The Joy:
For me, Christmas begins long before the first of December. I lug all of our decorations out from our storage closet the day after Halloween, blasting holiday music as I string lights onto the tree, and my brother begrudgingly hangs ornaments beside me. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is driving around at night to look at Christmas lights. There’s something magical about seeing houses covered in brilliant hues, neighborhoods transformed with decorations, and the whole town feeling more connected than ever. The festive decorations are just one of the many aspects of Christmas that bring the city of Marietta together, allowing us to truly appreciate every member of the community.
More so, Christmas is one of the few occasions a year when my entire family is together, genuinely unwinding and spending time together. I’m particularly excited to see my younger cousins who live in Tennessee; although it’s a bit perturbing to think that I haven’t seen them since last holiday season, it’s always thrilling to see how much they’ve grown up since their last visit.
And I can’t lie, the Starbucks Seasonal menu definitely contributes to my love of Christmas. The warm, chocolate-mint comfort of Starbucks’ Peppermint Mochas is exactly the little holiday luxury I look forward to after a long day of watching my favorite Christmas movies by the fireside.
Naturally, gifts play a significant role as well. There is truly nothing better than watching my friend’s face as they open a present that I meticulously picked and wrapped for them, along with the feeling of opening a present they got for me.
Christmas makes ordinary moments feel special. It turns normal, routine days into fun and exciting memories. Christmas reminds me of what I appreciate the very most in life: joy, family, tradition, and a little bit of holiday magic.
The Jolt:
As a high school student athlete, I’ve realized that seasonal depressions affects more people my age than what’s usually talked about. Simple tasks begin to feel like a struggle, and I start to lack motivation in everything I do. Keeping yourself motivated during the gloomy, cold weather is much harder than you might think.
“I feel more tired and less motivated during the winter. As a student athlete, it can make training tougher, and sometimes I don’t feel as focused or energetic at practice or in school,” Sara Sara Scanling (10) said.
These complex emotions are very common when having to balance both school and sports. Winter sports also come with additional pressure, long competitions, intense conditioning, and high expectations from peers, coaches, and family.
“I definitely hate when it’s gloomy outside because I feel like it can make everyone around me seem gloomy. But usually I try to stay positive by just being excited when I first see people because it helps me set the scene to be energized,” Isabella Ramirez (10) said.
It’s very important to have small things to look forward to when everything around you may feel sad. Along with the academic and athletic challenges, students in general may find themselves becoming less social during the winter, including myself. In my experience, being sure to get a fun Christmas drink with friends after exhausting hours at school and practice really makes all the stress worth it. Some of the hardest months of the year for me are during the winter. Dealing with finals, projects, homework, intense practices, I think it’s important you frequently reward yourself because of the lack of motivation experienced during this time of the year. Seasonal depression makes even the things I usually love- my sports, friends, and classes feel distant, and life just begins to feel a little more dull.
