By Lux Sheplee, Staff Writer
As December begins and winter approaches, the amount of daylight decreases along with daily temperatures. Changing seasons pose both physical and mental challenges for everyone, but affect students especially. As River Hill High School is in Maryland, students experience brisk winters which can impact their education and performance.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is very common across the US, and causes depression as seasons change and less sunlight is available each day. Even as winter contains holidays, weeks off of school, and snow days, the season proves to be difficult for the majority of students.
Junior Pooja Swamykumar describes how she has a harder time learning in the winter months because of daylight savings time. She further explains saying, “Because the sun sets earlier, it makes me a little depressed.” This can be discouraging and can make paying attention and learning a more difficult task than in normal conditions.
Junior Teni Adejana responds that words she would associate with winter are “cold, dark, gloomy, [and] just pain.” Winter poses further problems for Teni as she shares, “my parents won’t let me out as late because it gets dark earlier.” Having to be stuck inside for longer gives less exposure to sunlight, and sunlight exposure has been shown to improve mood and mental well being. With less sun available to improve the mind and body, it can be hard to feel upbeat and cheerful in winter than other months.
Junior Stephanie Moses has similar word associations for winter, describing it as, “frigid, cold, a nightmare.” She goes more in depth about how she feels, “in winter I feel so unproductive. Sometimes I feel like the snow is falling down and I just have to study, but other times it’s so gloomy, why would I do work?” Snow can provide comfort for some, but also make others feel trapped in homes, filled with boredom.
Junior Olivia Bos associates winter with seasonal depression. She states, “I do not look forward to anything in the winter.” The holidays don’t do much to keep up her mood, as the winter is such a daunting academic period.
Sophomore Zoe Pachoca has a similar stance as Olivia. She describes that, “school is definitely harder in the winter. I do look forward to break, but school work does dramatically increase.” So even when there is something to look forward to, the amount of work and the cold season step in the way of enjoyment.
The Mayo Health Clinic describes ways one can combat Seasonal Affective Disorder. Opening your blinds at home and allowing more sunlight into your workspace has been proven to be beneficial to your mood. Getting outside and exercising are both remedies that decrease the symptoms of SAD, as well as having normal and consistent sleeping patterns.
Winter is a rough time for students, as moods decrease due to changed weather, and workload increases to make up for breaks. Trying to maintain cheer and positivity can be difficult with the shortening lengths of days, and chilly temperatures.