Gavin Schmidt ’24 | Nayan Shankaran ’24
The “Winter Slump”—we are all feeling it: The January-February phenomenon, when everyone is a little more tired and glum than usual. Whether the “Slump” stems from the often cloudy weather, burgeoning workload, or the lack of sunlight after 5pm, there is no doubt that this occurrence is happening in the majority. But, the “Slump” is not permanent, and it is something we can all surmount.
Throughout the student body, there is a common agreement that the first months of each year are always the most difficult. Brendan Schlitt ’24 comments, “My experience with the winter slump has caused a slip in motivation.” Although he feels as though his motivation has decreased, he explains that this is primarily due to “senioritis, a phenomenon when many seniors let off the gas in the second semester.”
Hunter Stetson ’24 shares a similar view, commenting on his overall feeling of tiredness. He explains, “I definitely have felt more tired than usual. I think the high workload combined with little daylight and winter weather has brought my energy level down.”
We believe that there are multiple specific factors that contribute to the “Winter Slump”’s widespread effects. Connor Chamber ’25 introduces the idea that this is caused by a sense of increased workload during the winter: “It feels like work is piling on and on. It feels harder than ever to still put in effort.” He also proposes that the phenomenon happens “because of a large gap in between winter and spring break. Having no significant breaks for a while is tough for me. I think after Presidents’ Day weekend, as the weather gets better and spring break gets closer, the work will feel better and I will be more motivated.”
However, we are confident that all of us can get through the “Slump.” In terms of the tasks of the present, the reality is that work is a constant experience in all of our lives, but we need to stay positive and remember what we are working toward, so we can boost our morale. Everyone has things in the future that we are looking forward to, and sometimes, all we can do is keep those things at the front of our minds.
In addition to looking to our futures, we need to find ways to occupy ourselves in the moment. Schlitt comments, “I try to stay positive during the ‘Slump’ by doing the things I love. Whether it’s running or watching a TV series, I incentivize myself for my hard work in the classroom and take the burden from my shoulders.” We should all think of new things to do to get through the “Slump” to add dynamism and excitement to our day-to-day lives.
With the winter months wrapping up, spring is emerging. Stetson explains, “As it has gotten warmer and more sunlight has been showing, I have felt an increase in energy.” In the meantime, Schlitt adds, “My advice would be to find the things that make you happy and realize that the slump is natural. I’d also say rely on your peers and friends, as they are probably facing similar challenges.”