Some people can distinctly call themselves a “morning person,” or a “night owl.” Usually I would think of myself as a night owl, although I’ve become more of a morning person lately. It just feels good to get up early and make my day productive.

However, I wonder why there aren’t common terms for people who enjoy a particular season. As the air is becoming cold and dry, and the sun is hidden for more time each day, I find my attitude changing. I am agitated more easily, and in general I’m just not as happy as I am when the days are bright and warm.

But I also know people who have the opposite experience; they are much happier during winter and find summer to be too hot and humid.

Of course, I don’t necessarily enjoy ridiculously humid weather, either. But it’s better than freezing until my lips turn blue. In English class on Wednesday, my fingernails turned purple!

Plus, it doesn’t help that my house is about 95 years old, which means we get our heat from radiators.

After explaining these symptoms to various people, one conclusion I’ve heard is called seasonal affective disorder. This condition causes people to experience physical and mental effects during particular seasons, and depression is often a result.

One solution I have heard of is using a light board. This device emits light similar to sunlight, and it’s supposed to be therapeutic for people who feel the effects of SAD, although I haven’t tried one yet.

So, If you’ve been feeling more stressed lately, consider finding more information about SAD. Those feelings might not just be a result of school. (Although, seeing as we go to Uni, they probably are …)