NOVEMBER 21, 2025 | OPINION | By Grace Bean
“Loneliness is still time spent with the world.” Poet Ocean Vuong coined this phrase in the poem “Someday I’ll Love Ocean Vuong,” and I think about this a lot as the days get shorter and my motivation drops every time I enter El Pomar in daylight and leave at what looks like midnight.
Winter at Colorado College hits in a severe, isolating way. The sun disappears behind Pikes Peak before you even leave your late afternoon office hours, and suddenly the walk to the mail center feels like a marathon.
It is easy to slide into the version of yourself who sleeps more, moves less and stares at a screen until your brain feels numb. But winter is also the season when discipline becomes powerful. If you want to feel better by spring, the work starts now.
Read books, and actually finish them. Put your mind somewhere that is not a screen, because doomscrolling is the beginning, middle and end of our suffering. Then, make a schedule and try your best to follow it.
Routine makes time move with purpose, and being disciplined in the winter is one of the best ways to see real progress by the time the tulips blossom on Cascade Avenue. Harvard Medical School notes that shorter daylight hours increase melatonin production and decrease serotonin levels, so creating structure is a way to reclaim control, along with using natural sunlight while it’s available.
Get your ten thousand steps in, either in the cold or in the fitness center, where you could productively catch up on your Instagram reels, TikTok trends and maybe even check the news.
According to a study conducted by the American Psychiatric Association, “Exercise has consistently been shown to effectively reduce symptoms of depression and maintain well-being both as a primary treatment and in conjunction with medication or therapy. [It] benefits individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).”
Walking outside also gives you a small hit of natural light, which the Mayo Clinic identifies as one of the most effective tools for improving mood in the winter.
When you wake up, move your body before you let yourself scroll. Rolling over and checking your phone first thing in the morning floods your brain with stress before you even stand up to brush your teeth. Give yourself a chance to reset, even if that means walking aimlessly around your dorm, apartment or off-campus house for a few minutes to reset your system.
The weather will influence your emotions, but it cannot dictate your entire season unless you allow it. If you want a change in any part of your life, winter is the test. You will not see progress unless you make a realistic plan and show up for yourself, even when you really do not want to. This is not punishment, it’s practice.
Fitness culture is everywhere right now, but you do not need expensive supplements or trendy powders to feel better. Consistency, water and a reliable wake-up time are the most underrated tools you have.
The Centers for Disease Control recommend seven to nine hours of sleep on a consistent schedule, and sticking to the same wake-up time stabilizes your mood far more than any supplement ever could.
Practicing mindfulness and gratitude helps too. When it’s freezing outside and your bed is warm, it’s easy to slip into a negative mindset. Taking two minutes to acknowledge what is going well is not toxic positivity: it’s perspective.
Every morning or evening, I write on a blank sticky note with a Sharpie I keep on my desk as a moment of gratitude, ensuring I start and end each day on a positive note and discarding negative thoughts or actions that may have occurred that day.
If your days feel heavy, you can always help someone else. Volunteer at a local shelter, play with animals at the Humane Society, spend time at the Boys and Girls Club or donate clothes to a winter drive.
The National Library of Medicine published a study that observed social connection and meaningful activity protect against depressive symptoms. Acts of service remind you that even when you feel worn down by your circumstances, you still have something to offer. Being in college is a privilege many people will never experience. Giving without expecting anything back resets your mind in a way that nothing else does.
Seasonal depression is real, but it is not unbeatable. Winter does not have to hollow you out; it can shape you. The small things you do every day will carry you through the coldest months, and you will thank yourself in the spring.
Take it from a collegiate athlete who is constantly battling burnout, expected to perform at a very high level during the most dreadful months of the year to be ready for the spring season. There are effective ways to maintain a routine without breaking your bank or setting unrealistic goals.