Have you ever noticed your mood shifting with the weather? Literally, do you notice your happiness under the sun, and misery under the clouds?
Fall brings the excitement of the new school year, football games and pumpkin spice lattes. December is filled with holiday cheer, the anticipation of the first snowfall and the countdown to New Years. But once the clock strikes midnight on the calendar year, the excitement fades, leaving behind the dreary stretch of winter. The days get colder and the world falls grey.
“During the winter I’m usually more tired and less inclined to go outside. It’s just cold and gloomy and it doesn’t make me happy,” Lila Greifenberger ’26 said.
Winter weather has a noticeable impact on mood, and research supports this with Americans twice as likely to say their mood declines in the winter (41%) as they are to say it improves (22%). While it’s no surprise that colder, darker months bring a shift in energy, what many don’t realize is that the weather can have a more powerful effect; one that goes beyond seasonal blues.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is one of the results of cold, dark weather conditions. This is a type of depression that follows a recurring seasonal pattern and is often related to changes in daylight hours. The symptoms can include fatigue, low energy and difficulty concentrating, making winter feel like a battle for many.
“I think that being outside in the sun just generally boosts my mood a lot,” Alina Hossain ’25 said. “And in the winter I tend to spend a lot of more time indoors on my phone because the days are so short, it gets darker quicker and it’s cold outside.”
As March arrives, things start to change. And that has a lot to do with daylight savings, which begins on March 9 at 2 a.m. The clock jumps forward an hour, pushing sunset to around 7 p.m. Longer days mean more sunlight, and thus a boost in mood.
With spring around the corner there is a shared excitement around the community.
“Once we start to see the sun staying later and it not being so dark, everyone seems to have a lot more energy on the hill,” ski coach and special education teacher Rebecca Anderson-Furlong said. “And I’m feeling a lot more energized in terms of what I can do.”
As the days grow longer and temperatures start to rise, the world starts to feel a little brighter- both literally and emotionally. The shift from winter to spring isn’t just about warmer weather; it’s about renewed energy, fresh starts and a collective sigh of relief.
“I’m really excited for the summer to come,” Hossian said, “so I can get out and feel alive.”
