The days are short, the temperatures are low and the need for some extra UV rays is rising every day. For many, spring couldn't come quickly enough at this point. The holidays have passed and now it's time to dream about the warm sun once again, even though the toasty weather may seem far from reality.
Winter can be especially hard for people. According to Occupational Health and Safety, the lack of sunlight can diminish productivity and even have an effect on happiness. While some have an official diagnosis of seasonal depression, for others it might just be a little harder to get through the shortened days.
Resources on campus do exist, however, and taking measures like talking to someone from the Ohio University Counseling and Psychological Services or buying a sun lamp as a treatment for missing UV rays can be beneficial in order to increase happiness and productivity during these long months.
From spending time with friends to taking time for self-care, everyone has their ways of getting through the long and icy winter dreaming of sunshine coming back once again.
Shelby Jones, a sophomore studying psychology, said when the days start to get shorter, she can feel herself becoming sadder.
“You are just tired all the time and like you don't want to leave your room or do anything productive,” she said.
Jones said one of her remedies for feeling better was going to the gym. She also said spending time in coffee shops where she can calmly get her work done and be productive is another solution.
She advises others to get out as much as possible, even though it can be hard at times.
“I would say fight against all those urges to stay in and do nothing and try your best to get yourself out there,” Jones said.
Connor Littler, a sophomore studying marketing, said although he did not really see a change in his mood from the cold weather, he did recognize a pattern of staying inside more and sleeping in.
He said sleeping in was mostly caused by a lack of things for him to do in the morning, making it hard to get up and be productive when the weather is bad and his motivation is low.
“I definitely feel tired just because it's gloomy and there's not much to do,” he said.
He said the best ways to make himself feel better are to stay active through indoor activities.
Brynn Tausch, a sophomore studying biology, said that overall, having colder and shorter days has not been a great experience, but she has been able to not let it affect her too much by taking care of herself when needed.
“I like to lay in my bed and watch ‘One Tree Hill’ and just relax, like stop doing homework and just relax,” she said.
Tausch said although there wasn't a specific memory she recalled where she felt especially down, there was a pretty constant excitement for summer to come back and to have nicer weather.
She said she enjoyed being outside so not being able to do that because of the weather was very frustrating at times.
Tausch said the important part of keeping a positive mindset during gloomy days is to focus on things that make you happy.
“Take time for yourself (to) a great degree,” she said. “Don’t stress too much on your grades, just take time for yourself.”
