I hate winter.

Back in my Wyoming home, the snow blows sideways, the temperature drops below zero and the frequent blizzards block out the sun for days at a time. The entire landscape is a blurry mess of grey and white. I felt paralyzed and depressed by the weather and was eager to the escape it by moving to sunny Grand Junction.

But the winters got worse.

Even in a milder climate, I felt depressed and hopeless in the winter months. I spent days hiding in my dorm room, avoiding the outside world. My grades and health began to deteriorate.

Later, I found out that I suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a recurring form of depression that begins in the fall and continues through the winter months.

SAD isn’t just the winter blues. It’s a disorder, much like depression, that saps energy and mood. A lack of sunlight in the winter months disrupts circadian rhythm (the human biological clock), melatonin and serotonin levels, causing higher levels of depression.

But SAD’s harmful effects carry over to the classroom as well. SAD hinders cognitive ability and leads to social withdrawal, fatigue and loss of interest in daily activities. These symptoms make it easy to sleep through classes and avoid social events by hibernating in your dorm room — the greatest enemy when fighting SAD.

A dorm room is an incubator for SAD — dingy, cramped spaces with stark lighting and small windows only enhance its effects.

When the temperature drops and the sun hides behind the clouds, it becomes painful to get out of bed, let alone sit though class. That’s when dorm room hibernation begins and SAD’s effects take over. Class absences pile up, and social withdrawal and hopelessness hinder a healthy college lifestyle.

A vicious cycle begins: the more depressed you feel, the more likely it is to do things that make you even more depressed, such as sleeping all day or skipping class.

It’s important to reverse the cycle by rewarding yourself for making healthy decisions and being active in the winter months. If you make it to all of your classes in a day, treat yourself. Being self-motivating instead of self-destructive will help you stay motivated and avoid posting up in the dorm room.

Winter is coming — it’s critical to avoid dorm room hibernation. Play outside, eat well and develop a regular sleep schedule. Force yourself to go to class — to go anywhere — as long as you stay out of your life-leeching dorm room.

dlmeyer@mavs.coloradomesa.edu