Things to Know About Burnout

by: Casey Tiernan, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Well-being Leader

Are you feeling detached? Fatigued? Having difficulty concentrating? These could be signs you are experiencing a burnout. Burnout is when one’s health becomes completely exhausted through overwork, lack of adequate social support, taking on more than one can handle, and poor self-care.

There are physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of burnout. All of these symptoms of burnout are important to notice early on. Physical symptoms include feeling tired and drained most of the time, lowered immunity, frequent illnesses, frequent headaches or muscle pain, and change in appetite or sleep habits. Emotional symptoms include a sense of failure or self-doubt, feeling helpless, detached from the world, no motivation, and having a negative outlook. Behavioral symptoms include withdrawing from responsibilities, isolating yourself, procrastinating, substance and alcohol use, and skipping work.

Burnout reduces productivity and drains all your energy, which can leave you feeling helpless, hopeless, and cynical. The negative effects of burnout impact daily home, work, and social life. It can lead to anxiety, headaches, lack of sleep, and a change in your outlook on life. Studies have also linked burnout to an increased likelihood of Type II diabetes, male infertility, sleep disorders and musculoskeletal disorders among those with extreme physical, emotional, and mental fatigue.

There are ways you can avoid or help burnout. It is important to take breaks throughout your day to give your brain time to rest and replenish. Another thing to help is to seek support. This could be a coworker, friend, loved one, or someone from Counseling Services, to help you cope. I find when I am feeling burnout, I like to take a day to work on self-care and disconnect from all school work and focus on myself. This allows me to refresh and take a break from feeling overwhelmed. Other tips to avoid burnout include disconnecting from technology before bed, getting some exercise, mindfulness, and trying a relaxing activity such as reading.

Remember: If you are feeling this way, take a step back and focus on you!

Remember: If you are feeling this way, take a step back and focus on you!

https://ada.com/signs-of-burnout/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642

https://www.apa.org/monitor/jun06/burnout

Wogue: A Sit-Down Conversation with Neyder Fernandez, The Person

by: Fahad Alden, College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Well-being Leader

For the month of November, I wanted to highlight the work of someone whom I deeply admire. As a member of the Student Government Association (SGA), I have seen Neyder as a thoughtful, creative, and genuinely innovative leader. But due to his humble nature, that is not always showcased, so I wanted to use the platform to showcase lessons we can all learn from Neyder. Neyder is not only the president of SGA, but also an innovator, determined, and, most importantly, fun. I genuinely believe we all can learn a thing or two from this successful young man. 

Fahad: As president, one of your main priorities has been mental health and social inclusion. Why is that so important to you? 

Neyder: I think the pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health. People were so disconnected from each other, and we lost our personal touch. Often, we overlook the value of social inclusion as key to improving mental health. 

Fahad: Neyder, in your profile interview, you shared that the label, most likely to succeed, was pushed on you growing up. Do you feel like that label, at times, makes you feel like you have to live up to it, and does it make it, at times, more challenging to say no?

Neyder: As a first generation immigrant, you have to often achieve success through education and hard work. I have always found that to be truly rewarding and I really do believe in the value of lifting yourself  up through bootstrap. Sometimes as a leader, the nature of the job is that you have a great deal of students that heavily rely on you, and that is what motivates you to do better. The burden can be heavy sometimes, and you must learn to say no. I love to say yes, and when you reach this position as president, you need to say that you cannot help someone when you are not at your 100 percent best self. 

Fahad: Your executive board is one of the most diverse in Umass Lowell’s history. Many people of color may feel confined or have imposter syndrome to step into leadership positions. What advice would you give them? 

Neyder: Many people of color and minorities often feel like they cannot be in positions of power, which drove me to choose an executive board filled with confident people and experienced, not only merit and position, but experiences. Some come from towns outside of Massachusetts, and even for me I come with the commuter experience. So it is not diversity based racial or gender diversity, but there is a diversity of experience. Being the first in anything can be challenging for anyone wanting to get involved, but that is when seeking mentors can help you. We are all getting the same education at the end of the day, and I believe we all can get those positions regardless of where we come from. I was a sophomore not thinking about the presidency. I threw myself into the race;I had no executive experience, and regardless of where you come from, you may need to challenge the system at times. 

Fahad: Something that I found admirable is that you give opportunities to many SGA members, for example you suggested me and fellow SGA members as recommendations for ACT events. Do you believe it is important for leaders to pass bantons?  

