Many people struggle with staying cheerful during the winter months. “I think you can get really sad during winter cause it’s kinda dark out, the skies are dark, it’s cold, there’s snow, you can’t really go out to see your friends as easily as you can in other seasons” sophomore Ell Schneider said. However not all hope for staying positive is lost. South students shared some tips and advice they use to stay happy during winter.
Students give winter sadness the cold shoulder
December 14, 2016
“Everyone seems more reserved in the winter,” said sophomore Griffin Tuthill, and many South students agree.
During the long cold winters, it can be really hard for people to stay positive. Not only are people confined to their houses due to the cold and the elements, but the lack of endorphins you get from being outside and in the sun can make people feel down. “The skies are dark, it’s cold, there’s snow, you can’t really go out to see your friends as easily as you can in other seasons,” sophomore Ell Schneider said.
Many South students claimed their least favorite part of winter was the cold. Schneider agreed, saying that walking to the car when it’s cold out and parked far away is one of their least favorite parts of winter.
Sophomore Henry Holcomb dislikes how “often times in the middle of winter you go to school and it’s dark out and you come out of school and it’s still dark,” because it feels like you’ve missed out on the entire day.
However, South students do their best to fight off the winter blues and stay positive during our long cold Minnesota winters. South students have many different strategies and ideas they use and recommend to stay happy.
One of the ways students stay happy is by being active. “A lot of my friends like to snowboard,” freshman Gavin Schulz said. Holcomb recommended skiing and sledding as good ways to stay active and positive as well. “I try my best to get outside,” Holcomb said.
Those aren’t the only winter sports you can enjoy however. Schulz enjoys going to an ice rink by his house to play hockey for fun, and he is also part of a club for youth hockey players called the “Minneapolis Storm”. They compete against other cities’ hockey teams. Schulz has been playing hockey since 1st grade. “I’m competitive and I like to do sports,” Schulz said, explaining why he likes hockey. “If you live by a rink at your park I would go,” Schulz said.
Not everybody goes outside to stay happy though. Some students prefer staying cozy indoors. Schneider enjoys “buying myself fuzzy socks and then finding a really good book to read.” Meanwhile Tuthill thinks winter time is “the perfect setting” to stay inside and play guitar. He also likes watching good movies and eating a lot of cheez-its. Holcomb agreed saying that movies are a good way to stay positive. “A lot of people stay happy by watching a lot of Netflix.”
Some students have a unique taste in movies that keep their moods up. Sophomore Krishnan Kutty said “I like horror movies and I like Jack Nicholson movies, those are the best.”
Some students look to appreciate the elements only winter provides. Kutty enjoys the “dark beauty” of winter, and Tuthill said he likes “all of [winter],” and more specifically he enjoys watching his dog jump around in the fresh snow.
Another method many students recommended was hanging out with people. With the holiday season and winter break close in hand, there are many opportunities to connect with friends and family. Tuthill said that over winter break he enjoys when “my friends will visit from out of town so I’ll go hang out with them.” Even if your friends can’t make it in person, you still can have the opportunity to connect with them. “Facetime a friend, call a friend, Skype a friend,” Schneider recommended.
Tuthill believes that “anyone that hangs out with good friends and [smiles] a lot,” will remain content throughout winter.