There’s always something about the weather, isn’t there?

Every year, the temperature outside drops, and right around that same time the pressure increases for college students. Preparing for final exams, taking said exams, and then finally getting a bit of a break for the holidays. That is, for those of us who actually get to call it a break. And of course, everything somehow flies by so slowly and so quickly all at once.

As the seasons change, so do we. Just not in the way we’d like. But why?

The answer we’re looking for is called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD for short, though it’s widely become known as seasonal depression. It’s a form of depression that rolls around whenever the seasons change, especially during the fall and winter and takes a heavy toll on a person’s mood.

You may feel a lot less energetic and far more tired, even if it’s the middle of the day. Some of the things you usually love to do suddenly mean nothing to you. All you feel is negativity infecting your body like a plague, and it seems that there’s nothing you can do to change that.

Seasonal depression is something that affects us all, and as easy as it would be to deny it, it affects me, too. I had been wracking my brain all weekend looking for the strength and inspiration to write this piece, but it just wasn’t coming together, and I couldn’t figure out why. This was a topic that meant a lot to me, and yet I had no motivation to write about it beyond the surface level.

I’ve felt seasonal depression come and go around this time of year for the past couple of winters, and it’s become somewhat easier to handle as I’ve gotten older. But just because something gets easier to get through doesn’t mean that it still isn’t hard.

It’s a difficult time for college students as it is. Some students are hours away from their homes, not able to see their families for months, while potentially living with complete strangers in unfamiliar territory. Add to that an overloaded class schedule with varying levels of assignments, and you create an emotional recipe for disaster.

Our future greatly depends on our ability to succeed in class, and we need to succeed well enough to graduate and earn our degrees whenever that time arrives. The future is already a very daunting prospect, and we don’t want to have to worry about it any more than is already necessary.

Seasonal depression is not something that anyone should take lightly. Depression of any kind is hard to beat. If you’re somebody who’s been really feeling the effects of seasonal depression as of late, or you know someone who has, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

If you’re a Rowan student reading this article and you’re not doing alright mentally or emotionally, pay a visit to The Wellness Center on campus. And if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, that’s okay, too. Just try to talk to someone about what’s bothering you. It could be a friend, a family member, or anyone you feel safe opening up. It won’t disappear overnight, but it’s easier to beat if you acknowledge it and do your best to change it.

It’s most important now, more than ever, to prioritize your health, both mentally, physically, and emotionally. Try to avoid any kind of additional, unneeded stress. College is already an overwhelming experience as is, so don’t let the weather rain on your parade.

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