Fall Gloominess

It’s starting to get darker outside super early. The weather’s starting to go through those weird phases where it might be super cold in the morning, but warm in the middle of the day, then super cold again at night. A lot of the days in the past few weeks have been dark and gloomy. Leaves are starting to scatter all over the ground and the grass is looking less green. This is the time of the year that I usually become unmotivated and lazy. Once the daylight starts to shorten, I feel like my body also starts to shut down. Maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but I just feel like I have no energy once it starts to get dark outside and it’s only 5pm. It’s weird because I usually work better at night when it’s dark out at like 10-11pm, but when it’s 5pm and dark, it takes a huge toll on the amount of energy and focus I have. I start to get so drowsy and it’s just very hard to do work. It also takes a huge toll on my mood, I start to feel so down and lowkey a little bit sad. I tend to push people away and want to just be by myself. Especially now that I’m at home, I just don’t like to be bothered by my family once it starts to get dark out in the evening.

This is a very important time of the year when everyone needs to remember to self care and also for friends to be really good friends. I know that is something so simple that should be done all throughout the year, but this is a season that I know takes a big toll on many people. It’s hard going from several months of sunny, less stressful days in the summer to gloomy, extremely stressful days with exams coming up, interviews coming soon, or big projects due dates in the fall. A lot of stress factors come into play in the fall. Everyone handles this stress differently, some may show their stress through irritation, anger, or impatience, and others just might not show it at all. Many stress eat, and many just sleep all of their stress away. Everyone needs to be alert of their friends and family and watch for patterns that might be a sign of this stress. A lot of this stress leads to anxiety in people that makes it hard to do even just daily tasks.

So, please be kind and take care of not only yourself, but others around you too. Try to be there for your friends or family, but don’t force yourself onto them. A lot of people probably just want their space at times and just need time to rewind and relax on their own. Additionally, if someone cancels last minute on plans you had, don’t take it personally. Unless they cancelled in an obviously rude and disrespectful way, then they probably just personally were not in the best mood and realized last minute that they would be better off if they just stayed home. That’s okay, everyone feels that way sometimes. No need to get mad at them or make them feel bad about it, just check up on them and maybe ask to FaceTime or something. I know for me I enjoy Facetiming people even if it’s just having them as background noise and a few laughs here and there. Being a good friend includes being observant and a good listener, and trying to find ways to be there for each other. And always, just take care of yourself because you are the most important person in your life. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people to talk to when you’re feeling down and never think that you’re just being dramatic and that no one will care enough to listen or talk to you. A lot of people care about you, including me, and you’ll get through these gloomy days, just keep your head up. <3