Karly  0:00  

Welcome back to the podcast. Happy November, everyone. The weather is finally getting colder and staying colder, which I love. Winter is my favorite time of year, which might be a little bit of an unpopular opinion, but I love feeling cozy and watching the snowfall. So with this cold weather, I'd love to hear what people's favorite cold weather season item slash activities are.

 

Katie  0:22  

I love to take naps. That is one thing about me, is that I am a nap girl, through and through in the cold weather, because, like, you're not gonna go outside and, like, sit out in the cold and just sit there in the cold. I can lay in bed and I can take a nap and feel so okay about it, because it's cold outside, I don't feel like I should be outside or anything like that. And I also love to decorate. I decorated for Christmas last night in my room and in my apartment. I know some people might think it's a little too soon, a little too soon, but I was in need a little bit of comfort, so I decorated, and I made a nice little dinner for myself, and I had a great time decorating.

 

Lexie  1:11  

That's crazy, no, um, I don't love winter. I really like being outside, so this is always like, kind of a hard transition for me, but I try to, like, make it fun with, you know, some stuff. So my roommate and I were really excited, because with the cold weather, we could start burning our seasonal candles and, like, making hot chocolate and stuff like that. We've been watching Orange is the New Black together in the evenings, which is a really nice activity to look forward to, because it gets dark at like, 5pm It's like, so sad. I know it is so depressing. And you know, I get to wear my favorite green jacket, which is exciting because I can't wear it all summer, so I don't know wonder, and it takes a lot of coaxing to appreciate fall and not just think of it as a precursor to winter and freezing weather.

 

Usha  2:04  

Yeah, I like winter, but it's very hard here, especially with the snowfall. But I'm excited for the cozy and lazy days to enjoy the weather, especially watching my favorite shows while snuggling up with a warm blanket. I love that,

 

Katie  2:19  

I love that

 

Karly  2:20  

I really enjoy family getting to order hot drinks at coffee shops. I actually really don't like iced coffee, but I like ordering, like a hot coffee in the summer. So that's fair. It's valid. Finally, do that, and I like preparing for the winter semester, because I like having a feeling of, like, a fresh start and like new classes. I don't really like the reality of winter actually kicks in, but I really like making my GoogleCalendar, yeah.

 

Katie  2:45  

The idea of it, the idea and the possibilities, I would have to agree with that, I feel like October and December. October through December is always difficult for a lot of people. Holidays can be stressful. Assignments and projects are piling up, the days are getting shorter, and the sun is not out as much, which makes me so sad. All these things can affect us in our own ways, in our daily lives. Something I hear often are people saying that they have no motivation, or they're in a slump, or they're just tired of working in general, whether that be no motivation for school, work relationships or even just daily tasks during the day, I feel like everybody feels it some way or another right now. Yeah,

 

Lexie  3:32  

I can definitely relate to that. This time of year is always hard, but I love learning, and usually that translates to loving school, but not always like I find that towards the end of the semester, when classes are in full swing and the weather's getting colder and like that makes it harder to be outside, my motivation just feels really low, and the school that I love starts feeling less Like learning and more like work, which is a really like, fortunate I get a switch. You know, last week, I was really struggling to focus in class and, like, do my homework at home. And it made me really sad, because school is usually my escape and something I look forward to, so I kind of took a step back and spent some time reflecting on like the purpose behind doing all of this, trying to remind myself that every class develops a new aspect of me as a person and student, even if it isn't specifically relevant to make it your career, and it is because I don't have time to fully devote myself to deeply understanding every single topic, like sometimes I find myself learning it just enough to get good grades, because that's what I have the time for, and that really crushes my motivation in school, because it takes away the learning part that I love. So I don't know like noticing that has helped me understand why this time of year usually feels like such a slump. I've been trying. Going to focus on giving myself enough time to fully learn concepts so that I enjoy and, you know, feel fulfilled by assignments, but it's way too easy for me to get cop and just mindlessly like completing tasks, to check things off of my to do list, but realizing that that's also what kills my inspiration has been helping me to remember to learn mindfully whenever possible.

