Gloomy weather, loneliness, mysterious illnesses and academic pressures. How could someone enjoy this time of year? Back-to-back hardships are what make winter the most inferior season. 

I don’t know if it’s the absence of sunlight, feeling deserted or maybe even the lack of exercise but, according to The American Psychiatric Association, “About 5% of adults in the U.S. experience SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and it typically lasts about 40% of the year.”

SAD, better known as seasonal depression, can be categorized as “a type of depression characterized by a recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about 4−5 months out of the year.” by The Nation Institute of Mental Health.

To the people who thought winter made them sad for no reason, now you have a reason!

Some individuals advertise winter as a season of joy and wonder but in reality, it’s the perfect time to realize all you have lost, whether it’s close friends, family members or perhaps a long-lost pet. Festivities are the hardest time to navigate loss. 

With the combination of the dry air and being indoors, it’s the easiest time of the year to pass illnesses. Family medicine doctor Matthew Goldman, MD explains, “Illnesses are more common in the winter because contaminated respiratory droplets travel more easily in dry air when an ill person coughs or sneezes. Plus, people tend to gather indoors when it’s cold outside (and for the holidays), making it easier for germs to spread from person to person.” 

Another reason winter is the toughest season is all of the academic pressures. Midterm testing causes a lot of unnecessary stress to all students. These exams can be twice as worse if the student struggles with test anxiety.

 According to Nemours Teen Health, “Test anxiety is that nervous feeling you may get when you’re about to take a test. It’s normal to feel some pressure before an exam. But for some people, the worries are so strong that they can’t concentrate and don’t do as well as they’d like.”

With all of these struggles, there’s no question that winter is the worst season!