Neyder:Through the nature of the position, a spotlight is on me great deal of the time. I am often asked to events and I truly want to empower new students and want them to feel they can be at leadership positions in the future. When you take that approach, you are cultivating new leaders and opening gates for them, allowing them to feel they are making an impact. You allow yourself to be in the position for me or in the future for a senior level position. You allow them to feel hey I may be only a senator but I can make a difference.

Fahad: You have shared in past interviews that you have worked at Jack M. Wilson’s internship as social media manager. As someone who now has a very focused and analytical job, how is it when you have, in the past or currently, stepped into creative endeavors? 

Neyder:So, I am always looking for ways to challenge myself and diversify my skill set. Especially since I am in student government and help oversee the social media strategy. It helped me understand the social aspect and how to manage PR strategy. I am nonconventional; I do not run things in a typical manner. 

Fahad: Would you consider yourself creative?  

Neyder: I would say I am creative, but not to the extent of Picasso. I am pretty abstract in my thinking. I have a form of thought where I take a piece of every piece of information I have. I take things from different social science and learn from everything, even in my major. Which helped solidify my thinking. Also, my career path is nonconventional, I jumped from working the business side and private sector, and I have worked great in the non-profit sector. I want to make myself a better leader and, most importantly, a better mentor. 

Fahad: Anyone who knows you is always on the run, from being a master plan committee member to just being full-time; what are your favorite things to do for self-care? 

Neyder: I think my strong social network is something I rely on heavily to destress. Whether that is hanging out with them or going out to eat, or just making dinner for them, my favorite thing to cook is Italian and Mexican food, and I like contemporary Americans like everyone like Mac and Cheese. I use that as an outlet. But I think that is an outlet; I use them because they are different fields, and we are not in work mode when we are with each other; since there are various fields, we do not always have to take the business. Even small things playing video games help you detach from the environment. 

Fahad: You always share your love for music on your social media. What is your current top three music you find yourself listening to unwind? 

Neyder: I do not have the top three songs.  The reason being I have varied interests in music and artists. I do tend to listen to a lot of Hispanic artists and American artists and Techno. There is, you know, the traditional bad bunny, Drake, and a couple of different artists, as my music taste tends to vary depending on my emotions and how I feel.

Time Management (The Pomodoro Technique)

by: Yashvi Patel, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-being Leader

I recently learned about this technique from my aunt, and it has helped me get through various tasks without feeling mentally drained. It is known as the Pomodoro Technique. There are six steps involved in this process. First, you decide on a task you need to do. Then, you set a timer for 25 minutes. Then, you work on that specific task until the timer goes off. This block of focused work time is referred to as one Pomodoro. A fun fact is that the technique is named after the Italian word for tomato as the timer that was used by the founder was shaped as a tomato. After that, you get to take a short, 5-minute break. After you repeat this four times, you can take a longer 15–30-minute break. It will allow you to stay focused without being mentally exhausted.

I do not believe in having an hourly time schedule, personally. For me, an hourly time schedule creates unwarranted stress as I am rushing to complete items in a set amount of time. I practiced this during my freshman year of college where I was asked to put a time schedule into effect. I noticed that tasks accumulated, and I was overcome by a feeling of failure if I didn’t finish something on the agenda. This hourly time schedule adversely affected my productivity as I would rush to complete things, that in the end, would be carried over to the next day, which already had projects and tasks lined up.

Instead, I like to break down a complex project into smaller tasks that are actionable. It allows me to see the progress that I’m making instead of overwhelming myself by looking at the big picture. I go into a mental funk when I look at a big task and typically don’t know where to start. For example, I wanted a research project for my thesis. Immediately, I thought of the end goal and how I need to write a thesis paper and have a presentation where I would defend my thesis, which was overwhelming.

Instead, I stopped the intrusive thoughts of how I could manage that and focused on what I could do to get there. I started by reading articles and papers to get an idea of what research question I wanted to answer. I am taking it one step (or Pomodoro) at a time, which is really helping me see some light at the end of the tunnel and reassure myself that I can do it.

In terms of the connection between smaller chunks of work and the Pomodoro technique, I can cross different tasks off my checklist if I work on a new task every 25 minutes during my “burst of energy.” Sometimes, you spend too much time on one project that you fall behind on the rest of your assignments. I use the technique to start working on another task and come back to the old one the following round of Pomodoro. That way, I can get more tasks done and not mentally exhaust myself over one assignment over a long period of time. The quality of my work is also comprised if I cram everything in one go instead of breaking it down into manageable chunks. For instance, I like to break down my lab reports into the different sections. I do the introduction, hypothesis, procedure on one day or during one Pomodoro. Then, I do the discussion, conclusion, and application another time. For my breaks, I typically would go for a walk, draw, listen to music, or do some stretches. Essentially, you would get up and move. I like having a short interval of break because I tend to get distracted on my phone and fall into a slump. Having a timed break forces me to get back to the task in anticipation for my next break! I hope this technique helps as it tremendously stopped me from falling into the rabbit role of procrastination or overworking myself over one, big task.

