The first three months of the year are typically known as the most treacherous for high school students. January is cold and lacks any days off from school; February is a little bit better, including a weeklong break, but still dark and dismal; and March is an overwhelming month for state testing without any significant time off. In the midst of all the winter and test-induced misery, what can we do to stay positive and hopeful during this time?
Get active as often as you can
Studies show that daily exercise benefits our minds and bodies greatly. During the summer, it’s easy for people to exercise by swimming, running, or even just hanging around outside more often. However, wintry weather often causes us to move indoors to stay active. Whether it be lifting weights, doing yoga, or even going for a short walk on the treadmill – doing some type of physical activity every day will positively impact you in a multitude of ways. Exercise improves sleep, mental clarity, and obviously helps the body become stronger. To start, set a simple goal for yourself: exercise 2-3x a week until it becomes a habit!
Find things to look forward to, but stay present
There is always something to look forward to in life, whether that is your favorite sport season coming up in the spring, or a new episode of a show releasing weekly, there is always something that will brighten your day when it comes to mind. When there is something to look forward to, it makes the present easier to coast on through and seems to pass time much quicker.
Take this time for your hobbies
When you’re cooped up on those long, cold nights, it’s a perfect time to return to some of your favorite pastimes. Coloring, reading, writing, or playing video games are all great examples of ways to creatively use your time. Rather than doomscroll, find a hobby that speaks to you! You could even try baking or cooking new recipes. Winter is a time to hone your skills and hobbies to feel more productive and fulfilled come summertime. Spread your wings and keep an open mind: there is a chance you could discover a hobby you never would have thought of enjoying.
Discover new music, movies, or TV
2026 is going to be a huge year for movies and music; with Bruno Mars’s The Romantic album releasing on February 27th, and highly anticipated movies like The Drama, Supergirl, The Odyssey, Spider-Man Brand New Day, Toy Story 5, Dune Part III, Avengers: Doomsday, and a lot more, there’s loads of media to watch and listen to. With these boring, long months, try and discover one new album you haven’t listened to, or try that TV series your friend has been relentlessly recommending to you. Maybe even consider preparing yourself for one of the highly anticipated films with a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie marathon, or watching the first two Dune movies.
Spend time with friends
Winter makes it easy for you to feel cooped up. The unforgiving weather and the inevitable pile of schoolwork make it harder to have a prosperous social life. When you’re able to, get together with friends! Organize a movie night, get coffee, go shopping, watch a sports game together – anything that might make you feel a little less alone.
As we are now in arguably the toughest 3 month stretch of the year, it is important to stay who you are and not let the cold weather get to you. Instead of soaking up in sadness and scrolling through your phone all day, get back into your hobbies that you were once too busy for, or look forward to something that can help you push through any kind of seasonal depression. As long as you keep a positive mindset and continue moving forward, getting through these next few months can feel like a blip.
Here are some words of encouragement from upperclassmen and teachers:
“Try to be social. Don’t just lay in your bed all day. Get out of the house, do outdoor things: ice skating, snowboarding, skiing. I think that is helpful.”
Mrs. Ferrara, Indian Hills Psychology Teacher
“Just keep pushing.”
Mohammed Hamed ’27
“Take a lot of naps. When I am sleeping I don’t think of any of the issues going on. That is how I cope with everything and I hope everything will turn out well.”
Jay Wang ’26
“Winter is restful. It gives me time to look around and see how beautiful it really is.”
Hannah Savino ’26
“We get two breaks. We have a chance of a day off because of snow days, and we get to play with snow. We also sleep more.”
Camilo Chavez ’26
“Cold is the only time you can ski, invite your friends over to stay by the fireplace and watch a cozy movie. It is also really fun to do winter cooking and baking.”
Paul Vitolo ’26
“Play Minecraft.”
Ethen Kwak ’26
“Winter won’t last as the slush turns to the rushing rivers bringing in a new wind of spring.”
Tess Gurnari ’27