Amelia Reynolds

Staff Writer

    By the time November rolls around, school days start to feel colder, longer, and more tiring. You step out the door, and the air hits you like a wall. Suddenly, that walk from the parking lot or the bus stop feels like a mini arctic expedition. Inside the school, students move at half-speed, jackets pulled up, lugging their backpacks between classes. It’s like the whole school has gone into low-power mode. 

    It’s not just the weather. Assignments pile up and motivation plummets as the days drag on. Somewhere between Thanksgiving break and the end of the semester, the winter slump hits everyone, whether they admit it or not. 

    For me, nothing cures these winter blues like a good dose of bedrotting. I drive home from school in the frigid weather and see that the sun is already setting. All I want to do is climb into the cozy spot in my bed and lie there for hours. However, I know this can lead to unproductive behavior, tiredness, and getting nothing done. 

    Winter takes a toll on everyone’s behavior, especially on students’ mental health. However, there are practical strategies that can be used to overcome the struggle, shared by a few upperclassmen at R.J. Reynolds High School and backed by psychology. 

    During the colder months, we lack sunlight, which can disrupt our circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock that regulates our sleep cycles.

    “The circadian rhythm is our reaction to the sun, and it’s developed through our exposure to the sun.” AP Psychology teacher Kevin Hamilton said. “Biologically, less exposure to sunlight makes us have less access to its benefits, including certain brain chemicals that enhance mood.”

    This means that the less sunlight we receive, the more disturbed our sleep schedule is. Our bodies will produce more melatonin, the sleep hormone, and less serotonin, the mood and energy hormone. But our low energy levels aren’t only due to things we can’t control. 

    “There is also a lot of speculation that during the winter months, people just tend to stay inside more and then sometimes even socialize less and be on their devices more,” Hamilton said.

    Based on these facts, there is no doubt that students start to experience academic burnout after the first semester. It’s hard to get up and get things done; I’d know from my after-school habits, but it’s something you can control.

    “Trying to minimize blue light exposure from screens before bed, making a point of being around people, and bundling up, getting outside, and trying to maximize exposure to sunlight, are all things you can control,” Hamilton said.

    Also, know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. Many of us find ourselves losing momentum, academically and socially, especially at the end of winter break and the beginning of the second semester.

    “I’m definitely that kind of person who gets stressed towards the end of the semester, and I think it’s just because of all of the holiday fun coming up, but also having to balance your schoolwork and all of the other things on top of that,” RJR senior Mary Grace Iauco said. 

    As a senior, Mary Grace has experienced dealing with end-of-the-year stress, with the pressure of college applications and anticipation of responses. 

    “Some ways I’ve relieved myself of stress are by going on a jog, getting exercise, even if it’s a light walk, just to clear my mind,” Iauco said. “Also, taking a nap or doing a craft that takes your mind off of what’s stressing you out.”

    Similarly, I find relief in playing soccer. Even if I’m stressed and have a lot of work to do, going to practice can help clear my head. That way, I can lock in on my homework when I get home. 

    “I always like to make a list of things I have to do,” RJR junior Emerson Koontz said. “It helps me jump straight into what I have to do, so I don’t have to worry about how long it’s going to take me or what I’m doing.”

    It’s important to utilize resources at school, too. Success doesn’t rest solely on your shoulders; teachers are there to help. 

    “Creating relationships with your teachers and even classmates, I think, is really helpful to combat some school stress because you always have someone that you can talk to and help you with your assignments,” RJR Senior Ellie Walker said. “It opens up a space where you can learn your best.”

    By optimizing how we spend our time, we’ll have more time to do the things we want to do. For me, that includes hanging out with friends, bedrotting, and doing fun activities. The feeling of being in an unproductive cycle sucks, which I’ve realized this fall as my sophomore year has brought me a whole new level of stress. Overall, the best way that I’ve learned to deal with stress is by taking things one step at a time and making a plan throughout the day. 

    “You’ll have all that free time afterward where you don’t have to worry about it, and you can feel relieved,” Koontz said. “It’s satisfying to check things off your list and get them done.”

    As I’m sure we can all agree, the winter slump is a universal experience, and the upperclassmen’s advice shows how no one “has it all together.” Getting through the hardest part of the year isn’t about being perfect; it’s about finding small things in life that make it easier, and turning those things into habits.