There is a feeling of burnout on Syracuse University’s campus before spring break, with the piling of exams, essays and projects. All of this work piles onto Syracuse’s dreary weather, which — whether snowing or raining — is rough for students’ mental health.

For many students, spring break is seen as the transition period from cold to warm weather. Typically, in the last week of March, everything starts blooming, the weather gets nice, winter jackets get left at home and moods generally improve. This was not the case for Syracuse this year.

Upon returning from break, students were greeted by snow, and the cloudy sky and lack of sun remained. Last week students walked through hail to get to class and the notorious Syracuse wind has not seemed to slow.

Seasonal affective disorder, more commonly referred to as seasonal depression, typically occurs during the fall and winter. Some causes include a lack of sunlight and a disruption of serotonin and melatonin levels due to changing seasons, and there are a myriad of symptoms including low energy, difficulty concentrating, feelings of listlessness, hopelessness and losing interest in things you once enjoyed. When students wake up in April to a snowstorm, it’s hard to get out of bed, let alone go to class. Not only do these symptoms affect one’s life as a whole, but they are undoubtedly damaging to the way students are able to perform in school.

While it’s unrealistic to put responsibilities on hold because of the weather, SU should be more accommodating to students who remain in a slump. The university should promote the activities and methods to help students get through the burnout and seasonal depression they might be experiencing. For example, a recommended treatment for seasonal depression is light therapy, or phototherapy, which creates light that resembles natural light, giving the brain the impression of being outdoors in the sun. SU could implement such treatment in the Barnes Center at The Arch.

Though it might seem silly to base mental health resources on the weather, the change in students’ demeanor is evident when the sun comes out and days start to get warm. Students are more likely to be outside, people smile more and campus becomes so much more enjoyable. Even on social media, such as Yik Yak, many students comment on the way a nice day can change their mood and work ethic. SU should strive to make people feel like that more often, no matter the weather.

In emails and syllabi, the SU administration and professors often talk about the importance of prioritizing mental health and say that students should put themselves first. I don’t think that idea is put into action. While I’m not suggesting students should be able to skip all classes and assignments until spring’s warm weather, I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a bit of grace while students are struggling to get through Syracuse’s neverending winter.

Hannah Starorypinski is a sophomore political science major with a minor in public communication. Her column appears bi-weekly, and she can be reached at hkstaror@syr.edu.

Published on April 10, 2022 at 9:34 pm