It’s that time of year again when it starts getting dark around 4 PM. You walk into your lecture with the sun shinning bright and you walk out to doom and gloom. For some, Fall might be their favorite time of the year. For others, it is the time when they begin to struggle to keep up with school, their wellbeing, and other responsibilities. If that sounds familiar, here are five tips on how to beat seasonal depression in college.
1. Get some sun
If you’re someone who struggles getting for that 8 AM, now is the time to break that habit. Now that we’re getting less time with the sun, you need to take every opportunity you can to soak it up. Try getting up on time so that you are able to enjoy your walk on your way to your first class of the day. Even ten minutes of sunlight can boost your energy and mood.
2. make a fall playlist
Let’s keep it real: listening to those sad songs isn’t helping you get out of your funk. Instead, make a playlist of your favorite feel good songs that you can listen to on your way to class. Or even start listening to some Christmas music to get into the holiday spirit.
3. spend time with friends
Now might seem like a time where you would want to push people away and spend all your free time alone. While it is okay to take some time to yourself, you shouldn’t completely isolate yourself from others. Your friends are probably feeling the same way. Whether you want to go out and do a fun Fall activity together, or stay in and catch up on assignments, keeping good company can make a huge difference when everything else feels heavy.
4. ROMANTICIZE the weather
If you can’t escape the cold, embrace it. Go get pumpkin spice flavored everything. Or bake your favorite treat, curl up with a cozy blanket, and put on a good movie. Fall doesn’t have to feel depressing. All you have to do is make it feel cozy.
5. new season = fresh start
Don’t wait until the new year to start bettering yourself. Anything that you want to accomplish or do better, start working on it now. Use those resolutions as a distraction from the fact that you’re in the toughest part of the semester currently. You don’t need a calendar reset to change things, just a mind reset.