Winters in Michigan tend to be gray, dreary and hopeless as the end seems to be out of reach and spring becomes an unfamiliar concept.
Surprisingly enough, it is possible to beat the winter driven depression but it’s not easy. The strategies vary from person to person. Some people prefer to cuddle dogs, others prefer to color and some just drink the winter away.
As students, it’s difficult to avoid winter the correct way—by hibernating in your bed and binge watching Netflix—so we must learn to cope. At first, we try to let our love for holidays overcome our hatred for the cold. But, as soon as Feb. 15 hits, we’re ready for spring and a few of us want to skip to summer.
Luckily for us, while we’re experiencing freezing rain, black ice and snow up to our knees (or waists for short people like me), the tropical countries are experiencing summer. This means that you can eat some of your favorite summer fruits and veggies at the grocery store in season and for a pretty cheap price.
Now for the advice you already know and you don’t want to hear, get some exercise. I know that half of you are tempted to put down this column and give up but hear me out. I’m not suggesting that you brave the cold for a mile run, or wake up at five a.m. to go to the gym. I’m simply recommending that you get moving. Go dancing, do some yoga in your living room or go hiking.
Socializing is also good for the soul, so go get a cup of coffee with friends or study in a group, rather than staying locked away in your room. There’s a good chance that you prefer your phone over face-to-face interaction, but having a strong support system is crucial to curing the winter depression.
None of my advice will change the fact that we’re all cold, we can’t remember what the sun looks like, our tan lines are practically non-existent and colds seem to spread faster than gossip. Nor will my advice change your early morning sentencing to scrape off your car or the game of luck you will have to play while driving on icy roads.
What my advice will do is make the winter just a little more tolerable and make the winter depression a little less prevalent.