Going to school and coming home in the dark, somber clouds painting the sky grey, and icy wind attacking you the second you step outside. It is peak winter weather in the Netherlands right now, and dare I say I’m not a fan. I am not the only person who feels this way, especially in the Netherlands where the weather seems to be the number one thing Dutch people love to complain about. It isn’t uncommon to feel somber or less motivated when nearing the winter months. In fact, I have already heard the term ‘seasonal depression’ thrown around in conversations plenty of times this month. Chances are you have too, since many people seem to find the winter weather in the Netherlands kind of depressing.
In case you have no clue what I’m talking about, seasonal depression is basically having the weather seriously affect your mood. Which is a bummer when you’re living in the Netherlands, because honestly, the weather isn’t the best. But I am tired of letting shitty weather take a hold of me like it has over the last couple years. If you also are done with letting the cold impact you in a negative way then keep reading. These tips have helped me, and other students at BUas to try to battle through our seasonal sadness. Hopefully they will help you too!
Feeling slay keeps the depression away
It genuinely helps to put a little effort into your looks in the morning to feel better during winter times. And this does not mean that you should come to school in a suit or go grocery shopping in a ballgown. Try a new hairstyle, put on a cute outfit, or maybe give that new eyeliner a shot. These are all examples of things to do with your looks that can help elevate your confidence, and therefore make you feel a lot better throughout the day. And trust me, I have had days where I was so close to just going to school in my pyjamas because it was too cold to bother putting on something else. The cold can be demotivating to wear certain outfits, which is why layering and thermal clothes will be your best friend. Putting on thermal leggings under pants and skirts is a game-changer in terms of keeping warm and looking cute, and thermal shirts are perfect to go underneath tops. Wearing multiple layers can also be warm and fashionable at the same time. There is enough outfit inspo for outfits like these, I for example love @100laurencandy on Instagram for warm and cozy clothing recommendations. Controlling your appearance is much easier than controlling your emotions, so try to feel as good and comfortable as possible with your looks. It’s crazy how much it helps against the winter blues.
Romanticize winter activities
When the weather is looking bleak, it’s easy to start seeing the world around you through an uglier lens. This certainly doesn’t help making you feel better. What can help is seeing the beauty of what this kind of weather brings you. Raining outside? Stay in and make yourself a cup of hot chocolate and binge a show. Cloudy and grey sky? Go to an ice-skating rink or read a book in a café. Snow? Well, snow isn’t promised in the Netherlands, but if there is enough, go outside and make snow angels! And before you think, ‘nope, this is all too cold for me’, just read one tip back. Don’t forget the power of layering!
Keep it moving
It is very tempting to stay in the comfort of your own home all day during winter, but it’s not good for your mental or physical health. When I asked students for particular things they did that helped against seasonal depression, many answered with going for a walk or even running. If you, like me, aren’t a big fan of going on runs, walking is just as good for you. Bring a thick coat and a scarf and take a walk around the park or the city centre. During winter, some Dutch cities have ‘light evenings’ which are very cozy to walk through, for example Amsterdam from December through January. There actually is an app for the Amsterdam Light Festival, in which you can plan your route and get the locations and descriptions of the artworks. In December, there are also several Christmas markets you can visit, in Breda you can go from mid-December till early January. These events make walking a lot more fun if you normally don’t like to go for one. Seriously, taking a ten-minute walk-through fresh air has great benefits, such as increasing your energy levels and lifting your mood. So as badly as you might want to stay inside, it won’t help get out of your negative headspace. Walking just might do the trick.
Surround yourself with positive energy
Are you a glass-half full type of person, or a glass-half empty? More simply put, an optimist or a pessimist. Being the latter is so real, but as you might have guessed, it has no positive effects on your life. And as an optimist myself, I know it’s easy to tell you to look at things in a more positive way. This isn’t that simple, since this mindset can be ingrained into you. Though you should consider that looking at things less positively will not be helpful if you want to battle your winter depression. A simple factor that has more effect on your mood than you might think is the type of music you listen to. Melancholy music is beautiful, but not really a mood lifter. Instead, try to listen to cheery Christmas music (since you know, ‘tis the season and all that), or if that’s not your vibe, more uplifting music. What has helped me get through the morning is listening to Latin music whilst getting ready. Other students' music tips have ranged from Taylor Swift’s 1989 (TV obviously) to I Told Them... by Burna Boy.
The people you surround yourself with are also impactful. The thing is, it’s much more difficult to change this type of environment than listening to different music. Still, hanging around people with very negative mindsets can be exhausting. Not saying you should entirely cut them off, but distancing yourself a bit from them can help your own state of mind. Or perhaps both try to view things more positively instead of always basking in negative energy. Instead of getting annoyed when it starts raining right before the school day is over, wait it out together with a cup of hot chocolate from the coffee machine.
As someone who loves the sun more than anything, I understand that winter in the Netherlands isn’t your favourite time of year. There is nothing you can do about the weather though, but you can try and change how you deal with it. These are some things students at BUas recommend doing that helps against experiencing a winter dip. Ultimately it is up to you how you will deal with the winter months. Though if you read up until this point, I’m pretty sure you, like me, are done letting the cold affect you negatively. And for that I applaud you. Deciding you want to get better is already a great start. “A good beginning is half of the work”, as the Dutch would say.
Picture sources
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