As temperatures drop and the sun sets earlier, students can find comfort and connection in unexpected ways

As winter sets in at McMaster University, the campus transforms and so do its students and their habits. Outdoor spaces like the arts quad and Mills Plaza, typically lively during the fall, become much quieter. Meanwhile, indoor spaces such as libraries, coffee shops and lounges are buzzing with activity as students seek refuge from the cold.

Winter brings a noticeable shift to campus life. The shorter days, colder temperatures and reduced sunlight can lead to what some may know as the "winter slump"—a sense of fatigue, low energy and decreased motivation that often comes with the changing seasons.

Campus routines and spaces evolve in response to the season's challenges and student habits are noticeably shifting. People walk more quickly to class, bundled in heavy coats, or just choose to stay indoors altogether whenever possible.

“Winter sort of changes how we move around campus,” explained Emily Chen, a second-year student at McMaster. “It’s not even just about staying warm. It’s also about finding where you feel comfortable and connected.” Shared indoor spaces where students gather to study or relax, such as The Hub or The Grind, offer more than warmth—they become key for maintaining a sense of community.

It’s not even just about staying warm. It’s also about finding where you feel comfortable and connected.

Emily Chen, Second-year student
McMaster University

Finding comfort in small rituals becomes a way to navigate the season. Whether it’s swapping headphones for earmuffs or finding a new spot to study, students adapt their routines to embrace the season. “I’ve officially made the switch from iced to hot coffee on my way to class. It’s a small thing, but it’s noticeable,” said Chen.

Socializing also takes on a more intimate tone this time of year. Group study sessions, smaller gatherings, and winter-themed events hosted by campus organizations offer more opportunities for connection. “Winter feels slower,” noted Grace Parker, a student in her third year at McMaster. “You’re not rushing from one event to the next. You can actually sit and talk and enjoy the moment.”

Winter feels slower. You’re not rushing from one event to the next. You can actually sit and talk and enjoy the moment.

Grace Parker, Third-year Student
McMaster University

However, the winter slump is not just about routines—it’s also a mental challenge. The colder months can bring feelings of isolation and low energy, which may impact students’ overall well-being. Seasonal affective disorder is one factor that adds fuel to the winter slump, leaving some students feeling drained and unmotivated.

To support students during this time, McMaster offers resources such as mental health services and wellness programs. Students are also finding personal strategies to manage the season’s challenges. “Even though it’s freezing, I try to take short walks outside. I think it actually makes a huge difference—I feel more awake and focused,” shared Parker.

Yet, winter also presents opportunities for reflection and connection. While the season may feel slower, it encourages a shift in priorities. Students can come to appreciate the quieter pace and find meaning in their routines and interactions. “Winter gives you the chance to slow down,” said Parker. “It’s a different kind of busy, where you can actually focus on yourself.”

Winter gives you the chance to slow down. It’s a different kind of busy, where you can actually focus on yourself.

Grace Parker, Third-year student
McMaster University

The winter can be a difficult time for many students, but they continue to find ways to adapt and persevere. While the cold and shorter days bring challenges, they also create space for smaller meaningful moments that define campus life during the season.

The winter slump is more than just an individual struggle. It is a shared experience among students. In a strange way, there is a sense of collective understanding and community in the struggle that makes the season feel just a little less isolating.

The winter blues can be more than just craving the sun gracing its presence at your desk when you’re working, which can make the stress of academic life a bit more bearable. For some, weather marked by cloudiness, little light, and a drop in temperatures affects them to the point of serious debilitation to both their academic and personal lives. This is known as seasonal affective disorder.

In light of a seemingly endless bout of wintery weather, it’s understandable to find yourself in a bit of a funk. However, it’s important to be able to recognize when you’re dealing with something more, and recognizing that SAD is a treatable disorder.

SAD is essentially an exacerbated form of these winter blues. It’s a perpetual feeling of lethargy, problematic sleeping and eating, and a general reduction in focus. However, this form of clinical depression only occurs in the winter months, with the spring and summer months returning them to their normal functioning. The seasonal influence behind SAD is mostly due to the lack of light, according to Dr. Lam of University of British Columbia. This makes intuitive sense. I doubt I’m alone when I say that when the sun breaks through my window even on a pretty glum day, my spirits are instantly lifted. With those affected by SAD, the lack of light on a daily basis can actually disturb the biological clock responsible for keeping hormones in check and regulating sleep and mood. When winter strikes, this disturbance is aggravated, whereas in the spring and summer, with its glorious abundance of light, the biological clock may be closer to its normal functioning.

Understandably, Canadians are more perceptible to this disorder given the shorter day lengths in winter. You wake up to darkness, you have breakfast in darkness, get about eight hours of semi-blissful light shrouded in clouds, and then back to eating dinner in the dark. And for those of us with heating systems that are only barely functioning, wearing a couple layers on top of your hoodie can be the norm. Canadians have it rough in the winter.

As someone who originally hails from Vancouver, I’ve come to accept an impressive amount of consecutively rainy, grey days. In fact, sometimes I even enjoy the rain in a sort-of Norah Jones “I want to wake up with the rain falling on a tin roof,” type way. It can be inherently satisfying to stay inside when the rain or snow is refusing to let up. But as students, we often don’t have the privilege. We need to trek outside to our calculus class or psychology tutorial. Again, Canadians have it rough in the winter.

But some have it rougher than others. My mother has identified with SAD for as long as I can remember. Walking into her office, a light looms over her computer screen designed to simulate the sunlight missing from Vancouver’s winter season. Although glaring at first, your brain settles into the mindset that the weather doesn’t hold as much gloom and doom after all, even if it’s a trick. This is called light therapy, and according to Dr. Lam of University of British Columbia, it can usually promise a 60-70% improvement in those who suffer from SAD.

It’s difficult to differentiate between the blues and depression. There can be an undeserving stigma around depression as it is, resulting in many trying to keep their suffering quiet. Too many people dismiss depression as something that is a passing phase, but it has the potential to only be exacerbated when it’s pushed aside, as though your mental wellbeing is a lesser priority than whatever happens to be soaking up your attention, be it Facebook or homework.