Effective Methods to Studying and Maintaining Motivation

by: Haiya Patel, Kennedy College of Sciences Well-being Leader

As a college student, you must have heard the phrase ‘work smarter, not harder’. As a freshman in college, I failed to grasp the message behind the phrase, but sooner or later I  learned the meaning behind it and it helped me further in my academic career.

As a college student, you are engaged in multiple activities on  and off campus, which can challenge your time commitment towards your required academics. Hence, using the limited time that you can contribute towards academics in an effective manner is the key to staying on top of your academics. One of the most mind-blowing concepts I was introduced was the forgetting curve. Psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus demonstrated the concept of forgetting curve – curve that demonstrates the rate at which one forgets the new material introduced. Usually, we learn a new concept or new material in class, and we usually end up forgetting most of the information obtained after few hours. Further, when it’s time to study the materials, we are mostly clueless about the material. Hence why, educational psychologists developed a method to optimize study times. As seen below, there are three peaks in the graph: the first peak – first revision immediately after the class, second peak – second round of revision, third peak – third round of revision. The graph shows the drop after the first revision leads to most of the material being forgotten. Second drop shows that more information is retrieved compared to first drop. Comparatively, the third drop shows that the rate at which you forget the materials is very slow. Hence, revision of the materials constantly at timed intervals leads to better information retrieval, and the repeated revision consumes minimal time, uses the time effectively, and helps to avoid cramming all the material on the day before exams. Moreover, spending long hours in the library the day before your exam can be stressful and cause burnout. Hence, the repeated revision is also effective at managing stress about your exams and prevents burnout.

Another factor that can help is a change in location for a refreshed experience – it can feel constrained to study in the same location, so a change in scenery can help you feel refreshed and able to produce better results. However, some people also prefer to stay in the same location as it can be a ‘comfort’ spot for them to study. If this is the case, schedule times to take a walk away from your study spot to get that same refreshed feeling.

Another thing that can help is journaling. The repeated stress to study for your classes and exams can lead to burnout that furthers into a lack of motivation. One such method that helped me stay motivated when I lacked motivation is to write few minutes in my journal. Usually, the journal entry starts with the main statement of my long-term goal, what I imagine myself doing in the next 10 years. Then, I breakdown the goal into factors such as: what and why I am doing what I am doing, how it is contributing towards my goal. Lastly, I end the journal entry with a message along the lines of ‘I know my future self will appreciate the efforts that I put into my goals today!’. This serves as a reminder for my purpose to study and amplifies my motivation for the study session.

              Overall, college students spend hours and hours in the library trying to ‘cram’ study, but still don’t end with expected grades. However, implementing methods to study effectively in mini study sessions, taking breaks for a change of scenery, and focusing on your larger goals can lead to more beneficial results. Instead of cram studying all the material the day before the exam, try  repeated revision of the materials ranging from immediately after class till the exam, studying in a new spot, or journaling about why you need to study to reach your larger goals!

https://examstudyexpert.com/ebbinghaus-forgetting-curve/

How To Stay Mentally Healthy on Social Media

by: Medi Woldemichael, Manning School of Business Well-being Leader

Social Media has become an accepted practice in our daily lives. By the time you’ve read this, you’ve likely already used a variety of social media platforms today, and you’ll see even more by the end of the day. That’s not something inherently “good” or “bad”; instead, it’s a new aspect of our social life to be mindful of, especially in relation to mental health. To ensure that social media benefits your health, you must know how you use it. Here are some tips for maintaining mental health while enjoying social media’s benefits:

Know your Purpose.

Knowing why you use social media will help you focus on that goal and spot it when it has been achieved. For example, if you’re using a social network to remain in touch with friends and family who don’t live nearby, then use and appreciate it for that—but if you find yourself perusing your feed, getting lost in hours of random videos, or Instagram stalking celebrities, understanding your purpose might help you remind yourself: this isn’t why I’m here. Knowing your purpose and when you’ve strayed from it helps you get back on track and get the most out of your time on social media.

View Other People’s Posts as Inspiration Rather than a Comparison.

