Leaves fall and the cold winter rushes in, leaving behind the warm sun.
As junior Logan Swain goes shopping for Christmas presents, scanning items to give to his friends, he feels dread for what’s next, asking his parents for money.
As Swain shops he takes great care to not spend too much but also risks the possibility of giving a gift to a friend or family member that seems meaningless.
For Swain, shopping destroys the magic of the holiday season. It brings a whirlwind of stress, from shopping to juggling school work.
Preparing to buy gifts for the holidays can get expensive for students with jobs, or even those with no jobs relying on parents.
“Since I don’t have a job currently, I stick to a budget, but I’ll feel guilty to spend less and give a “cheap” gift to my friends,” Swain said.
The multiple school breaks cause stress for many students.
Not only do they impact students’ academic productivity, but some students feel overwhelmed by winter projects, and keeping up with extracurriculars.
“In the winter time, especially with the multiple breaks, it’s stressful, to say the least. It feels like I have no time for my assignments to be done,” junior Alexis Sutton said.
Students may also feel unmotivated to keep working because of the short distance between vacations.
The stress of the holidays adds to the seasonal sadness that some students feel during the wintertime.
Seasonal Depression is a disorder that may cause some students to have mood shifts, and they may find themselves feeling more sluggish as the days become shorter.
“Students can cope with the stress when being around friends and families and also using techniques such as a to-do list, music and drawing,” Counselor Karly Wardwell said.
Also, to combat this students can try to increase time spent outside.
In some cases, the weather can help students.
“The cold winter feeling changes the way I feel and my productivity skyrockets,” junior Reginald Griffin said.
Although some students may breeze through the wintertime with no struggle, it’s not certain everyone will have a happy holiday.
The so-called “season to be jolly” might be more like the season to be gloomy.
