For the most part, I’ve been enjoying winter this year. After 7 previous winters in New York, I finally have a coat that is actually warm enough, a tolerance for biking in the cold, and enough of a salary to feel comfortable Ubering (when I can’t bring myself to leave my apartment for late night events).
And despite all of this, despite my efforts to hack the winter inconveniences, my seasonal depression still manages to creep in. But let’s face it – this is probably inevitable. So here is my list of ways to survive winter with the least amount of seasonal depression possible:
Rearrange your furniture until you feel something
Pretend that wearing the same three sweaters on rotation isn’t weird
Allow the winter introspection to lead you to rethink your entire existence
Tell yourself that running outside is the equivalent of a cold plunge or cryotherapy (following the health trends!)
Burn a candle and then check seven times that you blew it out before leaving for work
Dream of how good you would look if you had a tan
Listen exclusively to music the band plays during an après ski set
Relive every past interaction in your head while you fall asleep at night (it’s easier than going out when it gets dark at 4:30pm)
Drink extreme amounts of caffeine until your brain hurts – who needs drugs?
Try hot coffee for once. Then immediately regret it when you burn your tongue
Convince yourself that cooking all your own meals might be a good use of your time (how hard can it be?)
Invite friends over for a night in – anyone who hasn’t contracted the flu, covid, a cold, a cough, or a lack of motivation to leave their apartment
Look over the menu at new restaurants before going back to your usual spot anyway – it’s too cold to wait for a table in the drafty vestibule
Message people on dating apps when you know you’d never waste your time actually going on a date
But then romanticize every person you used to like ten years ago (maybe even text them, because that definitely won’t go south for you)
Consider law school, business school, or maybe a random creative writing course at the local Ivy (being a student is cool and exciting and definitely not draining and expensive)
Go crazy and order the mulled wine special
Tell yourself “I can always move to California.”
See you in April when my personality returns.