Your daily life may seem doubtful compared to others’ achievements and picture-perfect moments when you see them shared online. But remember that these moments don’t reflect someone’s whole life, and the person is probably dealing with many of the same problems as you. A healthy approach to using social media is to use these postings as motivation to work toward your own goals rather than simply comparing your life to that of their Instagram. It’s also

beneficial to choose who you follow carefully. Consider unfriending or unfollowing someone if their posts frequently frustrate you or make you feel bad about yourself.

Take a social media break.

A break from social media is sometimes needed. You do not have to delete your account entirely and stop using social media. However, taking a break will help you reset your mindset to resume better, more deliberate habits. You may use several practical strategies to step away from social media, such as muting notifications or turning off your phone. Overusing your phone can lead to loneliness and low self-esteem. Putting your phone away from time to time might help mitigate some of these emotions.

Prioritize Self-Care

Prioritize self-care first. It can be especially beneficial to substitute your social media use with other mood-boosting activities that do not require your phone. Try one of these healthier options when you feel the need to check your phone and start scrolling:

– Make plans to meet up with friends in person.

– Go for a walk, hike, or bike ride

– Cook your favorite meal

– Journal for 20 minutes

Social media’s effect on your mental health often depends on how you use it and why. It can have long-lasting effects on our mental health and well-being. Depending on how you utilize it, it can have different outcomes. Trying to set time apart from your phone to enjoy other amenities will help with mental health and other parts of health.

https://fourwellness.co/blog/social-media-and-mental-health?rq=social

Music Improves Your Well-being

By: Pre’Yelle “Prey” Grinkley, College of Fine Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences Well-being Leader

Did you know music improves your overall wellbeing?

Research has shown that listening to music can improve your mood, decrease pain and anxiety, and help with emotional expression.

This year has given many of us the opportunity to redeem ourselves after the coronavirus pandemic. From wearing masks to learning remotely through and being isolate from friends or family, the way we interact with one another and how we treat ourselves has changed indefinitely.

During this period of transitioning back to in-person, many of us have been looking for new methods to keep a good standard of health. While some of us may choose the most common forms of psychotherapy, like counseling, there are other types of psychotherapy that can be used as an alternative to or in combination with traditional psychotherapy treatments. These include art therapy and more specifically, music therapy.

Music Therapy is defined as an interactive process that occurs when the therapist integrates music, and all its elements to help individuals in developing, restoring, or supporting health. Even though music is used clinically in music therapy to help patients reach their unique goals, most people resort to using music as a coping mechanism for personal challenges without even realizing the clinical health benefits that come with it.

Personally, I’ve always noticed myself wanting to write, listen to, or play music that communicates or expresses the emotion that I feel that moment. Without knowing the scientific facts of how music affects my brain and body, I have always noticed that I feel happier or healed after listening to music that resonates with me. Music has always been the best medium to help get my message across and it’s the most effective when I am helping people understand how I feel. Throughout my life I learned that music has no language barriers, and it can be used to spread a message internationally because everyone can understand music regardless of the languages they may speak.

Listening, singing, playing an instrument, or making music are all examples of music therapy activities. Interventions in music therapy help with a variety of learning and medical goals, including:

  • Managing Stress
  • Alleviating Pain
  • Expressing Feelings
  • Enhancing Memory
  • Improving Communication

Listening to music is an activity that can stimulate the brain, which has great effects on the brain’s health. Music strengthens areas of the brain that manage memory, emotions, learning, movement, and concentration. Researchers found that listening to and playing music increase the body’s production of the cells that attack invading viruses and boost the immune system’s effectiveness. Music also reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Whenever you are feeling down, uneasy, or unwell try picking up your instrument, songwriting with friends, or listening to music to relieve that tension. Music develops happiness!

https://www.betterup.com/blog/benefits-of-music

https://www.northshore.org/healthy-you/9-health-benefits-of-music/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/keep-your-brain-young-with-music

Procrastination

by: Jayla Galvez, Manning School of Business Well-being Leader

Procrastination gets the best of us and there is no need to be ashamed of it. A conversation I had with a close friend of mine helped me put this into perspective. We were in the car one day and she was talking about a video she watched of top students pulling an all-nighter to work on a paper they had due the next day. She said that this is what a lot of smart people do. We laughed about how the students in the video were crying at some point before continuing their paper. It was all too relatable. This was either before or after she came back from getting her master’s at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. What did I gain from that conversation? Procrastinating does not mean that you’re not smart! It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are lazy either.

