When the weather outside gets colder, I’ve never been one to fare well. All too easily, I want to sleep in, feeling lethargic about everything. Yet, with all the deadlines looming over me, even sleeping makes me feel stressed out, too aware of how much I need to do and how there is never enough time to do it. It’s dark outside around 4:00 PM at this point in the year. Who wouldn’t get sad about that?
However, this year, I’ve been actively working against the seasonal dreariness. I like to think of it as finding the silver linings in my life–finding light even during the darkest times. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, like going on tropical vacation and putting my papers on the back burner (although that does sound incredibly appealing to me right now). Even small things can be silver linings. As long as they make me happy, they count.
For example, instead of forcing myself to do a reading I knew I didn’t have the energy or focus for, I called up a friend to go to dinner. I let myself laugh at stupid jokes until my cheeks hurt, allowing me to feel lighter rather than heavy. That was my silver lining for the day. Other times, my silver lining comes from having friends willing to accompany me to the depths of Main Stacks, working in silence but finding comfort in each other’s presence as we try our best to work through our respective workloads. And sometimes, my silver lining is holding those close to me tight in a hug, grounding me and reminding me that I’m not alone– that there will always be friends I can rely on when things get tough.
On more stressful days, I focus solely on what I enjoyed rather than what I didn’t. Maybe it’s running into someone that I don’t usually have the time to hang out with on my way to class and having a spontaneous chat. Maybe it’s seeing a cute dog on a walk, happily trotting away with its tongue hanging out. Or perhaps it’s the delicious matcha I picked up before or after class, just because I can—a small reminder that I deserve good things, no matter what. Or sometimes it’s the sound of autumn leaves crunching under my feet, my favorite part of a season that may make me feel tired at times but is still so beautiful.
Sometimes, even a phone call can be a silver lining. Catching up with long-distance friends about both the good and bad in my life, feeling the warmth of their friendship despite the miles between us. Or chatting with my parents, hearing the familiar chaos of home in the background, reminding that I’ll return in just a few weeks. These moments can serve as reminders to keep going, not to get lost in the work that feels so important and pressing.
So, to those who may feel similarly to me when the temperature drops, I urge you to find your silver linings. We’ll get through this dreary season the same way we always have in the past. Take care of yourselves–the light remains, even when it feels dark!