It’s that time of year when students can expect to walk
outside and be greeted with freezing temperatures, driving
rain, gale-force winds or a combination of all three. Some
students may have looked forward to Valentine’s Day, but
other than that February tends to be a dull, dreary winter
month in the throes of winter. But how do seasonal conditions
relate to students’ moods and behaviors? There’s
scientific and psychological evidence that give credence to
the symptoms of the “winter blues.”
According to Lee Salter, psychologist and director of the
Counseling Center, the degree to which a student is affected
by winter weather varies, but many students do have mood
changes in response to harsh conditions.
“Many people are affected by cold or winter weather
because it interferes with the activities they ordinarily do
to relieve stress,” Salter said. “In addition, winter adds on
stress because just getting from place to place is a hassle.”
Nick Allen, a freshman in zoology, said he doesn’t like
cold weather and plans on moving somewhere warmer
than North Carolina as soon as he is able to.
“I can’t do the things I normally can outside in the winter,”
Allen said. “In the summer I spend my time biking,
rock climbing and swimming. I try to combat the weather
by going to indoor climbing walls.”
Allen said winter weather affects his behavior by making
him more irritable.
In some instances, the “winter blues” can lead to more serious
depression problems.
One such disorder, known
as seasonal affective disorder,
is now recognized by
Mental Health America and
psychologists worldwide.
According to the Mental
Health America Web site
(www.nhma.org), SAD is
a mood disorder associated
with depression related to
seasonal variations of light.
SAD affects half a million people every winter between
September and April, but especially from December to
February.
Salter said SAD is more common in northern areas that
have cold weather most of the year, although it can occur
in North Carolina.
“If students do have depressive feelings they should come
to the Counseling Center,” Salter said. “It is possible that
they could have seasonal affective disorder, or if they are
already feeling unhappy or prone to depression, winter
conditions can trigger more depressive feelings.”
Carrie Hoffner, a sophomore in agricultural education,
said she thinks winter is worse living on a college campus
because of the walks to class.
“It’s annoying walking to class in the cold, especially because
the campus creates uncomfortable wind tunnels,”
Hoffner said. “I get headaches more in the winter, and I
feel sleepy and tired. Sometimes I just don’t want to get
out of bed in the mornings.”
Hoffner said rain doesn’t bother her, although the Brickyard
tends to fill up with puddles, which can be hard to
maneuver around.
Students who enjoy outdoor activities for fun or to relieve
stress, such as running, may find the winter months especially
difficult because they lose avenues to reduce stress.
“I enjoy just sitting outside and doing homework in the
spring,” Hoffner said. “But in the winter I’m pretty much
stuck indoors.”
Salter recommends using
the winter time period
to learn a new hobby or try
out a new interest. He also
stresses the importance
of remaining social and
spending time with friends.
“Think of it this time as
a challenge,” Salter said. “It
might be an opportunity to
learn a new skill, try an indoor
sport and make use of our great recreational facilities.
You can also use the time to meet some new people or join
a new club.”
Spending time with friends is important to sustain mood,
according to Salter. Students might just have to be more
inventive with their recreational choices. In some cases, it
just comes down to mind over matter.
“One of the best solutions is to have a more positive mind
set,” Salter said. “Think of positive possibilities and less
about the fact that it is miserable outside.”
At the end of the day, students can draw comfort from
the fact that they don’t live in Alaska, and they can embrace
the fact that spring is only two months away.