Some people may feel like they work better under pressure, but others may not feel that way at all and fall into the category of passive procrastinators. Passive procrastination is when someone puts off completing a task out of fear or intimidation of that task. Sometimes this is a fear of failure, the heavy workload, or the thought that if it isn’t perfect, it isn’t worth turning in. This kind of thought process can be a barrier to success and have people drowning in an endless cycle of procrastination. Sometimes a huge part of getting over procrastination is the mindset that you have.

Here are some personal tips that I use to pull myself out of the vicious cycle of procrastination:

Limit the distractions around you. Go where you feel the most calm and stable minded. Personally, the library doesn’t always work for me, sometimes I need to be in a coffee shop, or the dining hall, and sometimes I need to just switch up my environment. Do what works best for you.

Speak positively to yourself! Remind yourself that you are far more important than the situation and no grade or achievement is greater than your wellbeing. Without you, those accomplishments would mean nothing, and that you are more than capable of doing whatever you set your mind to do.

Notice the early signs of burnout. Is your body trying to warn you that you are overwhelmed? Check in with yourself. Are you eating much less or much more? Are there any noticeable changes in your health or attitude? Are you spending less time with friends than usual this study season? Maybe it is time to reset and take a self-care day. Just like our bodies, our minds need rest sometimes. Taking a day away from the books can help you feel more refreshed and be more productive.

This too shall pass. I would look back on the fast-approaching deadline and be afraid of the time I had to complete assignments, but this was also strangely comforting because I knew that no matter what, the day would come when this would be due, and it wouldn’t be on my mind anymore. The day to drop the pencil, close the books, and walk away from my inbox for a while. It is coming, and whatever happens, you should be proud of yourself for whatever you were able to do, even if it was just getting out of bed this morning and getting a sip of water.

Feel free to check out this article that looks into different reasons for procrastination, types of procrastination (active and passive), and a few methods on how to overcome it.

Change your perspective and don’t take it personally

by: Alejandra Malaga Walters, Francis College of Engineering Well-being Leader

Worrying about what other people think is very common in humans. We cannot undo long-held beliefs overnight, but we can learn to be more objective about situations and slowly stop taking things too personally.

According to Frederick Imbo, an expert in communication and Neuro-Linguistic Programming, there are two strategies to stop taking things personally. The first one is to think whatever people say or do is not about you. Look at the other person’s intention and try to see it from their perspective.

We often tend to think that whatever a person said or did is about us and we get offended and feel the need to defend ourselves. Usually, we take things personally when we make certain assumptions, and many times those assumptions aren’t even true. Try to see things from a different point of view from your own. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and try to assume the best. Remind yourself that you can’t always change how people perceive you, only how you react.

If the first strategy doesn’t work, you must use the second one. The second strategy focuses on “it is about me”. If in the moment, you can’t realize the other person’s intention and still get hurt, you need to consider why you’re having that reaction and you must work on yourself. Maybe their words hit an insecurity that you have. And when you find the problem that is bothering you, you can work towards improving that insecurity, give yourself empathy and speak up.

Oftentimes, what provokes us is not usually about a specific thing but about our beliefs about the world, beliefs that are based on fear. These beliefs are generally formed in childhood, according to psychotherapist Elayne Savage of Berkeley. She says they arise from rejection experiences that can take many forms, from not feeling supported by a parent to being the blank of bullies. After you realize where the problem is coming from you can learn to be more objective about situations and slowly stop taking things so much to heart. You would be able to own your actions and reactions and gain insight into yourself and those close to you. You can talk with your friends openly and tell them when certain things bother you. When doing this, it is important not to repress your emotions or avoid personal responsibility.

The truth is that it is a matter of perspective. Many times, we assume the worst, and in the end, is not what we originally thought. We put ourselves in complex situations and thoughts for no reason. Bringing those thoughts to our minds will only make our pain last longer, and no one likes or deserves to suffer. For this reason, we need to focus on “us” instead of “them”. Question yourself: “Is thinking this way worth it?” Assuming the best, instead of the worst, may set you free of overthinking and pain.

Music

by: Doa Jamal, Francis College of Engineering Well-being Leader

Many of us consider music to be a coping mechanism or a way to temporarily escape reality. We may use music as a way to relax, and we find this to be a natural response. When you ask several people what they do to relax, many of them will say “listen to music”. It turns out, there is a scientific reason for why this is so. Music has positive effects on our health and wellbeing. According to John Hopkins Medicine, “Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory (1)”.