 

Katie  5:23  

Such a good point. that's so relatable,

 

Karly  5:26  

I literally feel like the semester is flying by your point and trying to, like, give yourself enough time to work on things and actually learn those so good that never happens for me. Like

 

Katie  5:36  

Never happens for me either.

 

Karly  5:38  

Every week, I'm like, Okay, this is what I'll do. This is what I meant, and it just, 

 

Katie  5:42  

This is when I'll really understand what I'm doing. You never, you never do.

 

Karly  5:48  

at what cost? So I feel like everything is just going so much faster than I expected. I don't know what's in the air right now, but I feel like it's really hard to keep up with everything, but to also, like, actually reflect on what I'm learning, right? And it doesn't really help that none of my classes are neuroscience or psycho. Yeah, it's literally just putting you in a learning sponge, because, yeah, the classes are interesting. But I'm like, What am I doing right now? 

 

Katie  6:14  

It's really not. Though it's not. It's just, don't lie to yourself. They're really not.

 

Karly  6:21  

I'm hoping, though, that the colder weather will, like, actually make me want to work in school more, because there's just something about, like, getting a hot coffee and sitting in a library, like, third floor reading room next to the fireplace,

 

Katie  6:33  

so specific,

 

Karly  6:37  

with, like, a big sweater in my winter playlist like that actually helps me study so much, yeah? Because, like, I feel like, with the weather being cold, I'm not like, oh my gosh, I need to be outside enjoying, like, right? I can just lock myself in the library and it's fine, like, no one's still doing it for that, right? Um, but right now it's just like, a weird time where, like, classes are super busy, and then the weather is also kind of weird right now, but it's like, not fully, it's not fully cold, yeah, it's just yeah, everything about it is bad, and there's just so many events coming up, like outside of school too, and so everything just feels like it's crashing down on me at once. But hopefully, after like, the end of the semester and, like, the end of the holiday season in general, even though I love it, it is always just, like the most busy part, yeah, I think it'll be like, a little bit was crazy, yeah.

 

Katie  7:21  

I hope so yeah.

 

Usha  7:25  

The way Karly explains, it's so good, like it feels, yeah, it's almost time to work on the assignments, project and prepare for the finals for me, and it feels too overwhelming to finish all the things, especially with the weather changes, there will be changes in our mood. Feeling somewhat lazy to work. I literally have the very mixed feelings. It's like long time the year has been ending, and at the same time, I'm excited for the next semester and the next year too. And the struggle to balance these mood changes along with the motivation to finish off the work is so real. It's so hard, but my excitement for the winter break gives me some motivation, right?

 

Katie  8:08  

Little bit of hope. Yes, me, personally, I literally always have some sort of life altering event, otherwise known as a Canon event that takes place in October or November, or, if I'm lucky, I get both. Alright, it always sucks. It's never good. It's always so bad, like, it's horrible, I don't know, like, I'm at a loss where it's horrible, this does not mix well with the shorter days and the seasonal depression I usually have as well. This event has already happened to me this year, and it has caused me to put my academic life on hold, but not for too long, because I'm a STEM major, and my professors just don't get it. We all have our own things, and we all have personal events that happen to us, and my professors just don't get it. They are like hardcore study your chemistry, study your physics, study your trigonometry, and if you don't, you're gonna get caught behind we do not care. Maybe it's not like that, but that is my experience with my specific professors right now because of me checking out for like, four to five days and like, unfortunately, like that, the fact that it was over a weekend those four to five days was over a weekend. I wasn't I would got so behind in all my schoolwork for the week, which ultimately impacts my mental health, because being behind stresses me out, makes me anxious. Then I'm like, Well, I'm so far behind. Now, what's the point in doing it? Like it's a horrible mindset to have, but that's just how it is. Um, It's so upsetting and frustrating to me as I felt like I was doing so good mentally and I hadn't. Gone through anything like this this semester, and I wasn't facing any of that seasonal depression I usually have. It's also so hard not to sit here and blame myself because it was me who caused myself to get behind, and it was my fault that I couldn't power through like I could. But on the other hand, if there's one thing that I'm good at, it is listening to what I need that break was essential for me, going home and spending time with my people at home was essential to me, and if I didn't, I would be in a lot different position right now, like that is what I needed to stay afloat and to stay pretty much sane for like, the time being, as much as I value my schoolwork and my education, I will eventually always listen to my body and my mental health at first. I will put my schoolwork first, and that's really difficult for me, because I do struggle with my mental health a lot. But even if it takes me a little bit time to listen to my mental health and listen to my body, I always get there eventually. 

