How artistic activities can be used to combat overwhelming winters 

By JULIANA MARQUEZ ARAUJO — features@theaggie.org

The start of winter quarter, albeit a fresh start, comes with a set of new challenges. To students, it may symbolize the beginning of the most jam-packed and intense quarter of the whole school year. While some students experience no effect from the changing seasons, it is difficult to ignore the significant level of increased stress that many students undergo during winter. 

This phenomenon may relate to the condition known as “seasonal depression,” where people feel a weight of sadness caused by a specific season in the year. Students feel just how short the winter days are as they sit in class watching the sun go down before 5 p.m. This dark and gloomy weather is then followed by the loss of motivation and overwhelming feelings of defeat. 

“I definitely do experience seasonal depression,” Larissa Fitzhugh, a first-year sustainable agriculture and food systems major, said. “It tends to take more time and energy to do the same amount of work I can do during other times of the year.”

She claimed that in order to succeed academically, she has had to sacrifice her own mental well-being. Many students share this sentiment, as it can be difficult to pay attention to one’s health when schoolwork piles up. However, in the midst of a stressful period, finding awareness through expressing creativity with art can be liberating. 

Art comes in plenty of forms. Some enjoy writing poetry, others prefer to draw or paint. Music, dance, photography — these activities bring out positive emotions in people, or allow them to release negative ones.

“I like to crochet, it is a nice way to relax and do something I enjoy,” Fitzhugh said. “It is also nice to have a physical finished product I can be proud of when I am done. It makes me feel good even when I don’t initially think it will.”

There is more to the process of art than the journey of the creation. While not every result will or has to be perfect, it is satisfying to know that one has created, released or learned something. The positive change in moods will always reveal itself in the end.

Numerous students are aware of their lack of attention to their mental health. The hard part is knowing how to move forward.

“I want to learn to read my body and my mental state more to determine when I need to separate myself from school work,” Chris Meza, a first-year music major, said. 

Realizing when it is important to take a break from things that are causing one mental distress is vital to that individual’s health. After all, no grade is worth sacrificing mental stability. The mindset that the end result is worth the struggle is not always healthy. To some individuals, it can be draining. 

Participating in an artistic exercise may help people realize that the world does not end after a bad grade. Getting in touch with one’s artistic side guides these individuals in understanding that life means so much more than one single commitment.

Meza claimed that college is not the sole priority in student’s lives, and oftentimes, it gets challenging having to balance every other factor with schoolwork, especially when it takes so much time out of one’s day. 

During these frustrating times, academic-oriented students can find themselves ignoring their own hobbies or activities that bring joy into their life for a “more important” goal — this being their grades. 

What many students fail to realize is that ignoring their emotional health often backfires.

“I usually lose almost all my motivation to do my best in my classes and instead, I just do the bare minimum without even trying to push myself,” Meza said. “And usually with this, it also ties into my hobbies, where I begin to not do those anymore. I lose the motivation to even try enjoying my hobbies.”

Giving up on one factor ties into other important factors. Picture a line of dominoes collapsing on each other. Taking breaks is key to succeeding and being satisfied with how one succeeds. 

“When I kind of just need a break from everything, I’ll either pull out my piano or guitar and just play some songs I already know or if I’m up for it, I’ll learn a whole new song,” Meza said. “It’s one of the ways I’m able to just relax and play whatever feels right. Sometimes, I’ll just pull together some random chords and play a pattern of some sort.”

Making a habit of exploring musical instruments, like Meza does, creates excitement in the practice. This generates a purpose in life outside of academics. The wonderful thing about art is how subjective it is. Consequently, there is little desire for the finished result to be of the best quality, as art can be personal, so there is no need for it to be judged.

Leilani Velasco, a first-year landscape architecture major, shared the process of her sketches and how it promotes relaxation.

“You can put on music as a background and go with the flow,” Velasco said. “Drawing, in my opinion, is one of those hobbies that doesn’t require a lot of thought or stress, unless you want it to.”

She claimed that art should be beneficial in an emotional sense. There is a familiar comfort when participating in these activities. When someone associates drawing or music with peace and relaxation, that same soothing feeling resurfaces each time it is exercised. 

Velasco shared other healing aspects that come with the process of creating art.

“For sketches, I like to go ride my bike and go look for buildings I can draw throughout the school. You can sit outside that building for hours and just observe every detail, even everyone that’s walking by. It’s so healing to me, in so many different ways.”

An artistic approach to mitigating stress is not only beneficial, but necessary. It is never too late to make a change in an unhealthy routine and break free from winter’s gloom.

