After dealing with a winter for the record books and with spring’s official arrival on Friday, Seton Hall students are looking for the first sign of spring weather to leave the frigid months in the past.
Something else students hope will become a thing of the past are their “winter uglies.”
Dry, flaky skin, dull, frizzy hair, low energy, and no motivation. These are all signs of the “winter uglies,” a TikTok trend about the lulls people go through during the coldest months of the year.
With spring on the horizon, SHU students give a glimpse into their struggles with “winter uglies,” how they are planning their “spring glow-ups,” and the role social media plays in it all.
‘Winter Uglies’
The experience for most SHU students this winter is relatively similar, with most excited to exit the season and the lulls it brings.
Johanna Garcia, a sophomore physical therapy major, said “winter uglies” are something that she resonates with a lot.
Both mentally and physically, Garcia said she feels the toll of the winter months.
“I get so freaking sad, which makes me lazy with my work and with my health,” Garcia said.
Even when it comes to everyday routines like clothing choice and getting to class, Garcia said winter is a struggle. In winter, she is “booking it through the UC, through Schwartz” to get to class, while sporting her coat.
“All I wear is my big black puffer jacket… like no,” Garcia said. “After winter, I clean out my closet, and those clothes go far away.”
Amaya McKnight, a junior film major, said she also does not care about her clothes or physical appearance as much during the winter months.
“The cold is not meant for your best outfits,” McKnight said. “It doesn’t matter what you have under your layers as long as you’re warm.”
Despite enjoying the holiday season, after Christmas, McKnight said she feels like a “whole different person,” and her mind goes blank until March hits and she feels better mentally.
“The sun goes down so early, and you’re in bed thinking, ‘I did nothing today,’ but the day didn’t end, it just feels like it did,” McKnight said. “It’s easy to feel isolated, even when people are interacting with you and everything.”
Daniel Duran, a freshman nursing major, said he feels similarly, not socializing as much during the colder weather.
“In the winter, I feel unmotivated and that leads to me not taking care of myself as much,” Duran said. “I’m just in my room, so I don’t even talk to people as much.”
Duran also said he relates to the struggles of getting up and going to class when it’s cold and windy outside.
“Just getting up in the morning and throwing together a fit is so tedious,” Duran said. “Then you have to walk across campus in the freezing cold and take off your layers once you’re inside because it’s hot—it’s just a really long process.”
Victoria Shamis, a senior psychology major, said her mental state and overall mood when it comes to interacting with others in and out of the classroom takes a nosedive in the winter.
“I think everyone can relate to not feeling their best when it’s cold out,” Shamis said. “So, when it’s warm, everyone bands together and it’s a nice time.”
This, however, is not the sentiment for all, as some said they don’t claim their “winter uglies.”
Paolo Reyes, a junior biology and philosophy major, said he appreciates parts of winter despite his dropped motivation.
“I feel like during the winter, I look better because I can layer more and style more clothes,” Reyes said. “But when everything’s dead, cloudy and depressed, you can feel that in the air.”
While Reyes said his motivation drops, he still tries to stay on top of everything mentally and physically.
“During the winter, I still go to the gym, just not as much,” Reyes said.
Abigale Giordano, a sophomore political science and philosophy major, said she does not like the idea of her being uglier in the winter.
“I definitely have less motivation and put on makeup, but I don’t think that means I have the ‘winter uglies,’” Giordano said.
Spring ‘Glow-ups’
After winter comes spring, and most find themselves looking for ways to rejuvenate their energy in and out of the classroom.
For McKnight, that energy comes straight from the sun.
“Any time there’s sun, I don’t care if it’s cold, I’m going outside,” McKnight said. “Even just breathing air, it’s so important.”
Giordano said being outside and taking in the fresh air brings her joy during the spring, too.
“I journal in my free time, so in the spring I get to go outside and do it with friends, rather than just sitting inside by myself,” Giordano said.
Recently, during the days following spring break, a warm weather front hit New Jersey for the first time since the fall semester, allowing students to grasp a glimpse of spring weather for a day or two that was forthcoming.
“Those three days it was warm outside–it was the most people I’ve ever seen outside,” Garcia said. “When everyone was out on the green, that was one of the best days of the school year.”
Seeing people on the green is what Garcia said motivates her to be outside and be with others, especially to do her work outside.
“I’m always outside,” Garcia said. “Vitamin D makes me feel so much better about life.”
Garcia said she also starts eating better and going to the gym more as the temperature rises.
“You know what’s after spring?” Garcia said. “Summer. It’s all meant for hot girl summer.”
Diet and exercise get better in the spring for Reyes, too, saying that spring weather “makes [him] naturally want to work harder.”
“During the summer is when I’m really trying to work out and look good because of the sun,” Reyes said. “During winter, you’re always inside, so who cares? Spring is the transition between.”
Something Duran said he does to get out of his winter habits is taking more time for himself while preparing for the day.
“My habits are better and I’m happier when I can get up early and see the sun,” Duran said.
Along with spring comes community, Duran said, and seeing others out more and sticking to their habits makes it easier for him.
Social Media’s Impact
There seems to be a difference between the influence that students see in real life, and those they see online.
With the weather warming up and spring break being an infamous part of college culture, it lends itself to be a prime time for posting on social media, celebrating the departure from winter and the uglies it brings.
Students find themselves divided on how positive the influence of social media and the ideas of “glow-ups” are.
Seeing others on social media makes Duran jealous, he said.
“A lot of people see on social media other parts of the world, and they have different weather, so I’ll see people enjoying their lives outside when it’s super nice when I’m here studying in minus temperatures,” Duran said.
For McKnight, she said she can understand the struggles people have with social media.
“It’s easy to forget you’ve done things when you look at other people,” McKnight said.
Especially when everything already seems so drab, McKnight said social media can be the final factor on top of the bad weather and unmotivated mood to make her feel less than.
In her experience, McKnight said TikTok seems to be a place that has more optimism and ideas to better yourself, while Instagram leaves you comparing yourself to others. Reyes also feels that social media impacts how one perceives one’s own life.
“Seeing other people looking good and living it up in the spring makes you want to do that,” Reyes said. “Even if social media is a little fake, it’s still in the back of your mind.”
As for glow-ups, Reyes said he finds them to be empowering.
“It makes you feel good about yourself, and it boosts your ego a bit, which is pretty necessary after winter,” Reyes said.
However, Shamis felt the opposite and said she thinks glow-ups are often a negative and pressurizing idea to fit the status quo.
“The term is usually used to refer to people in a physical way, and I don’t think people should have to deal with that pressure,” Shamis said.
Over time, Giordano said she’s seen pressure to be outside when it’s nice and post about it, but it’s something she has gotten better at handling as she has grown up.
“Personally, I love posting when I go out and sharing my experiences, but do I think there is a mental pressure around it,” Giordano said. “You just have to learn the difference between doing something because of that pressure and when you actually want to go outside and do it for yourself.”
“Why would you let anyone take away your sparkle?” she added.
Social media plays a big role in every aspect of life nowadays, but Garcia tries to remain self-reliant when it comes to her confidence.
“I still think most of it is within myself, trying to be better and feel better for myself,” Garcia said.
As for seeing other people “glow-up” online, Garcia sees it as motivation.
“We’re all trying to glow up together,” Garcia said. “I see a baddie, so I want to be a baddie.”
Solomon Lee is the advertising manager for The Setonian. He can be reached at solomon.lee@student.shu.edu.
