As we are in winter, now feels like an appropriate time to address the “winter blues.” Many people have found themselves with a difference in mood and lower energy levels, which can be challenging for many students. As a sophomore in college myself, I can completely relate as I am going through it right now, but I will give you some advice and some tools to help you. This blog is about helping parents support their student's mental health. It emphasizes the importance of on-campus resources, as well as some strategies I have found personally to be helpful.
During winter, there is not much sunlight; it is cold and dark, which keeps many of us in our rooms and makes us not want to go out. Eventually, after so much time staying inside and avoiding the cold, it takes a toll on our mental health and energy levels. This is when we need our parent's support more than ever to help keep us motivated.
On campus, some great resources are available to students, such as counselors and health educators. Encourage your students to take advantage of the counselors. It is always okay to ask for help; they are there whenever you need them.
There are a couple of other strategies that I have picked up throughout my years in college, some of the best ones being journaling and meditative walks, and the one that works best for me is making playlists. Now, the first two, journaling and meditative walks, are simple things you can do. Writing down how you are feeling, some goals you would like to complete, things you have to do in the future, or things you have done In the near future can help bring more motivation and get you moving and on a schedule. Sometimes, writing out your feelings can help you to feel better. The second thing is meditative walks; they can help you clear your mind, release stress, think about nothing, and connect with yourself. The last thing I have done personally to help with the winter blues is create playlists. Although it may sound odd, creating a playlist of songs you love can help motivate you to keep moving.
The winter blues can be hard on all of us but don’t forget to remind your students that there is always someone there for them. It means more to us than you will ever know to have someone who checks on us during the day, listens when we want to talk, and distracts us sometimes. And as a student, never be afraid to ask for help because there is always someone there for you that wants to help you.
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