Written by: Juliana Marquez Araujo — features@theaggie.org

Opportunities and advice for those seeking to learn more about the world around them without breaking the bank

By ZOEY MORTAZAVI — features@theaggie.org

Throughout the average college experience, students can often become overwhelmed by their courses and extracurriculars, sometimes losing sight of the kind of learning that cannot be achieved in a classroom: experience, discovery and exposure to different cultures and ways of life. According to many students in Davis, gaining experience and knowledge about lifestyles and cultures beyond our own small college town is crucially important. 

Some of the most memorable experiences for UC Davis students come from taking trips with their friends over the summer. Many of these trips are centered around outdoor activities like skiing, hiking and exploring naturally beautiful parts of the world. 

There are many opportunities where students can reach these locations with their friends, while still being able to work and earn money during the week, as well as explore at their leisure on the weekends. For example, seasonal positions at national parks across the country are always hiring college students for jobs ranging from 1-3 months in duration. These jobs typically entail a 20 to 30-hour work week with free weekends. They also often provide inexpensive housing for employees. 

“I think it’s so important for the younger generation to take advantage of combined travel and work opportunities because it teaches them important life skills like responsibility, empathy and perseverance,” Mikaela Abella, a first-year marine biology major, said. “It’s a completely different environment and way of learning; it positively forces you to tap into these skills, which will really change the way you speak to others and view the world.” 

There are many alternative ways for students to travel while keeping it somewhat affordable. Studying abroad is a very popular option, especially considering that UC Davis offers both educational and internship opportunities abroad. 

A key component of student-based travel affordability is finding programs that operate during the school year so that any financial aid and scholarships can be applied to those programs. Information about UC Davis Study Abroad programs can be found through the Global Learning Hub, as well as on the UC Davis website. 

“I think that traveling during college is really helpful in developing a more holistic worldview, especially if you’re staying in another country for a long time,” Olga Muys, a second-year history major, said. “You get the opportunity to see how people live and work outside the American cultural bubble. That’s something that’s really valuable when you’re a young person figuring out what sort of life you want to lead [and] what sort of values you want to hold for yourself.”

Additionally, there are many programs specifically tailored to fit the needs and schedules of college students. Some of these programs include CEA Study Abroad, as well as CIEE College Study Abroad, among many others. These programs offer a wide variety of scholarship opportunities for students and can be helpful with the planning process, informing students about what they should both expect and contribute in order to succeed while studying abroad.

However, for students looking to make money while still being able to travel during the summer months, there are options aside from working at a fast food restaurant in your hometown. At UC Davis and elsewhere, many are beginning to consider and take advantage of seasonal job opportunities. 

“Landing a seasonal job isn’t just about extra income, though that’s certainly a cherry on top. It’s also about the rich, diverse experiences each role provides,” a FlexJobs article by Adrianne Bibby reads. “Every seasonal job places you in a new role and a different environment where you can hone your skills, tackle fresh challenges, and uncover new roles or duties to explore.”

Through websites such as CoolWorks and Aramark, you can apply to work — which often comes with housing options — for the summer in national parks, resorts and other locations. There are a variety of jobs and places, and it’s a way for students to travel during the summer while still making money. There are also many resources for these types of jobs through the California Department of Parks and Recreation. 

“I think getting a seasonal job in a national park is a great opportunity for students to meet new people from all different types of backgrounds and learn new skills in a hands-on environment, as well as experience the beauty of nature in new places,” Nicole Mayer, a third-year economics major, said. “That’s something you really can’t get in a classroom.”

People at the college level are highly encouraged to consider these kinds of opportunities. So long as students have the time and flexibility to make these kinds of memorable experiences happen, there seems to be a great deal of benefits. 

“The parks need seasonal workers, especially for the busy summer, which offers nature lovers an opportunity to immerse themselves affordably in a beautiful setting and earn some money to boot,” a Washington Post article by Sharon Waters reads.

Seasonal jobs can expose students to financial independence, grant them hands-on work and learning experience and expose them to various work industries. At the college level, studies show that exploring many different career paths can make students more well-rounded, as well as prepare them for the workforce. 

Regardless of the method each student chooses, having the opportunity to gain new skills, getting away from your hometown and ordinary way of life, while still being paid and working while away from home, appears to be a rare and exciting opportunity. Seasonal employment can launch students into productive working environments, and allow them to be stationed in idyllic travel destinations while still helping them save money for their futures. 

Written by: Zoey Mortazavi — features@theaggie.org