For many years, mental health went overlooked. All over the world, countless people silently struggled with conditions like depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts. In many cases feeling thoroughly alone and not knowing where to turn. Fortunately, a lot of progress has been made in recent years, with increasing levels of focus placed on mental health care and more ways for people to deal with these difficult emotions, sensations, and challenges when they arrive. (more…)

Everyone starts out with the best of intentions. Yet, how often do we forget to focus on our priorities? The answer is that even top performers can have their focus yanked away. The good news is that there are some quick tricks anyone can use to stop forgetting their priorities. (more…)

Research shows that people tend to require more leisure time when they are stressed. This extra bit of relaxation is used to boost the drop in mood that can come with excess stress, and the resulting lift in mood can bring a decrease in stress and an increase in productivity and balance. So a reasonable amount of leisure time can be a good way to relieve stress and become more productive. (more…)

You are sound asleep when your alarm startles you from your sweet sleep. While you wake up, stretching and rubbing your eyes, you peep through your room’s window. It’s snowing or even raining. And you have to take a 20-minute walk to your class. You feel disgusted by the journey ahead of you and wonder whether it’s even worth it going to class.

Research done by the University of California, Los Angeles, shows that hot weather damages a student’s learning ability. Every temperature increase by one degree (°F) decreases student performance by 1% a year. Students can, however, use write my essay for me services to get additional help with their essays and other assignments.

Weather and Student Motivation

Studies show that weather correlates with one’s motivation level and mood. It makes sense if you face these difficulties every day you wake up throughout your college career. Who doesn’t want the motivation of going to school along the beach and if it is 85 degrees?

Most international students tend to find challenges in adjusting to the climate of their new destination of study. For instance, a Vietnamese student may find it challenging to adapt to Minnesota’s harsh winters since Vietnam experiences a tropical climate. The same applies to a Scandinavian familiar with dry weather, who will find it difficult to adjust to Indonesia’s year-round humidity.

Research shows that it is not only rising temperatures that affect the academic success of students. Spring, summer, shine, rain, cold, hot – they can all impact someone’s college practice, studies, or otherwise.

For international students, lack of knowledge on dressing during drier climates or winter only causes frustration. This frustration wrecks one’s inspiration and mood. Studies have proven that high levels of humidity can lead to college students’ loss of focus and increase sleepiness. Another study found that high humidity causes a drop in joy, vigor, and affection.

Yet, there are reports of less anxiety and skepticism with more sunshine, feeling less pessimistic about life. Childcare professionals and teachers report that children are louder than usual due to the dark, dreary weather.

They have also said that students have a sense of depression or gloom. For most teachers, this could be a dreadful experience that they might not quantify. They’re sure that particular weather causes the worst behavior in many students – for which they are correct.

Many students might come to school cold or wet during winter, causing a lack of concentration and frustration. Together with a lack of regular exercise that enables learners to generate some energy, tensions could boil.

Extreme Weather Affects Learning

Apart from the seasonal bad weather that affects students, some severe weather episodes shake classroom learning. If you walk into a classroom full of learners when thunder strikes, you will notice that everyone will stop and then converse about the noise.

It takes some minutes, and then when it strikes again, the process recurs. When a student looks out through the window and sees rain or the first snowfall of that season, it can cause every student in that classroom to peep out the window. This whole bad weather thing is very disruptive.

Also, winter blues affect many people. A diagnosable syndrome, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) associates with a lack of sunlight exposure during winter. There are many theories on light therapy helping SAD patients, which evidence is hard to get. Physicians have ideas on treating SAD patients and use antidepressants for various patients.

For international students, carrying out more research on climate and climate changes throughout the year is a helpful and significant start. Speaking to former students or seniors from similar home countries will be perfect.

They would offer you first-hand information on their personal experience on how to adapt to the host country from your home country. Also, they could provide a valuable tip on how you can best adapt to such an environment.

Final Thoughts

Be aware that despite the climate’s significant effect on your experience while in college, it should not decide the college you will attend and the time to do so. Keep in mind other important concerns such as graduation rates, access to professors, and teaching quality whenever you choose your college to study abroad.