Soup, Salad, and Soul is a student-led group that meets every Friday from 12:15-1:00 p.m. in the Bodman Lounge of the Helen Hills Hills Chapel. We always have an amazing home cooked meal by three student chefs. In this series, Fallon Sullivan ’28 will explore the topics discussed at each meeting, taking quotes from students and thinking through her own relationship to the topic. In each piece, she will examine the ways in which the conversation changed perspectives and emotions, for both herself and others.
This week, Tosia and Lily led us in a discussion about how we take care of ourselves when the weather gets cold. While some people were very excited for winter, some people expressed some anxiety about their moods and mental states when it starts to get cold. To start, Tosia and Lily asked about things we liked about fall and winter. People talked about warm foods and drinks, like soup, hot chocolate, and cider. Some people love the landscape, like the changing trees, the cold, the filtered sunlight, the first snow, fall crops, and the smell of the seasons. Others talked about their favorite winter experiences, like wearing cozy clothes and winter fashion, curling up under a blanket and sleeping deeply, participating in snow sports like snowboarding, and taking everything slower.
Though we all had different things about winter that we liked, there were a variety of different feelings about the season as a whole. Some people came from places where there weren’t actual winters (like me!), so winter was a new and exciting experience. For some, the cold makes them feel alert and energized. Certain people feel more connected to the community, since the harsh winter encourages people to stay close to their loved ones, physically and emotionally, for warmth. Nola ‘29 talked about Santa Lucia, a tradition she participated in, where on the darkest day of the year, people gather and sing songs and participate in other activities. This offered a nice place for community, whereas in a city or more fast paced community, “people were obsessed with keeping the same pace.” Everyone agreed that winter has a slower pace, but there were different interpretations of that. For some, the slowness brings negativity and burdens. Many people agreed that it is hard to leave the house when it gets dark so early. Though I enjoy some parts of winter, I brought up how the later winter months drag on. It feels like everything blends together, and it’s very hard to feel motivated or inspired. Others liked the slowness of winter, and connected it to different traditions. Lucy ‘26 told us about fika, a Swedish tradition where you take time to slow down during the day and eat slowly with friends. People spoke about taking baths, knitting, writing poetry, and doing other activities that allow you to slow down. People were excited to make their living spaces warm and cozy, with warm, twinkling lights, and soft blankets. There was also a lot of excitement around winter clothing.
Coming from a very warm and sunny state, I am always excited for winter. It is such a different experience from what I am used to. I experienced my first snow ever last year! While I was very excited for winter, March was very hard for me. I was so excited for sunlight, and I didn’t even notice how much I missed it until we had our first warm and sunny day. The hardest part for me was how different every day was. It would be warm one day, and snow the next day. That definitely threw me for a loop. I am still getting used to the weather, but it is a new experience for me, which is always exciting!
