by Anna Fofana
The winter blues are a common feeling amongst many people during the cold months but the coronavirus has changed the way people have experienced the season.
Sophomore Erin Gonzales lives in California, where the weather is typically sunny outside, even during the wintertime. Despite this, she felt like not having too much to do was a bit of drag. While she felt that prior to COVID, she was still able to see her friends more but now, she feels lonely because she has to follow the guidelines to keep her and her friends safe.
“I really wanted my friends from Purchase to come out to Cali,” Gonzales said.
Unlike Gonzales, sophomore Ariela Ziu is not from somewhere where it's sunny all the time. Ziu lives in the Bronx where it tends to get darker early during the winter and not being able to see her friends and family has really affected her.
Usually during the winter, Ziu usually goes to visit her family in Virginia where she would bake cookies, sing Christmas carols and do various snow activities. Lately, Ziu has been doing activities to keep herself from going stir crazy from being indoors.
“I have done things such as yoga, exercise, journaling, and meditating," Ziu said. “You are focusing on something else besides everything that is going on right now.”
Similarly to Ziu, Eryn Harris has also been mostly spending time with her family and doing things to keep herself sane. Harris has used her time at home to learn new recipes, such as broccoli cheddar soup. Typically during the winter, she would meet up with her high school friends or go see a production that her high school was hosting.
During the winter break, junior Peter Moriarty had been spending a lot of time with his family. Due to the limitations of the pandemic, the family time in his house has increased; he has been doing activities such as watching "Jeopardy" or visiting his brother in his apartment. On his own time, he would also play video games, workout or go to work.
Moriarty experienced the winter blues throughout the week, there is only so much to do while balancing school and work.
“It’s frustrating being in your 20’s and having a pandemic to deal with,” Moriarty said.