Davis students find respite during the darkest months of the year in their favorite films, albums and TV shows
By NATALIE SALTER—arts@theaggie.org
While the clear skies of spring and endless sunny days of summer seem to lend themselves to exploration and discovery, psychologists have found that winter’s cold climate correlates to greater symptoms of fatigue, loss of interest and feelings of hopelessness in some individuals.
With its rainy afternoons and early sunsets, winter quarter at UC Davis is notoriously challenging, making it unsurprising that one may wish to spend this time of the year indulging in what is safe and known rather than taking bold leaps of faith. The Conversation recommends you tackle your winter blues by engaging with your favorite, familiar indoor hobbies and activities.
One of these activities may be revisiting a comfort film or comfort book — a piece of known and beloved media that can bring you joy after just one watch. Maybe your choice is a childhood favorite film, or a video game you first played and fell in love with in high school.
Fundamentally, these items of comfort function as metaphorical lighthouses in our stormiest hours. They provide pockets of respite and reassurance in which we can breathe and recenter ourselves. There is no anxiety or uncertainty in a story that you already know the end to. Likewise, the memories we entwine with certain artistic works that we discover throughout our lives imbue them with a profound sentimental and nostalgic feeling, according to Psychology Today.
For some Davis students, music is effective at staving off the wintertime blues. It can even be transportative, providing the listener with an escape from early mid-week mornings.
“My absolute favorite album to keep on repeat during winter — and in my humble opinion, the best album of all time — is Mac Miller’s ‘Divine Feminine,’” Juliana Vasquez, a third-year English major, said. “From its sultry lyrics to its gorgeously produced sound, it always transports me to a sunset on Golden Gate viewpoint while I’m at my 8 a.m. lecture.”
For others, a good laugh may also prove a powerful shield against seasonal sadness.
“For me, The Office U.S. makes me feel better,” Nara Sirakian, a third-year psychology major, said. “It’s really funny, and the character archetypes bring me so much comfort.”
Sirakian explains that shows like “The Office” can be a hopeful reminder that everyone messes up once in a while, and that’s totally okay.
“Watching these characters make foolish mistakes makes me feel better about my own life choices while also seeing the beauty in being imperfect,” Sirakian said. “It helps me stay happy during the first part of winter quarter.”
Where comedy suffices for some, romance is the ideal cold-weather cure for others. The fairytale landscapes and sweeping emotions of a familiar romantic tale may be just the thing to transport you away from the most wearisome of winter days.
“During the wintertime, I always like to rewatch the 2005 adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice,’” Juliana Rogers, a third-year English and comparative literature double major, said. “The gloomy setting reminds me of the January and February weather. Also, the romance is a good lead up to Valentine’s Day.”
While the wintertime in Davis may seem to bring only woe, from seasonal depression to sick days and stormy weather, students can find that the best cure could be seeking joy within the art they know and love.
Written by: Natalie Salter—arts@theaggie.org
