Beat Them Winter Blues
By Brid Hanrahan
With the Halloween festivities over it’s starting to feel like winter. And I must say it’s not a feeling I’m enjoying, assignments are starting to pile up and exam season is looming, add the early dark evenings and some rain to the mix and I just want to go hibernate in my bed. Adjusting to winter can be hard so here are some ideas to help beat the winter blues.
Coldvember
Coldvember is an annual student led initiative, were every morning people gather at Salthilll at sunrise to take a dip in the sea. Running for the month of November the goal is to boost moral while raising funds for cancer care west. Nothing sets up your day like a cold water dip at sunrise followed by some tunes and a hot drink! Follow their Instagram @coldvember for more details.
Make Some Hearty Soup
Cooking as a student can be hard, but there’s nothing like a hot bowl of soup to warm up after a long day. And its surprisingly simple and cheap to make! This Carrot and Lentil soup is my autumn favourite. I recommend making a full batch and freezing some (your future self will thank you). Easy Carrot Lentil Soup (30 Minutes)
Cosy Up with a Book and a Hot Drink
Nothing says cosy like curling up in a blanket with a good book. It’s a great way to embrace the rainy evenings. Check out Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop located in the Cornstore on Middle Street it’s a labyrinth of rooms packed from floor to ceiling with books. The claim to have over 100,000 books, both new and second hand so you are sure to find a book to suit. Pair it with a cup of tea or hot chocolate for extra cosiness.
Join a Society
If the winter evenings feel long, why not shorten them by joining one of the many societies or clubs. It never to late in the semester to join and it’s a great way to meet like minded people and make new friends.
Go to the Cinema
While it’s easier than ever to watch a movie at home, there’s something about a cinema trip that just feels like a treat. Check out the Galway film festival running every weekend until the 1st of December. Galway Film Society Autumn/Winter 2024 season | Pálás Cinema Galway Ireland
Study in a Café
It’s getting to the time where seats in the library can be hard to find. Change it up by bringing your work to a café, sometimes a change of study location can do wonders. I might be biased but I think Galway has some of the best coffee shops, get some inspiration here; 8 Best Cafes In Galway In 2024
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I stuck a dry robe, flip-flops and a thermos by the door for Coldvember at Salthill, because the walk back in wet togs sounds worse than the dip. Then I made a double batch of carrot and lentil soup and froze four containers. While comparing a few of the better AI tools for sorting my study week, I realised the soup and sunrise plan were the actual fix.
Coldvember is billed as every morning in November at Salthill — is that literally sunrise, seven days a week, or just weekdays? The walk back in wet togs sounds worse than the dip, so what's the dry-robe-and-thermos system people actually use? A grow-your-own garden value list is the sort of small planning that keeps cheap soup batches going, but I still want the post-swim logistics.
Coldvember’s sunrise dip at Salthill needs a post-swim plan the post skips: dry robe, flip-flops, and a thermos, because the wind on the walk back bites harder than the water. For rainy evenings when library seats vanish, I’ve been killing twenty offline minutes with a print-your-own cursive worksheet maker instead of another scroll. Add Charlie Byrne’s 100,000 books and the Carrot and Lentil soup batch-freeze, and winter feels less like hibernation.