When the winter months begin and the sun starts setting earlier, there is a temptation to hibernate, and completing everyday tasks seems drab. The cold demotivates us and we often sit in bed all day instead of going out. For many of us, the added pressure of school is no help in trying to escape this burnout, however, a new viral trend might be the solution. The winter arc is a challenge popularized on TikTok by creator Carley Berges. She has been sharing her own experience and has set up guidelines and goals that this time period will complete. The winter arc is a period to focus on personal growth and goals, often starting on October 1st and ending on January 1st. This gives participants three months, or 90 days until the end of the year to work on themselves and improve their daily activities to start the new year on a good note. The activities range from getting into reading, working out, and even meeting new people. For Berges, her activities consisted of reading 4 books, practicing Spanish three times a week, going to bed no later than 10:30, and going to the gym four times a week. Berges has caused this movement to take social media by storm and hundreds of people have started documenting their journeys to better themselves.
Despite the overwhelming support, the trend has received criticism. Some have said this trend is too limiting and causes burnout rather than helping it. People have also countered that the winter arc is ineffective. They state there shouldn’t be a specific “starting point”, and people should work on themselves year-round. Being diligent only in the winter sets people up for future failure because it allows them to be inactive for the months that are not included in this challenge. In the eyes of the critics, short-term health does not benefit the individual. Instead, long-term health habits can help improve the quality of a person’s life. In all, the Winter Arc can be seen as either a newfound motivation for these difficult, cold months or, a strict and impractical challenge. Will you be giving it a try?
