There are a handful of complaints that will crop up in any rant about Dartmouth: Collis is always overcrowded, we're in the middle of nowhere, we have too much work.
But above all others, one gripe has stood the test of time: It's miserably cold in Hanover.
The polar ice caps may be melting at record rates, and the rest of the world might be reaching new high temperatures every year, but Hanover remains immune from global warming. It's cold in fall. It's horribly, brutally, painfully cold in winter. And it's still cold in spring. For months, the sky turns gray, the ground is covered in snow and we all hide under the covers.
While the bitter cold is enough to put anyone in a bad mood, for some, the change in Hanover seasons can be more than a mere nuisance.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a diagnosable problem in which depressive feelings occur during periods of bad weather, according to Jocelyn Krauss '10, vice president of Active Minds.
Active Minds is determined as a group to destigmatize SAD and serve as a liaison between the counseling and human development office at Dick's House and students, the group's president, Ali Peterson '10, said. Active Minds works to help students find resources to deal with SAD and other mental illness concerns, she said.
"Many of us probably felt that groggy feeling last Saturday [during Homecoming]." Krauss said. "It was cloudy, dark and rainy outside, and everyone I talked to felt like they couldn't move all day. Those are feeling everyone gets on gloomy days. But when you're in a place where there are gloomy days, that one day of feeling down can turn into weeks or months for individuals with SAD it can be a snowball effect."
Heather Earle, associate director of counseling and human development at Dick's House, said that the symptoms of SAD often resemble those of "major depression," and can include increased sadness, higher irritability, increased anxiety, increased sleep, lack of energy and difficulty concentrating.
"When these symptoms start around the same time each year the fall-winter months and remit around the same time each year March or April it can be an indicator that one is experiencing SAD," Earle said in an e-mail to The Dartmouth Mirror.
The D-Plan allows some to head for warmer climates when things in Hanover get especially grim. But for others who are stuck here during the dreary winter days, there are resources that can help remedy SAD symptoms, including full-spectrum light boxes and sun lamps that can be rented from Dick's House.
Dan Leopold '10 purchased a sun lamp during his freshman year at the College.
"After having experienced a few episodes of depression with seasonal affective disorder, I decided to purchase a lamp with the hopes of improving my mood and energy," he said.
For Leopold, the change of season was accompanied by feelings of depression.
"The lack of time outdoors, activity and sunshine all had an effect on me. I simply found that I was less energetic, didn't feel as rested as usual, was more irritable and didn't get the same enjoyment out of activities that I used to," he said.
To remedy his symptoms, Leopold uses the lamp preemptively during the fall and throughout the winter, although he said he has yet to use it this year.
"The best times to use the lamp are during the morning for about 15 to 20 minutes," he said. "I would wake up in the morning and check Blitz while sitting next to my lamp for about 15 minutes every morning."
After some time, Leopold said he noticed that he was more rested, sleeping better and more enthusiastic about each day.
"It became a habit that helped my mood and overall quality of daily life," he said.
A female member of the Class of 2012, who wishes to remain anonymous due to the personal nature of the issue, said she did not see the same results after using a sun lamp.
"I noticed during January a severe mood change in every part of my life," she said. "I always knew I wasn't the biggest cold weather and winter fan, but last year was the first time it became apparent."
The student's undergraduate advisor recommended a sun lamp, and although the student left it on for 45 minutes each night, the student said she never felt its effects.
"Honestly I felt no difference. It did give me headaches though," she said.
Krauss said that this student may have seen reduced effectiveness from the sun lamp because it was used at night instead of in the morning, as is recommended.
"One important thing about sun lamps is to know how they work and use them correctly," Krauss said. "They aren't guaranteed to make you happy or give you energy. They might just give you more of a positive outlook for the day."
In addition to sun lamps, Earle recommended trying to get exposure to natural sunlight, eating healthily, exercising on a regular basis and trying to go to bed and wake up at the same times each day as methods to find relief from SAD.
Leopold describes his SAD as "a double edged sword a blessing and a curse."
"I've learned a lot about myself through the experience, have grown to possess a wide variety of tools to better take control of my life and have helped others to do the same," he said. "These conditions are very common, and it's important that anyone who isn't feeling like their typical self take action to do something about it."
