"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer."

— Albert Camus

After battling with some of my own wintertime blues, I realized it wasn't necessary to give into these negative emotions. Although conditions may be harsh and icy, keep the warmth and joy of the winter season alive with these activities. I've compiled some of my favorite and most effective (for me, at least) methods of refocusing my sense of self and embracing the positive. Let the cold refresh you, not repress you. No matter the reason for your mood, it will benefit you to find activities which draw you out, literally and figurative. Mental health is just as important as the physical, especially during this time of final exams and with the conclusion of the semester. Stress should never cause you to hole up and refuse the beauty of the winter months. This season is not something to be endured, but enjoyed.

1. Tea with Friends (or alone with some music)

My friends and I have had this tradition that we rekindled after a couple of weeks of neglecting it, we gather in my room, eat homemade goodies made by our moms and we enjoy some delicious tea. Best of all, it is in the company of people who I care about and we share news of the previous week. It’s like a book-less book club. If you’d rather be alone, then do just that. Turn on some Netflix or some tunes and exercise your right to privacy. You deserve space and time to give your mind a break; to let everything go away for a while. Take the quiet in and force the world out. Mental health days are necessary and will better your mood and lift you from the depths and complexities of college life.

2. Grab some hot chocolate and go for a ride; anywhere is better than nowhere.

My friend Ben and I went on a Starbucks run one day. I wasn’t feeling too good and it was the push I needed to put on some real clothes and to gather my shit together. I was moping around, my mood sponsored by fake friends and messy relationships. He paid for my hot chocolate (thanks Ben) and we took a ride to the Bog Gardens. It was dark and I’m not entirely sure we were supposed to be there, but we walked around the trickling stream and I breathed in the fresh air. It’s funny how you don’t realize how much you crave nature until you are placed in its heart. I took in the scenery and we burned our tongues on surprisingly hot beverages. Life felt so tangible that night because I got in touch with myself.

3. Go to your local Hallmark store, the Disney store works too

There’s nothing quite like plastered smiles and giggling children to pull you out of that “OMG finals are here and I haven’t even studied, but I know the entire plot of Dexter” funk. Say what you want about the holidays and crowds. 'Tis the Season for window shopping and leaving your problems aside to enjoy the colors and lights of the world around you. The ornaments aglow in the hallmark store are arranged by shows and fairy tales. They are displayed on racks and shelves piled high. Everything is so delicate and it always reminds me that my life isn’t as fragile as it feels. The stores contents put my problems into perspective as I realize that I’m strong enough to overcome whatever is on my mind.

4. Call someone dear to you, a quick “I miss you, how have you been?” or long conversations into the night, keeping up with others refocuses you

I have slight heart palpitations once in a while as I realize how long it’s been since I’ve called my mom. Sometimes that call is all I need to be grounded and refocused. She helps me through my dilemmas and pushes me to discover new ways of thinking. I am reminded of the people who care about and support me. Calling friends is the best way to catch up. Texting is so tedious and it certainly doesn’t beat hearing their voice on the other end. Miles and miles may separate you, but heart strings can’t be cut by distance.

5. Write a letter to your grandma, your bestie, your dog, somebody, even include some memorable pictures

I write often, even to myself. People love receiving personal mail. Amazon packages aside, letters are my favorite thing to open. Write down everything you want them to read and know. It’s a wonderful way to communicate and just know that whatever you think is current will be a couple of weeks old by the time they open it. But this is part of the intimacy is having a moment in time captured through words on paper. It’s nostalgic and you can save them in a box to reopen later when you are feeling disconnected or missing that special person. Your dog would appreciate a little story time too! Send some photos to someone who would appreciate having hard copies like my grandfather would put them on his door frame or the fridge. It’s sweet and they’ll like that you’ve thought of them.

6. Make a holiday playlist and jam to it while you shop online

Blue Christmas by Elvis

Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid

Little Drummer by Pentatonix

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas by Michael Buble

True Love by Ariana Grande

Let It Snow! by Dean Martin

Shopping for things I can’t afford always makes me feel better. Take time to make a Christmas list while you enjoy some seasonal music and get in the spirit. Somethings I’m asking for this year are a pair of Adidas Superstars, a tartan scarf, and I really want a blood orange sugar scrub.

7. Begin a journal (or a diary) if you haven’t started one already

I have a journal with entries from the early days of my sophomore year up until two weeks ago. Written on the cover it says, "Do not read any entry dated less than one year ago." This time passage is one way I put my problems into perspective and I've learned over time that, while my issues have become more serious, I am increasingly better equipped to handle what life brings my way. I have lists of things I cherish(ed), some things not worth reading, entries which prove how naive I was, and even some that make me smile. It's all a collective learning experience tracking where I've been, who I've thought about, and what I've reflected upon. One thing is for sure: I've never regretted writing.

8. Have a dance party by yourself, because why not? It’s technically exercise

Whether it be dancing or enjoying a run in the chill of a winter morning, exercise is like water for the soul. It draws you back to a balanced place and it is scientifically proven to support mental health. Forget everything and set yourself free of the world's pressures. Yeah, that paper due Monday at 11:59, leave it on your desktop. Yoga, Pilates, Strength Training, Running, Dance, you name it!

9. Bake something and make a mess

Your mom might hate it, maybe your roommate will curse you, but you’ll find that whether its edible or not, it’s deeply satisfying to pull something you’ve made out of the oven. Challenge yourself to one of your grandmother's recipes, bake a cake as fast as you can, pick a theme and decorate each cupcake as a Star Wars character. You have full creative license and it's so rare nowadays to get out of the rhythm of our daily lives and to do something we have no reason to do. Have fun and see where your imagination (and ingredients) take you!

10. Treat Yo Self –

A spa day at home is (almost) FREE and you can look ugly while doing it! Ladies, you know what I'm talking about. You still shave your legs for the nail salon and even when you it isn't necessary to get dressed up, you are forever a slave to the entrapping device known as the bra. Let everything run wild - your emotions, your hair, and... whatever else! Face masques and pore shrinking cremes, a bath even. It is your day so do as you please.