Today is the day everyone dreads. It’s the day the Christmas decorations come down and we all return to the library to complete assessments and revise for exams. Yep, it’s 6 January, and Christmas is well and truly over – and according to the papers, today is the most depressing day of the year.
After a fortnight of watching Christmas films, eating mince pies, and sleeping way later than term-time hours normally allow, our minds and bodies are hard-hit by post-Christmas depression and the January blues. However, rejuvenation is possible and you can start to feel more positive about the bleak month of January by following our super simple steps.
Keep Healthy
This might be an obvious one, but when we neglect our health, our mental well being suffers as a consequence. Basic things like eating a good breakfast and stocking up on your five-a-day can really boost energy levels. Try some fruit topped porridge to get you up and going in the morning. Think soup for lunch – not only is it super cheap to make, it’s good for you, and an all-round efficient midday booster. And of course cutting back on fizzy drinks and caffeine will make a huge difference. If you’re feeling lazy, vitamins tablets are a good shout also.
Stay Social
Locking yourself away in your bedroom at the tail end of winter will do you no good. Look out for opportunities to join a new club or take up a new hobby – a lot of universities hold ‘re-fresh’ fairs at the end of exams, so why not drop by and see what’s on offer, or check out your local community centre?
Find Something to Look Forward to
Find out what’s happening in your local area in future months and get some events in your shiny new diary. Maybe there’s a film coming out that you’ve been wanting to see, or you favourite band might be coming to town – bring on McBusted and Brand New this spring!
Make a New Year’s Resolution
Setting yourself a target you wouldn’t normally make can really shake you into focus. So if you’ve been meaning to stop biting your nails, take more photographs, or write that novel – 2014 is the year to do it. Get resolution making now. And tips on how to keep them, are coming later in the week…
