Lately it has been raining a lot, and the time has come where the sun is already disappearing at 4 o’clock.. and that is just the beginning of the winter months. It can get easy at this time to stay in more, feel isolated and too tired to make the effort to do something fun.
I’m also struggling with the early darkness and the constant tiredness, so I have been trying to make an effort to do things that make me enjoy these cold and rainy months. I thought I’d share some of them with you, and hopefully they will get you in a cozy winter mood.
An absolute favourite thing for me to do at this time, is having Harry Potter movie marathons leading up to Christmas. Especially when it’s getting darker, and colder outside the franchise brings the right amount of magic into my otherwise hectic days. This really is not restricted to a weekend evening, but if you really don’t want to leave your bed on a rainy Sunday, it might just be the thing to go for. I found that all of my class mates are big fans of the movies and books as well, so for a few weeks now we have been watching one movie a week together, enjoying each others company and loads of snacks. So maybe ask some of your classmates or friends if they are really into a movie series and make a weekly meet up out of it. It’s so nice to get your mind off of classes and responsibilities sometimes, and dive into a whole different world.
No cozy weekend is complete without a cup of coffee or fika. Not every weekend has to be full packed with activities, it might be nice to just meet a friend for a good cup of coffee or tea and enjoy some baked goods or lunch together. If you want to enjoy lunch with your coffee I would recommend checking out Babettes Kafferi. The place is extremely homey, but also very popular on Saturdays, and closed on Sundays. I also really enjoy the coffee at Simons Rosteri. They do not have loads of vegan choices when it comes to food though, in case that’s important to you. If you want to catch some sunlight while enjoying some food or coffee check out Tropikhuset Restaurang & Café.
Tripikhuset
Simons Rosteri
Babettes
If you have some work to catch up on on the weekends, try to make your workspace a place where you actually like to work. Doing uni work on the weekend is never fun, but if it is really necessary then try to do it in an environment where you can work as efficiently as possible, so you have enough time to rest afterwards. Personally I like to go to uni to do work, so I don’t associate my room with working all the time. But if I stay home to get some stuff done, I like to make my space as light and homey as is possible, to help me feel more productive (than I really am).
Making use of every bit of sunlight
I feel like taking a little stroll, either around the city centre to see some shops, or in nature make being home afterwards even more cozy. It is healthy to get out a little to get some movement and fresh air, and it gives a little feeling of accomplishment to have been outside, when all you might have wanted to do is stay inside!
When being outside comes with the perks of seeing truly stunning sights:
Sunset at Tinnerö
Browsing around shops in the city centre
Last but not least: Dinner out with friends! I love trying out new restaurants and think it’s super fun to explore new places and great food. Last weekend I went to Pizzeria Adriatic with some friends and the pizza was really good! They had a lot of vegan options, which made us check out the restaurant in the first place.
Vegan Cacciatore
Anyway, I hope you’re all doing well and you are coping with the early darkness and rainy days. Make sure to socialize and go outside even when it is not so tempting, I promise it helps so much to be active and busy.
Take care, talk to you soon, //M
