The long winter
It’s happening. It’s pitch black outside starting 4:30 PM these days. This is what living at higher latitudes means. To think, about a year ago I was living at the Equator, getting the most sun exposure that I’ve ever had in my life, and now I’m worlds away in the North.
My freckles have faded, and my tan lines are almost certainly going to be gone by the end of winter. This winter I’ll be in London, minus a few days during the holidays to visit family.
Last year, I had half the winter in London. It was still a struggle to adapt, so this year I’m going in with a plan. Combine that with the state of my PhD, I’m now gearing up for potentially my worst winter of S.A.D. ever…
The plan
- Keep lists of all the awesome things I’m working on or working towards
Like finishing my PhD and plans for after I’m done with it. - Photos of my nephew
Because he is the best. - Regular calls home
I’ve been practicing lately. I’m getting into the habit of calling my parents every week. I even had a long 2-hour Skype chat with my sister! - Regular Skype calls with close friends living not so close to me
Too much time in between catching up leads to feeling like these people are lost to me. - Eating well.
Been practicing this one too. I have a new cookbook, and access to a few others, which should hold me over through the winter months. I need to start making more hearty soups, though. They are the best! - Not having an off season
Every year, I let myself get out of shape. And every year, I dread getting back into it and feeling slow and weak all over again. Not this year! I’m going to continue with the strength training I’ve been doing, and add some more conditioning where needed. (Trials for many ultimate teams in London happen during winter too, so that is good motivation.) - Not being cold in my own room
I also have window sealing film to put over my drafty window so that I don’t have to suffer so much in my room.
A sense of purpose
Thinking about the future has usually brought some hope or purpose to what I have to do day to day, but I don’t think that is a sustainable way to approach this winter. I need to be living and enjoying the present, instead of just trying to get through it. I don’t have some of the nice things to look forward to, like snow, and bright sunny winter days.
I don’t know if this plan will work, but I hope it does!
Photo by Paul Itkin via Unsplash
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