Music can positively affect mental health. Research has found that listening to music can reduce stress by triggering biochemical stress reducers, as well as decrease cortisol (stress hormone) levels and increase serotonin, endorphin, and dopamine levels (chemicals that make you happy) in the blood (2). Music can help with depression in that listening to certain songs, such as upbeat songs or encouraging songs, can make you feel better. In general, listening to music that you like will make you feel happier. 

It has been discovered that music can affect the heart, blood pressure, and even breathing. Research found that when music is played, blood flows easier, blood pressure is lower, and the heart rate is reduced (2). Scientists traced music-induced physical/physiological changes to a part in the brain which is responsible for the unconscious regulation of body functions. Music therapy has become more common over the years. One study looked at the effects of music interventions on coronary heart disease patients. It found that “listening to relaxing music not only reduced heart and respiration rates but also oxygen demand of the heart in patients who have had a heart attack.” This also helps to reduce preoperative anxiety, reduce postoperative stress, and improve surgery outcomes for cardiac patients (3). 

Another way that music therapy is used is to reduce and manage pain. The Northshore University Health system states that “music can meaningfully reduce the perceived intensity of pain,  especially in geriatric care, intensive care or palliative medicine” (2). This is partially explained by the fact that music decreases stress levels and higher levels of stress increase pain. Additionally, music signals enter the brain and compete with the pain signals and so the brain focuses less on the pain (a positive form of using music as a distraction).

Overall, music has many beneficial health effects. It reduces stress and sadness, it relaxes your body which slows down your heart and lowers your blood pressure, and it can relieve and help manage pain. These, of course, are only some of the positive effects that music has. As mentioned in the John Hopkins Medicine article, music also affects sleep quality, mental alertness, memory, and more! It’s starting to make more sense why everyone always has earbuds in or headphones on.

Resources

  1. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/keep-your-brain-young-with-music#:~:text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20listening,%2C%20mental%20alertness%2C%20and%20memory
  2. https://www.northshore.org/healthy-you/9-health-benefits-of-music/
  3. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-music-can-literally-heal-the-heart/#:~:text=Music%20interventions%20are%20found%20to,have%20had%20a%20heart%20attack

How to Not Let the Winter Blues Get to You!

By: Ashley Asuncion, Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences Well-being Leader

It is the time of year where the days get shorter, and the nights get longer. It is when the weather gets colder, and people prepare for the last few months of the year.  For most people, it is cheers to the jolly season of the end of the year. But for college students, it is when the Fall semester gets more challenging. Classes pick up speed along with extracurricular activities, social life, work, and everything else that comes with life as a college student.

Some of you may start experiencing a lack of energy, motivation, or difficulty focusing on school. These are common symptoms of seasonal changes on psychological feelings like mood and behavior. According to Penn State, in “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues”, many individuals suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) that causes feelings of distress in all aspects of physical and emotional well-being. This is due to increased production of melatonin that affects the biological clock in the brain that controls energy. Symptoms of SAD can include (PennState, n.d.):

  • Depression
  • Fatigue/loss of energy
  • Overeating
  • Lack of sex drive
  • Anxiety/irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating/processing information
  • Craving sugary/starchy food

Unfortunately, first-year college students are most at risk for these symptoms due to being the first time going through a big adjustment like attending college. The severity in which these symptoms occur depends on coping mechanisms, self-discipline, schedule and physical demands. Therefore, let me help tell you some ways to combat those potentially Winter Blues!

1. Adjust your environment: Surround yourself with more light, plants, brighter colors, and decorations to make the environment comfortable.

2. Maintain warmth, whether drinking a warm drink or bundling up.

3. Exercise! Exercising is most efficient if working out in a manner that is enjoyable to help you maintain the habit.

  • There are numerous programs on campus to participate in: workout classes, active clubs, tournaments/competitions, facilitates, trainer programs, etc. Learn more on the UML Campus Recreation website.  

4. Try a healthier diet, eating smaller amounts more frequently

  • Learn more about dining options on campus using the UML Dining Website, as well as explore the amazing food options around the city of Lowell. Learn new techniques to manage stress: Talk to others and do some research on healthy ways to relieve stress.

5. Ask for help! From a friend, faculty member, online or in-person. UML has numerous resources that can assist to find what best works for you.

I hope these tips can help you combat the Winter Blues. Feel free to reach out to the Office of Student Life and Well-being if you need any help or want to learn more of what is available to you.

https://behrend.psu.edu/student-life/student-services/personal counseling/student-resources/seasonal-affective-disorder