With December, we are in the final stretches of 2025. The weather has gotten colder, the leaves have fallen, and the fall semester, which had just started, is almost over (just got to get through finals). However, something about this time of year brings about a different feeling in me. Aside from the joys of the upcoming holiday season and break, the stresses of finals, and the year-end, there is a lot of room for reflection. Why is this the case? What is it about this time of year that leads to introspection and nostalgia?
Firstly, for girlies like me, they always have a lot going on. Not only are we living in the moment, but constantly mapping out the next steps. However, with the cold, we are forced inside literally and metaphorically. Winter forces you to adapt and to slow down. Of course, that is difficult with the holidays almost upon us and the trenches known as finals that we have to cross, but there is that inherent need to want to pause and look back for a second. “How did I do? Who did I lose? Did I achieve everything I wanted to this year? Why is this one thing from March still bothering me? What went wrong? What should I do differently in the future?” These are all thoughts that run through my mind and, dare I say, through other people’s minds too, especially prior to the new year.
Another reason why this season hits you differently and hits you hard is that even though you want to take things slow, work keeps piling up. Academic burnout is on the ris,e and everyone’s infected. The thrill of the new semester, such as seeing your friends and embarking on your college journey, has sort of passed. Now the semester is just about completing all your assignments, submitting the group projects, studying for finals, holding up your grades, and just managing to eat and sleep adequately in the midst of all of that. With the changing of the seasons, everything catches up with you; your brain is tired, your emotions are running high, and you recognize burnout but are forced to push through. That is why you want it to be quiet, and you just want some time to breathe.
Another key factor is the holidays. Holidays typically symbolize family and community. Many eagerly wait for the winter break to be able to go home. You’re literally counting down the days until you can go back, but in the meantime, all you can think of is your bed at home, your mom’s (or dad’s) cooking, and catching up with your friends back home. This leads to a very strong sense of urgency to get through the semester. It’s hard to explain, and even if you don’t want to go home, winter triggers this primal longing for comfort.
One possible explanation of why this season hits different is because of its aesthetic. All my fellow Pinterest enthusiasts know that winter is very emotionally coded and nostalgic. The holiday lights, the cozy blankets, the hot drinks, coupled with earlier sunsets, old memories, and an older you. Everything is cinematic, and everything has a meaning attached. The vibes of winter force you to reconnect with yourself, what makes you fulfilled, and reflect. You start to realize how much has shifted and how much you’ve changed. This season is like my Spotify Wrapped, except strictly for memories and internal thoughts. It is a seasonal reset where you take the best and the worst from the year and sit with it until the year ends.
