Bitter cold mornings, ice covered windshields and the sun barely peeking through the clouds. Teenagers dragging their sleep deprived bodies out of bed to make the trek all the way to school for another day of learning.

By winter time, the school year is in full swing and most students have established a rhythm to tackling the day to day grind. This rhythm has been going on for about three months, and most students are getting annoyed with the same old routine.

As daylight hours get shorter and the arctic nights get longer, seasonal depression becomes rampant amongst students.

According to Health Line, people suffering from seasonal depression experience sleepiness as a result of a disruption to their circadian rhythm. This disruption causes the body to release melanin, a chemical used to induce sleep, during the day time instead of at night. This production has a negative impact on the body, causing irritation and tiredness throughout the course of the day.

During the winter season, fluctuations in attendance are seen through the building due to illness, vacation and the ever so classic, senioritis. Usually by the second week of January, most seniors have completed the college application process, which usually summons up the last bits of motivation left.
A lot of students take the time to go on extended holidays or they come or go on their own time table, meaning they show up when they feel like it.

“Even though I still come to school, I still manage to waste my time at home. Yesterday instead of going my homework I wasted hours making brownies and doing random quizzes on Buzzfeed,” senior Madeleine Stewart, who was accepted to Vassar College ED back in December, commented.

For other students, they do not experience the symptoms of seasonal depression. Some just continue to go with the motion of the school, and do not let themselves get bogged down by the changes in the seasons. Sometimes, they do not even experience changes in their mood and motivation, and behave the same as if it was another time of the year.

“I’d like to think I am a happy spirit. I try to not let the change of seasons affect my mood and I strive to keep a positive outlook all year long, even at those moments when I feel stressed out,” senior Brunda Bellamkonda said.

Whether they allow the change in seasons to take over their body or they don’t allow themselves to get disrupted by the shift in seasons, every student would be lying if they told themselves that they haven’t experience even an ounce of seasonal depression.

When it comes to combating it, it is important to remember to maintain a positive mindframe and get enough sleep.