Nutrition Sciences Major Addresses the ‘Winter Blues’

Hello, hello. How’s everyone’s week going? Good? Bad? Somewhere in the middle, but hovering near bad? Yeah, I gotcha. Definitely been feeling like the inside of a semi-melted ice-cream sandwich lately. As the cooler weather sets in, and, with it, a gross amount of rain and wind, I feel like it’s important to acknowledge a certain annoyance that comes up around this time of year:

Seasonal depression.

You (the normal, sane person): “What’s a few falling leaves going to do? Make us sad?”

Me (caffeine-addicted, dumbbell-loving, and, frankly, less sane author squinting at her laptop): “Oh, bro, you’re going to FALL apart.”

[Author laughs at her horrible Dad joke and continues writing].

For the past year or so, I’ve definitely noticed a change in my emotions over the seasons. While I’m a very bright and bubbly person in spring and summer, I sort of turn into a type of mom-jean Batman during the cooler months. Why does this happen? I mean, a good chunk of it probably has to do with a lack of sunlight and my dislike for cold temperatures (though I will win a snowball fight or die trying), but I think seasonal depression has to do with a lot more than a lack of vitamin D.

Throughout history, seasons such as fall and winter – especially winter – have been noted as a period of survival that only the heartiest of humans managed to get through. This trend was most notable across Europe, North America, and some parts of Asia as these continents got the brunt of the winter cold. While we as a society have obviously managed to combat the weather with the invention of furnaces, puffy jackets, and freshly made hot chocolate, the sticky feeling of ‘blah’ remains sticking to the underside of our knitted socks.

And perhaps it doesn’t have to do with us, but the world that we surround ourselves in.

Winter is both a season of death and creation. Common celebrations such as Christmas and New Year’s (which vary per individual, given that we all have different religious and cultural backgrounds) bring to light the newness that will come every year and why we, as a human race, should not despair when growth is around the corner.

I haven’t really dug into my own personal beliefs within the blog quite yet, but I believe it may be the time to start that. As someone who grew up Roman Catholic, there were certain core morals and values that were instilled into me ever since I was a child. However, a very profound statement that lives in my head is “dust to dust, light from light” – or something like that – which means that we return from where we came from: the Earth (creation).

So, flashing forward about a decade, I’m a Roman Catholic Buddhist who likes to do Tarot on the weekends. I believe that because we come from the Earth - we are literally just a bunch of organic and inorganic compounds slapped together, mind you - and are an inherent part of nature as a whole. It makes sense that we may feel sad when a flower loses its petals or when a fawn cannot find his mother. We have empathy, respect, and love for the natural world around us because we are a part of that world as well.

Growing up in a day and age in which technology is becoming increasingly prevalent, I’ve noticed that we are becoming very arrogant in terms of where we fall in the natural hierarchy of things. While humans are regarded as the smartest mammal on the planet, are we really? If we were so smart, why do we destroy the world that we gather our food from? If we were somehow blessed with the intellect to build and do amazing things, why do we spend so much of our time destroying them?

There are many questions to be asked here, and it’s these analyses and deeper queries that can lead us to get a little bummed out. Life isn’t as it was before. There aren’t as many “White Christmases” or mourning doves cooing on the electrical wires outside your house. There is less magic to life as you get older, and I feel as though sometimes that that realization tends to get a little too real sometimes.

Before I get too deep though, let’s stick to the topic at hand: seasonal depression. How do we deal with that?

As someone who’s been through the winter blues, I think that “dealing” with seasonal depression may not always be the best way to go. So often we run away from our emotions, hoping that if we do so, perhaps we won’t need to confront them, which, honestly, will not (and does not) work in the long run. Funnily enough, I’ve found that allowing yourself to feel what you’re feeling is the best way to get through it. Cry about what you need to cry about. Punch a pillow. Go do your favorite workout, and eat the best, most cheesy everything bagel egg sandwich afterwards.

However, I’d like to note that it is okay to suppress emotions if you know that you do not either have the time to acknowledge them, or you cannot acknowledge them. Who said you had to tackle everything at the same time in the first place?

Last winter, I went through a really rough time. Many people suggested I seek therapy, but as the stubborn, overly independent and rather cynical person I was, I didn’t.

Instead, I sought myself. Maybe the healing process would’ve been faster had I have gone to therapy, but looking back, this was something that I needed to do for myself by looking toward myself for guidance. Doesn’t that sound confusing? Well, it was. It took months of work: journaling, angry gym sessions (punching bags are very effective), crying into a pillow for the gazillionth time, but here I am.

When it comes to dealing with seasonal depression though, here are some of my best tips and tricks:

1. Stay warm.
• If you’re a living lizard like me, you know that sometimes a cold gust of wind makes you want to run in the opposite direction. Dressing warmly and comfortably during the winter can really help avoid this! I strongly suggest picking out a fuzzy, thick pair of wool socks, proper winter boots, a firm scarf, and your coziest winter coat.
• Cozy blankets and favorite hot drinks. These are also on the list.
2. Daily gratitudes (and affirmations, if we’re feeling them)
• Establishing what you’re grateful for can really put a spin on things, even if it’s just being happy that pasta exists or something small like that. Honestly, the smaller and more inconsequential the thing you’re grateful for is, the sweeter life can become.
• I am so grateful banana bread exists, dudes.
3. Please don’t be a “Dorm-Dweller”
• I know, I know – we like our dorms. I remember as a first-year student, the first time I ever referred to my residential hall as “home.” I never thought I’d do that in my life, but here I am doing it all over again. However, you can’t always stay in your residence hall. Spending time outside is very important, even if it’s from a distance. During the winter, settle down in the library for a little bit. Grab a coffee and people-watch with a friend for a little bit, and try figuring out what new romcom-ish romance is budding in early December. Whatever the case, just make sure you get out and about, even if it’s just for a walk or to go on a food run. At least try. And if you can’t on your own, reach out.
• You’d be surprised at how many people want to help you, even if you don’t think they do.

Alrighty. Considering that I have class in a little bit, I’m probably going to take my leave. Hopefully, this entry has taken a new, grounded stance on seasonal depression and how to deal with it. I know it may be a little early to talk about it, but to be very honest with you, perhaps the earlier, the better.

On that note, I hope everyone is having a lovely week, and that the semester is going smoothly. Good luck to those with midterms!

Peace, love, and plenty of peanut butter, everyone.
Bea

Beatrice Glaviano ’26 is a nutrition sciences major at the University of New Haven.