“3, 2, 1, Happy New Year!” Fireworks and confetti explode as the ball finally drops at Times Square. People are gathered around celebrating while drinking champagne and having a blast bringing in the new year. But then what happens? For me, the return to normal work and school schedules has erased my holly-jolly feeling, replacing it with mixed emotions about the beginning months of the year.
Some people find these months the most productive while trying to complete New Year’s resolutions. This can include trying to spend less time on social media or maybe not leaving assignments until the last minute. If you are like me, these New Year’s resolutions have already gone as January turned into endless unproductive and tiring days.
One of these contributing factors is the lack of festive spirit after December’s holidays come to a stop. The holiday Starbucks cups have switched to the normal everyday ones with your normal coffee orders instead of a Peppermint Mocha.
The lights and decorations have been taken down, leaving the walls bare as it is too early for spring decor. Radio stations have gone back to playing regular songs and family gatherings have passed with weeks until the next. All that is left from the holidays is the leftover snickerdoodles that will soon be gone. Even a snow day isn’t enough to bring back the cheery feeling.
Not only does the not-so-merry feeling leave an unhappy mark, but the harsh winter weather can take a toll on people too. None of us are strangers to Nebraska winters, complete with freezing temperatures and blankets of snow covering the ground.
This year has been especially rough with almost two weeks of bitter cold, wind, and snow. Normally, I like a little snow, but this was too much. The added chore of shoveling snow off the driveway was a pain, only for it to be once again covered in snow. With inches and inches of snow, my brother and I faced the cold and annoying task several times throughout the day.
Snow and ice also make driving conditions dangerous. This can cause people to be nervous while they are driving.
According to the PR Newswire, 73% of drivers in America say they are anxious about driving in winter weather conditions such as snow, sleet, or ice.
For me, as a new driver with little winter driving experience, these conditions only make driving more difficult. The roads have become less visible and slick which has made me nervous to drive. I got my first taste of driving on winter roads these last couple of weeks and slid a few times but, luckily, did not have any problems. There have been times that I have felt uncomfortable driving, which has led to my mom once again dropping me off.
The weather also kept me inside going stir crazy. With three snow days, the boredom and tiredness caused me to procrastinate on my e-learning assignments. Laying around on the couch in my pajamas while watching Netflix was a lot more appealing than doing my schoolwork.
In addition, for some people, the dark days can trigger feelings of the “winter blues.” The winter blues is not a medical diagnosis but describes the slump many people find themselves in during this time of year. It is usually more mild and clears up on its own as the seasons change.
A more severe form of this is called SAD (seasonal affective disorder). This disorder is a type of depression that occurs during certain seasons of the year mostly in fall or winter. Although there is no clear cause, shorter days and less sunlight are thought to be connected to a chemical change in the brain causing SAD.
Although winter can be hard, there are still many things that can be enjoyed and looked forward to. Soon all of America’s TVs will be tuned in to watch the Super Bowl. Even if you aren’t a Chiefs, 49ers, or even a Taylor Swift fan, this event is always a fun time for friends and family. My family and friends and I will be eating chili and cinnamon rolls rooting for the Chiefs.
Valentine’s Day is around the corner and finally making an appearance in stores. Reds and pinks fill the aisles, bringing back a much-needed boost of holiday spirit. I am looking forward to eating the delicious candy hearts and baking heart-shaped cookies for the holiday.
With a long winter ahead of us, we may fall into this never-ending cycle of unproductive and tiredness. Even though it is easy to let it take over us, we must try to push through and take a look on the bright side of things which will make this season a little more bearable.