blanket while typing away at that lab report. It’s not about being productive in a glamorous way; it’s about being gentle with yourself when everything around you feels cold and dull.
There’s something oddly comforting about finding these micro-moments of warmth in a city that seems determined to soak you. Start romanticizing the rain a little. A cozy cafe on a dark afternoon starts to feel like a tiny reward for even showing up that day. The smell of something warm, the sound of people talking quietly, and suddenly, winter doesn’t feel like a complete enemy.
And even though the darkness still hits early, you adapt. You learn that motivation looks different in November, which often feels like a cursed month for all students, and that’s okay. Instead of trying to push through the slump with unrealistic expectations, you learn to work in softer, slower, and kinder ways. Dublin winter isn’t going anywhere, but somehow, you start finding small pockets of light within it, even if they’re the kind you have to switch on yourself. So, what pocket of light will you create tomorrow? By posing this question, you can gently challenge yourself to turn reflection into meaningful action.