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Arriving home for winter break, family members and friends alike are curious about Virginia Tech life. I tell them about the Hokie Bird. My classes. My friends. Our football team. I tell them about everything that makes me wish my time at this school could be never ending.
In light of all this, I do not find anyone inquiring what I like the least about Tech — what I could change if I was all-powerful. Nevertheless, I have an answer to that question: the winter.
At first glance, one might assume I despise the cold weather here at Tech. You know, the blistering cold and cruel gusts of wind as you walk across the Drillfield (causing many students to sport lab goggles with their outfits). To be honest, I have always liked cold weather.
I enjoy bundling up before going to class. Scarves. Snowball fights. Hot chocolate. What I like most about the cold weather is how one’s bed seems to increase exponentially in comfort, a seemingly mystical effect the frigid temperatures have on a person’s sleeping quarters.
Unfortunately, the winter does possess a dark side.
I feel it — maybe you do, too. Waves of apathy. Difficulty sleeping. Craving for carbohydrates and sugar. I even find my music tastes changing toward songs with more somber tones. Many of us — not just students — may be feeling the pull into the bitter clutches of winter depression.
Also known as seasonal affective disorder, winter depression is characterized by people feeling more depressed during the winter months than they normally would during the other seasons (sometimes SAD can, less frequently, refer to depression in the summer months).
This disorder should not be confused with the normal shift to low energy people have during the winter times — that is normal, and is justifiable from an evolutionary perspective. Aside from this, those experiencing SAD have various symptoms in addition to the ones stated earlier. They include things such as overeating and weight gain. But there’s more. Difficulty concentrating. Social withdrawal. Lack of pleasure.
One of the most popular theories explaining the cause of SAD is the lack of light as a result of increased cloud cover during the winter months. However, pursuing bright light therapy and serotonin drugs may not be plausible options.
Oftentimes, students may become so bogged down with work that their own personal health may be placed on the backburner. Who has time for bright light therapy or a doctor’s appointment? There’s work to be done and papers to be
written.
A version of this article appeared in the Feb 2 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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I know first hand the effects of SAD. My GPA is always lowest in the fall semester since I tend to do terrible on winter finals. SAD usually sets in around late October through early March. In high school it wasn't as big as an issue as college. In my case, as an engineering major you need every ounce of energy and focus and SAD can make it near impossible since I'm always tired.
Speaking from past experience, if you experience SAD be aware because it can lead to a downward spiral and a year long depression. One semester it got so bad that I fell a week behind in my courses and my grades started dropping in my hardest classes. I nearly gave up the final 3rd of the semester and had to withdraw and go to counseling and seek academic relief (a good option if it gets that bad. First go to cook counseling then see a therapist and submit a request to cook). Luckily I as able to get relief but that didn't end it. As a result of my academic failures, I became socially withdrawn, took a semester off and lost most of my friends. Feeling alone and a failure the depression lasted most of the year instead of the typical winter.
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I eventually took a semester off and worked, did an internship, switched majors, met newer people (still recovering socially though). Things do get better.
All it took was one terrible week with a bad major test grade during the worst of SAD. If I could go back, I would have tried to treat SAD starting in September to prevent falling behind and the downward spiral all together.
So my advice, SAD may seem like a minor thing to most. But if you suffer even moderate effects, be cautious because if you fall behind or screw up 1 class it could lead to a downward spiral and full on depression. Just be cautious and try and get treatment. Besides anti-depressants. Vitamin D, exercise, and a multivitamin has really helped me and is much cheaper.
Good article, glad to see I'm not the only SAD sufferer here.
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thank you, all three of you.
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thank you, all three of you.
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Thank you for this article. For me February is the hardest and I always know it when it hits me here in Pittsburgh. Everything looks bleak. I bought a sun lamp and started taking Vitamin D and that helped a lot with my energy levels and mood. Engineering can be tough enough by itself as it is.
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