Wintertime, for many, comes with an increased sense of melancholy. The air is frigid, the sun does not shine as brightly, and everyday tasks seem more difficult to complete. Getting out of bed and making it to those early morning classes on time (especially those at 8:30 a.m.) is already hard enough. In the winter, however, routine tasks can genuinely seem insurmountable at times. The degree to which we experience this general exhaustion and somberness varies on the spectrum from minimal feelings of sadness and lack of motivation to clinically-diagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder.
For students, the lack of warm and sunny weather can result in our decreased sense of motivation to complete schoolwork and exercise, and even invest ourselves socially. However, I believe the darkness of winter provides us with the perspective to appreciate the beauty of warmer weather and the coming of spring. I like to think of this time as a period that mimics the hibernation that some animals undergo during the winter. For the animals, hibernation serves as a way to conserve energy in order to survive adverse weather conditions or lack of food. Similarly, we can view the wintertime as a period for us to lay low and let ourselves feel and reflect more intentionally than we would at a time of the year that we are generally more excited about life. While we have less energy to put forth our best effort in numerous areas of our life, we can use this time to evaluate deeper emotions and possibly pinpoint exactly what is making us feel so drab.
I remember when the weather first started getting warmer a couple of weeks ago; I felt the sunshine on my face and had the sudden realization that, though life is hard and complicated at times, everything will be okay. It gave me a new lens through which to see life, providing hope and excitement about the things to come. It filled me with the undeniable sense that true contentment within myself is possible, and that gives me the strength and motivation to keep going.
Staying on top of everything, especially in the midst of an ongoing pandemic and a plethora of sociopolitical and personal hardships, is extremely difficult and can feel overwhelming at times. However, the sunshine reminds me that it is not impossible.
A good way to make the most of the incoming season is to spend time outside and soak up the weather. Taking walks, going to the park, and even studying when it’s sunny outside has beneficial effects on mood and motivation levels. Something about seeing beautiful things outside makes one more prone to noticing the beautiful things within oneself. I’ve realized that it is profoundly conducive to personal growth and healing.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.