I'm not sure if it's just me, but I've been feeling down lately. It could be the change of the weather, and because finals are quickly approaching.

Every college student knows the feelings that come with finals week. Some even call this week “dead week”. Dead week (finals week) is known for the extreme stress, and pressure put on a student. Projects and papers are due around this week as well. Throwing in the holiday stress can become overwhelming and almost impossible. We try and put our entire self into studying and doing well on exams and still try to be excited about Christmas and New Year’s.

Along with finals week, the weather is getting colder and that makes it harder to want to be outdoors. It gets darker sooner, and it continues to get cold and bitter out. There actually is a disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that can explain the sudden feeling of depression around the winter season. While this may seem different, this is a real mental illness that affects a lot of people during the winter season.

We get caught up in the hustle of Christmas. The shopping, finding the perfect gift for our friends and family, and being in good spirits. Baking and decorating cookies. Putting up (or cutting down) the Christmas tree, and then decorating the tree with ornaments and lights. Not everyone enjoys doing these activities though. For some, this can become stressful and take a lot of energy to do. Remembering to stay relaxed and remembering why we celebrate Christmas is so important during this season.

I’ve had to re-direct my thoughts toward choosing to be happy and find the positives during this busy Holiday Season. The end of the semester is in sight! Christmas Break is approaching! YAY!