Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is common throughout the winter season, causing stress to reach an all-time high for students.
Instead of staying inside for long periods of time — which can lead to symptoms of the “winter blues” — bundle up and go outside to enjoy some of these outdoor activities some students recommend as the perfect way to de-stress.
Ice skating
If you are looking for a mildly strenuous exercise, try ice skating. It’s a low-impact sport that can be enjoyed by individuals or as a group activity.
“It’s really fun,” physiology freshman William Davie said. “I haven’t found any outdoor ice rinks here but Munn Ice Arena. It’s really fun, I try to go once or twice a month.”
Like Davie, neuroscience sophomore Lil Le also agrees ice skating is great for helping with anxiety.
“It relieves stress because you can do it mindlessly and you have time to think for yourself,” Le said. “It’s just fun.”
Munn Ice Arena offers open skating numerous times throughout the week. If you have your student ID, it is priced at $5 and an additional $2 for skate rental.
Building in the snow
Similar to having a snowball fight with a group of friends, building a snowman can also be a good stress reliever for students in the winter.
Several snowmen can already be seen outside residence halls on campus. Whether building it alone or with others, it’s a good way for students to tap into their inner child and relive simpler days, momentarily forgetting about their study workload.
There are places all across campus to build snowmen for passing students to admire.
If not a snowman, students can attempt to sculpt more elaborate designs or dig themselves a fort. If you live off campus, another adventurous option would be to create a ramp for a quick, downhill sled launch.
Having a snowball fight
Kinesiology freshman Reem Wahby enjoys gathering her friends and facing off in a snowball fight to release negative energy.
“Just throwing snowballs at people de-stresses you because you are having fun,” Wahby said.
Open fields around campus, Wahby said, are perfect areas to hold these battles as they provide a large amount of space and plenty of opportunities to hurl a snowball at nearby friends.
Fields around campus include Munn field near South Neighborhood, IM Sports-East field and Vet Med field near East Neighborhood and Adams field near North Neighborhood.
If interested in more of a challenge, head over to an area of campus where there are an abundance of trees, making it harder to aim at friends.
