We may love winter for the beautiful snow, cheery holidays and warm drinks, but one of the worst parts is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), more commonly known as seasonal depression. SAD is a serious disorder that affects about 5 percent of the population and may require medical treatment in serious cases, but there are some things you can do to boost your spirits in these cold times.

Reading

Reading a book is a great activity during the winter months because it can be done inside and only requires a little bit of time each day. It might seem like a chore to read, especially since most classes require a lot of reading, but indulging in a book for fun is a completely different experience that allows you to be transported into a new world inside your imagination. A personal recommendation that I have is “One of Us Is Lying” by Karen McManus, which is a murder mystery set in a high school where everyone is a suspect.

Be physically active

This might seem like even more of a chore than reading, but getting physical exercise is another great way to fight the winter blues. Being physically active can mean many different things, from walking to weight lifting, depending on your skill level and interests. A benefit of physical exercise is that it can improve your mood by causing the release of chemicals in your brain that make you feel happier.

On-campus events

As Binghamton University students, one of the most underutilized resources that we have is on-campus events that are run for us and are paid for by our tuition. The best way to find out what events are happening is to check your email, as the B-Line daily B-Engaged Calendar reliably reveals what events are happening each day and is delivered to your inbox daily.

As we approach the end of the semester, the department of student transition and success is hosting multiple events dedicated to helping students prepare for finals, such as its “Finals Study Strategies” event on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Appalachian Collegiate Center, room G02. Going to events allows you to get a change of scenery, have some fun and meet new people in a controlled and relaxed environment.

Play a game

One of my personal favorite strategies to combat seasonal depression is to play a game, from something straightforward and simple like UNO to the all-out battle of Monopoly. Games are so much fun not only because of their mechanics, but because they bring us closer together with our friends and family. Card games and board games are the perfect winter activity to do with friends because they can be done inside and provide a nice way to take a break from studying for finals.

Sleep

Perhaps the most valuable advice you will find in this article is right here, as sleep is critical to both being physically and mentally well. According to the Harvard Summer School, upward of 70 percent of college students get less than the daily recommended amount of sleep of seven to nine hours, so this is likely an area of your life that you can improve on. One way to get more sleep is to set yourself a time to go to bed each night so that you can make sure you are getting enough sleep. Sleeping more will help your body recover from the day and can boost your immune system’s strength, which is especially important during the winter.

Animals

This might be the hardest item on this list to achieve since pets are not typically allowed on campus, but interacting with animals can be a large stress reliever and make you feel happier. The best part about interacting with animals is that even 10 minutes can have a significant impact, as a study from Washington State University has shown that petting a dog can lower your heart rate, blood pressure and relieve stress in just 10 minutes.

Make a plan

The most practical item on this list is to make a plan, which sounds hard but is really quite simple. If you are feeling overwhelmed about the amount of work you have to get done in the coming weeks, then planning is for you. In order to make an effective work plan, you can write down everything you need to get done and then organize each task according to when you want to get it done, which will ensure that you finish all of your assignments on time. In the end, you get the greatest feeling of accomplishment as you check off each item.

Take a technology break

The final piece of advice that I have for you is to take a step back and take a break from technology. One of the biggest causes of anxiety in college students is social media, so taking time away from sites like Twitter, Instagram and TikTok may allow you to feel freer from the constraints of the digital world, whether it be classes and Brightspace notifications or social media. This tip can be combined with other items on this list, such as reading a book or playing a board game, since those are great activities to do while away from technology.

These tools are all great methods of managing and relieving the stress and anxiety that come with finals week each semester. Regardless of whether you have term papers to write, exams to study for or final group projects to complete, we hope you take it easy this finals season and remember that this too will come to an end.