Living in Southern California means bright, hot sunny days filled with beach trips and outdoor BBQs. Although, if one were to walk outside today, the shock of the cold air and stormy rain clouds might send one packing for the Bahamas.
Yes, winter does visit Southern California, and although it only lasts for a few short months, it can turn out to be a cold and very dreary time.
Often people have pessimistic attitudes toward winter because they are cooped up inside. The change to winter can bring many people down, and in some cases, it causes them to be depressed. This depression can be diagnosed as “Seasonal Affective Disorder” or SAD (ironically spelled the way a person feels.) According to the Supplement News Web site, SAD “is characterized as a seasonal pattern of depress-sion, typically manifesting in the fall and winter months. This change in psychological behavior is often naturally alleviated in the spring and summer.” Now would be the time when many people would be beginning to feel the effects of SAD.
The disorder can come in both mild and severe forms. Those who experience severe cases tend to live in places that are more subject to changes from season to season, like, Alaska. The Supplement News Web site suggests that “treatments include; antidepressant medications such as Prozac, psychotherapy, and occasionally light therapy.” Though the Web site also reports that, “Seasonal Affective Disorder is thought to affect as many as 1 to 3 percent of adults that live in temperate climates and tends to affect women more than men,” it is important to keep in mind that one does not necessarily need to run out to the doctor if he or she feels down in the dumps one day for prescribed medications. Winter can make people without SAD feel miserable as well.
Some might say that Southern California winters do not count as legitimate winters. We do not have to shovel our way through snow and ice, and we can leave the house with simply one large jacket, as opposed to two jackets, a scarf and snow boots.
Sure, back east is a whole other type of winter, but it is still a shock to go from a 90 degree summer and even fall, to a 50 degree winter.
Maybe you do not have SAD, but you are bummin’ because you cannot leave your house. What does one do to keep positive as the winter chill creeps up?
The problem is, we are very outside oriented when it comes to entertaining ourselves in hot weather. This is why when weather turns cold, we end up on the couch eating chips and watching countless hours of television. So if you cannot go out in the sun or play basketball in the park, you can still find activities to keep yourself occupied.
Try picking up a few good books you are interested in reading or have wanted to read. Spend some time in the kitchen cooking a scrumptious meal or dessert for yourself or a loved one. You are guaranteed to make yourself and your companion happy.
It’s also getting dark earlier, so watch two movies with a dinner intermission. Double features are great with movie series, too. This may be a bit cheesy, yet it can be fun. Bundle up with a loved one and cuddle.
Don’t have a special someone? Get a bunch of friends together and play games. Pick your favorite childhood game, like “Chutes and Ladders,” or possibly a new one like “Gestures.”
Winter does not have to be a negative time. It just takes a little extra work to make it fun. Maybe your tan will fade while you sit and enjoy that cup of hot cocoa in front of the fire, but if it didn’t fade, what would you have to occupy yourself with all summer?
Jenna McDaniel is a junior art education major and a weekly columnist for the Daily Forty-Niner.