 

Lexie  11:09  

Yeah, yeah, no, this, this time of year, can be tough, especially with so many stressors and like, potentially wavering motivation, like, it just all piles up, and mindfulness can be really hard when we're overwhelmed, but it can also serve as a way to cope with stress. So for our mindful moment this episode, what are some ways you guys incorporate mindfulness into your routines, even when you're really busy or low on motivation? 

 

Lexie  11:38  

I have had a tough time the past few weeks and taking intentional mind breaks have been huge for me. Like setting aside, like 1015, minutes of studying to get up and walk around the library, get up and just go stand outside for a second, like getting fresh air, like taking intentional breaks, where, like, I'm not sitting on my phone scrolling or sitting there stressing about all the work I'm having to do or studying I have to do. It's just it's made a huge difference for me personally. So yeah.

 

Usha  12:14  

Yeah, I have a very bad habit of scrolling Instagram days or opening them multiple times a day. Yeah, but I decided to check it only once to avoid the doom scrolling. It's hard, but I'm trying to continue this. And that's my mindful moment for this week.

 

Lexie  12:34  

I've been deleting Instagram during like the week so you can have it like on the weekend. Oh, we're wasting I was like, I spent all this time doing something else. Like, yeah, could be so, yeah, right.

 

Usha  12:47  

It's my next goal.

 

Karly  12:48  

I should be studying right now.

 

Lexie  12:51  

It is so bad, so bad, so bad. I feel like, just recently, like, this semester, I would say, and I think it's exacerbated by, like, applying to grad school, but I feel like every second of my day has to be productive, right? And that, like, constant, like, gnawing, like, like, Are you being productive? Is that productive? Like, it could be more productive? Is so haunting, but, but I've been trying to focus on like, Okay, if we have to be productive all the time, what are ways that we could make the projected things we have to do, like, more positive, so that you're not just constantly, like, being drained from the site and grocery shopping has always been stressful to me, and something I dread every week, which sucks because it's just one of those things that you like, literally have to do, like, right, not grocery shop. So recently, I've been walking to Bridge Street because it's really close to my or Bridge Street Market, I should say, because it's really close to my house, and it's become an activity that I actually look forward to. It's a much like smaller grocery store, so it's not as overwhelming, and walking there incorporates an activity I already really enjoy. So it's kind of turned into time for me to think and relax while still feeling productive, right? Because, you know, I'm checking something off my list and getting some exercise by walking.

 

Katie  14:10  

I love that. That's so awesome. That is very mindful.

 

Karly  14:14  

That's so good, that's actually so real viewers with, like, needing to be productive, but also wanting to still enjoy, like my own, to be happy. Um, so I started to just slowly, very slowly, get into reading every day. There's only something I read so much like I was not like hidden, like high school and like middle school, that I was like reading every day, reading hundreds of books a year. And that's not happening now with school, it's just I don't either say time, time, yeah, 50 pages of for my bio. I'm not gonna go and pick up a book. No. So instead of doom scrolling before bed, because that also just like, stresses me out more, and like wires me up. So I just. Read a chapter of a book before bed each night. So that way I'm still I'm not reading as much as I used to, but I also just don't have the time to

 

Katie  15:06  

So, but you're still reading. You're still reading,

 

Karly  15:10   

Replacing a bad habit with maybe like sleeping better. 

 

Lexie  15:14  

Yeah, exactly.

 

Lexie  15:17  

Yeah. Good for you. So mindful.

 

Katie  15:19  

So mindful

 

Usha  15:22  

that's all for this podcast. Thank you all for listening. Don't forget to stay cozy and enjoy those drinks, and we will see you next month. Bye.