Students! Stay awake!

By Avonlea Brown 

It’s that time of year, the weather has become too cold to spend time outside, and a widespread feeling of sluggishness is creeping in. Thanksgiving is around the corner, and teachers have started talking about final exams. With the end in sight, students may be tempted to take a more relaxed approach to school and their lives. 

“Motivation schmotivation” is what your inner voice might be whispering, and you may on occasion listen to it. Homework goes undone, chores are pushed off and a nap becomes too good to resist,

In a social media survey, several students mentioned this slump beginning as early as fall break, others noted it beginning once the weather changed. Seasonal depression emerges, murdering motivation and sequestering students in their dorms. If students don’t make an effort to stay awake, they can easily fall into an uncontrollable downward spiral of unproductive behaviors. 

“It always happens around daylight savings, when the sun sets earlier and rises later,” Booker Atkins, a sophomore English Education major, said. “I just end up staying inside all the time and feeling miserable because of the cold.” 

There are ways to beat the lethargy, end the cycle and prevent backward sliding during the semester. In the same social media survey, a majority of students answered that they turned to physical activity to keep themselves motivated and expend energy, but the cold weather can again hinder this. 

“Physical activity is very important to me, it’s where I get my energy,” Megan Lail, a sophomore nursing major, said. “When the weather gets colder I find it’s harder to motivate myself to go out and exercise, and then I feel gross because I stayed inside all day.”

While unpredictable weather patterns can lead to unpredictable schedules, some students feel that having a consistent routine can help combat the winter slump. 

“Routine is essential to me getting things done, especially the things I don’t always want to do but have to, like working out or doing homework,” Lail said. “It also helps me stay motivated and active during the day.” 

Other students rely on indoor activities or friends to get them through the cold months. While still others have the opposite reaction and enjoy the cold weather and the activities that come with it, like skiing and snowball fights(but you’re unlikely to find any serious hills amongst the cornfields). The cold and shift in daylight can be a disconcerting shift, or it can be a welcome change. 

“I really love winter, it’s such a beautiful and magical time,” said Olivia Lail, a sophomore Studio Art major. “The snowfalls make everything feel fresh and alive.” 

Regardless of the varying feelings toward the colder months, students can look forward to the end of another semester with the change in weather. Soon finals will be upon campus and after that three weeks of break. So students, stay awake! 

Avonlea Brown is a sophomore Journalism major and editor/writer for Cedars. She enjoys traveling, reading, and watching movies with friends.