What is it about summer that makes it feel like the longest season of the year? Maybe it's the culmination of school ending, work calming down, the city suddenly deserted with vacationers fleeing to their respective destinations, and a heat outside so oppressive that we all think twice before leaving our bedrooms. Even the beaches, calm and serene off-season, are packed with screaming children, tan-less out-of-towners, and entirely too many oversized umbrellas. In short, I'm proposing that Southern California's version of Seasonal Affective Disorder takes place during our hottest season.
Even with a new semester at hand, the weather refuses to release its fiery grasp. Instead of dark, rain-filled clouds, ours skies are filled with smog. Instead of precipitation breathing life into the earth, our polluted air suffocates everything in reach. Getting sick is inevitable while stuck in small, shared spaces. In such close quarters, with AC pumping through the vents, viruses, and sore throats spread as quickly as our wildfires.
So how do we get out of this mid-year funk? Exercise is limited but not impossible. Yoga and pilates are two practices that will not only maintain physical wellbeing but also mental. Breathing is key and with a yoga mat and enough space to lay it down, you can practice without risk of sunburn or heat exhaustion.
Even with school recently back in session, the weekends are grim when it's 100 plus degrees outside. Returning to a craft or hobby that you let go of during the madness of midterms and finals does wonders to sweep up all of your attention and stimulate your creative side. Whether it's writing, drawing, painting, or sculpting, dig into the closet or drawer where you hid supplies long ago and pick up where you left off.
If none of these things work, don't fret. The days are already getting shorter and soon the first crisp smell of autumn will once again be on our old friend: The Breeze.
