Summer Revely
If you’re feeling blue during this post-Christmas come-down, you’re not alone. Featuring ‘Blue Monday’ – a day widely recognised as the most depressing of the year – January is a long slog for many. Without the near-approaching festive holidays to spur you through those dreary walks to your 9 a.m. classes, it can be that extra bit harder to get out of bed. We’re almost through the first hurdle, but with a potentially dark, snow and sleet-filled February just around the corner, it’s important to consider how you can stay motivated and lift your mood. Summer Revely is here with top tips on how to combat the wintery woes…
the best thing that you can do for yourself this winter is to be the main character
Although cliché, I’d say the best thing that you can do for yourself this winter is to be the main character. Romanticise your life during this time. While no one likes the higher likelihood of being splashed by a bus at every corner, or practically running home because it’s just that cold, certain things are just much better when done in winter. While it’s so stereotypically British to moan, there’s a lot to appreciate during these months. Or even if you outright hate it, the least you can do is be well prepared for it. Let’s face it – it’s cold the majority of the time here, and we can’t let it get us down. I’ll break down seven tips to follow to make February just that bit more positive, to keep you going through to a hopefully sunnier March.
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“Take a walk”…
Said every wellness guru ever. While a walk is knowingly beneficial for your physical and mental health all year round, I am a firm believer that a walk is actually far better in the winter. Get the gloves on that your nan got you for Christmas, make a hot drink, and just walk. It’s so liberating, and the crisp air hitting your face, cooling you down as you get a bit warmer, is something so great about the winter. Ideally, do it somewhere with grass and trees. Top tip: listening to an episode of your favourite podcast throughout sets a duration for the walk, and makes the experience feel like a little treat.
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Appreciate the cosy
Are your housemates only letting you put the heating on for half an hour a day? If so, embrace it! I’m talking oodie over the top of a jumper, fluffy socks, a thick blanket – the lot. There’s something weirdly comforting about being all wrapped up like a burrito. Get the fairy lights and candles (if your landlord allows) turned on too.
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Light it up!
That leads to my next point. Know the saying tidy room, tidy mind? Well, I think the same applies to keeping your space bright and positive. One of my favourite household items is a sunset UV lamp; imagine closing your eyes and taking yourself back to the tropical beach you visited last summer. You can get lamps that mimic natural light too.
You’re not setting yourself off to a good start by battling the UK’s wintery beast without sufficient armour, and sitting through a lecture with wet feet is just the worst.
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Adapt your wardrobe
The time will come again to garment your finest Urban Outfitters tiny tank top, and be honest with yourself, crocs with socks simply isn’t a look. Prepare your outfit choices for the weather and your experience with it will automatically be more positive. Think thick jumpers, warm bottoms and waterproof boots. You’re not setting yourself off to a good start by battling the UK’s wintery beast without sufficient armour, and sitting through a lecture with wet feet is just the worst. It’s also so easy to keep your outfits bright and colourful while remaining suitable for colder climates, so you don’t have to lose your style.
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Enjoy winter-suited activities
Whether you prefer solo or group-based fun, there are so many things to do that are more appealing and well-suited to the winter. Think baking, a good Netflix box set, or even taking yourself somewhere warm through literary escape. My personal favourite is the trusty 2009 Nintendo Wii that I dug out at home over Christmas and brought back to Nottingham, as now I get to regularly enjoy climbing through the levels of Super Mario Bros with my partner. Make sure to keep yourself occupied, and organise mate dates that are enjoyable whatever the weather, like bowling, watching a movie, board games, or a come dine with me night.
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Nourish yourself
I cannot express how important, and surprisingly easy, it is to support your nutrition during the winter months. A bonus of more time indoors is that you have more time to cook, and there’s nothing like the warm embrace of a comforting meal after a gloomy day. It may be an unpopular opinion, but I’d say wintery roasted vegetables are far better than a summer salad. Why not cook with others and make it a social occasion? Make sure to prepare balanced, nutritionally dense meals all year round but especially during the colder months. Vitamin D supplements would also be a nice bonus; they’re not too expensive and provide huge mental and physical benefits that are missed with the sun’s absence.
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Keep up the Routine
Find a balance of the six tips above that work for you, implement them into your routine and stick to it. Humans need structure, and letting that go because of the weather can be a slippery slope. Treat this article like a mental resource bank, and if you’re feeling down, do one of the above. It’ll give you more structure to the darker days, help you to look at the winter more positively and give you things to look forward to.
Ultimately, I’d say the secret to conquering the winter woes is both to prepare for and welcome in whatever the weather has to offer. You’re the strong, independent main character, so don’t let something as simple as the rain dictate your mood. And while there’s a lot that you can do for yourself at this time, remember that a problem shared is a problem halved, and that there’s so much to be excited about.
Summer Revely
Featured image courtesy of Haydon via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of Shannon Nickerson via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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