Winter can be a challenging time of year. I know because I have often struggled myself during the dark winter months when the cold weather seems to drag on forever. The days feel short when you’re robbed of sunlight at 4:00 pm and you can’t bear to leave the warmth of your bed to uncover a chilled, frosty window pane in the morning. It is normal to feel a little lower than normal at these times– at least I know I have. Seasonal depression is a real struggle that so many of us face, especially after the spirit of the holidays and the New Year wears off. Every day can feel like the same cycle of wake, work, watch tv, and sleep. It can be hard to find motivation to be productive or do simple things like clean your room or go to the gym. It’s hard to find nuance in your life when the weather feels so dull and dark. I know this feeling that can creep in at the dead of winter all too well.
I have always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with winter. Living in New England, I’ve experienced true winters with the hope of spring only starting to peek through by late April. I love the snow and all the winter sports like skiing – downhill and cross country – and ice skating. But once we hit February I start to get tired of putting up with the cold. It is precisely at these times when I try to remind myself what I love about this time of year.
Give Yourself Permission to Embrace Slow Living
I have learned over many years that the best way to cope with these bitter cold months is to embrace the slow living and coziness of staying inside. I find that winter gives me an excuse to be more forgiving towards myself. It’s okay if I sleep in later than preferred or stay inside watching a movie rather than getting out. This is a time to give yourself permission and allow yourself to rest, enjoy some of the little things like sipping on hot tea, or warming up by the fire after a snowy winter stroll. Winter can be a good time for self-reflection and peace. I really enjoy journaling, meditating, and reading when I have free time. These activities help me stay in the moment and find more meaning in my daily life.
Cook!
A new cozy winter festivity I have enjoyed is making soups! I got my wisdom teeth out over winter break and still struggle to eat super hard foods, so this has been the perfect time to get on my soup grind. And what better way to embrace the cold than a comforting bowl of hot soup? Inspired by some of the influencers on tik tok and reels, I found some super simple one pot recipes to enjoy with my friends. Last week we made a stew with butter beans, kale, tahini, feta, and harissa paste. I am so obsessed with butter beans now and find myself putting them in everything. The soup was a perfect combination of creamy, tangy, spicy and nutritious and I one hundred percent recommend trying some of these one-pot soup recipes and splitting a baguette with friends to enjoy your piping hot meal!
Keep a Cozy Atmosphere
Another key thing to make the winter feel more tolerable is to create a warm, inviting environment to spend time in. When I’m at home I love sitting by the fire with blankets, candles, and seeing one of my cats sleeping nearby. When you’re back on campus in the dorms or at an apartment it is a little tricky to include a fireplace or candle element. My personal hack to recreate this cozy ambiance is using LED light candles and putting on a fake fire on tv, or searching youtube for “cozy winter scenes” and having that on in the background to set the vibes. Once you create this warm environment doing homework or engaging in your favorite pastimes becomes so much more enjoyable. Reading, crocheting, knitting, or journaling in my cozy space gives me an excuse to stay inside and enjoy some downtime. Over winter break I loved doing puzzles with my family, so I decided to bring that hobby with me back to school. One of my roommates bought a beautiful puzzle that we completed in just a few days and then decided to glue it together to use as decor. Engaging in little hobbies like this is so important, even if it’s not for long.
I hope some of these ideas help you enjoy winter when the cold creeps in and you’re feeling down. I find one of the joys of a long winter is the well deserved spring and summer you get after. In the meantime, embrace the coziness while it lasts and take time to be extra kind to yourself.
Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is struggling mentally there are support systems and resources at Skidmore and off campus that are designed to help you. Do not hesitate to seek help if you are struggling in any way, even if it feels small. The following article is my personal advice to make the winter more enjoyable, but it is by no means a replacement for therapy!
Resources:
Skidmore Counseling Center: 518-580-5555
Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/get-help/depression
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/