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.
Check out these events to take explore Hamilton before midterm season hits
Before the semester starts getting busy, take a break and stop by these events to explore and learn more about Hamilton!
The Mini Zine Making Workshop is a free event that will be taking place on Jan. 23, 2024 from 12-1 p.m. at the McMaster Museum of Art. The event is part of Thrive Week, a week when the McMaster community comes together as a community to talk about mental health. Mini zines are self-published mini magazines that tend to display images and/or texts that are collectible. The workshop will cover how to make these zines and have participants make it unique to their own art style and practices. The event will also include a tour of the exhibit Chasm at the museum. There is limited space and registration is required.
The Hamilton Winterfest will be held from Feb. 2-19 at the rooftop plaza of Jackson Square. It will host a variety of events such as concerts, crafts, drag, dancing, theatre, fashion and art installations. Performers such as Aoife-Louise Doyle, Wax Mannequin and LT the Monk will hold a live concert there. They will also be hosting their annual Winterfest POP in the heart of downtown, featuring interactive exhibitions that relive the nostalgia of our youth, scratch n’ sniff stickers and video games.
The Hamilton Fashion Week, one of the biggest fashion parties in Canada, will be holding its 10th anniversary at the Music Hall on Feb. 17, 2024. This year, it will present its first Hamilton Runway project: Ethos of Summer, a representation of what summer means to each competitor. It will feature 10 designers, each presenting 10 looks. Some of the local designers that will be featured include Aimee Woods, Kaylee Shallows, Leslie Smith and more. Tickets will need to be purchased in advance.
Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame Festival
The Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame Festival will be held from Feb. 21-24 at the FirstOntario Centre. It will be hosted by Patrick McKenna and Graham Greene and feature local Hamilton comedy talent. One of the special guests is Hamilton punk rock group Teenage Head, who will be performing their 50th anniversary show. Tickets will need to be purchased in advance.
Have fun checking these out!
By any measure, the McMaster cross-country team had a good outdoor season, consistently placing in the top 10 of the tournaments they attended. They ultimately capped off their season with a fourth-place finish for the men and a seventh-place finish for the women at the U Sports national championship in Victoria, British Columbia. The team now looks to build on that earlier success this coming winter term.
Cross-country is a unique sport in many ways as it toes the line between a team sport and individual competition. In addition to this, there is essentially no offseason. When other sports pack it in and head indoors ahead of worse weather, cross-country athletes head indoors to continue to compete.
This indoor track season began in December with the Bob Vigars Season Opener hosted by Western University, where Mac sent a group of their athletes who all contributed to the Marauders’ trophy case. While the men swept the podium in the 3000m race, the women’s side of the track was led by fourth-year Nursing student Erin Mawhinney who captured gold in the women’s 3000m race.
“It was cool,” said Mawhinney. “I haven’t won a university race before so that was different. A couple of us do that race coming just out of cross-country season just to see what kind of track fitness we have coming from cross-country, a sort of base for the rest of the season.”
In the new year, the Marauders headed to Windsor for the Can Am Classic on Jan. 13, where Mawhinney placed fourth in the women’s 1500m race. Sergio Raez Villanueva’s placed first in the men’s 1500m race as the top-performing Marauder over the weekend.
Mawhinney notes that in terms of training not much changes between seasons, although the team does a lot more speed-oriented workouts. One big difference is in the social aspects of the sport during meets.
“We have a lot more time together with the team at meets,” Mawhinney said. “Instead of in cross-country where there is just one girls event and one boys event, track meets sometime span over two days and so you get to spend those two days with the team. It is a lot more team time, which is fun.”
Consistency breeds success and every athlete has their own set of pre-game rituals and habits that help them attack their day at the best of their ability. Mawhinney, who has been running track since she was 10 years old, recognizes that the actions leading up to a race are just as important as the race itself.
After packing her bag the night before a meet, Mawhinney will spend time with friends or teammates to her take her mind off of the impending competition and stave off nerves before a race, which have lessened over her tenure.
“I think being in fourth year, I don’t get as anxious or worked up before races anymore,” said Mawhinney. “It was a bigger problem for me in first and second year, but you learn how to just stay calm before the race and have more fun with it. I try not to think too much about the race until I’m warming up.”
When it comes to game day, music plays a key part for Mawhinney as for many other athletes.
“I listen to music on my warm-up jog,” explained Mawhinney. “I usually listen to the Tragically Hip on my warm up, and there’s a sprinkle of One Direction in there as well. Usually One Direction closer to the race; they’re a pretty happy bunch.”
After the headphones come off, Mawhinney tries to keep things light on the track and visualize the race that lays ahead of her. In order to stave off any pre-race nerves, Mawhinney likes to keep it loose, cracking jokes with her teammates and even her competition.
“I picture the race ahead of time and keep it light and humorous around the track level when we’re warming up because it just makes it way more fun,” Mawhinney added. “I find I race the best when I’m not nervous and some of my worst races have been when I’m just too nervous before. Racing when you’re really nervous before makes you get lactic faster and it is not pleasant. My best races for sure have been when I’m laid back.”
“I try to keep it pretty causal with the other girls that are racing, keep it pretty humorous and funny. Because it is a kind of funny thing to all congregate and put yourself through so much pain.”
Erin Mawhinney, Cross-country
As she looks ahead to her final year as a Marauder, Mawhinney has mixed feelings.
“It’s really good incentive to give training my all,” said Mawhinney. “I’m so much more used to the training program here now. I go to our strength and conditioning much more frequently than I did in first and second year. So having it be my last year is like an incentive to train really hard since this is sort of it, but it’s also sad because the team is so fun and it will be hard to find another environment that is as fun as them when I’m not here.”
Although it will not be the same, Mawhinney hopes to pursue running following her time as a student-athlete. A lot of Mac alumni tend to stick around the area and will sometimes still practice alongside current members of the team, so she hopes that she will be able to do that as well.
Dedicated and talented runners make up the McMaster cross-country program and are a significant reason why they can maintain their winning groove into the new year. While we maybe stuck in the midst of a brutally cold winter, the track season is only heating up.
