How to beat the January blues

Getting out there. Participating in campus activities all year round.
Football vs. Oklahoma State, Photo by Hue Herrick

Rhapsody in Blue (George Gershwin), Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (Willie Nelson), Kind of Blue (Miles Davis), Blue's Clues, NYPD Blue, The Blues Brothers, Blue Velvet and more. American culture is saturated with "blue." There is an entire genre of music named around it. We use the word to describe sadness, longing, depth and emotional weight, but also beauty and reflection. "Blue" is widely understood metaphor and rarely needs explanation.

But lately, one more "blue" has been getting attention: Blue January. And within it, the third Monday of the month is sometimes referred to as Blue Monday.

What is Blue January?

A few weeks after the close of the holiday season, people are back at work and back in routine. The light outside is just starting to linger a smidge longer, but it's still dark before and after typical working hours. Winter can feel especially heavy this time of year, even without snow: dense fog, inversion, rain and shorter bursts of sunshine. All the holiday merriment has come at a cost, and now the bills are beginning to show up, often at the same moment people feel a stronger urge to rest.

For some, the holidays were joyful and full. For others, they were difficult, marked by loneliness, strained family dynamics, or having no one to celebrate with at all. Either way, January has a way of slowing things down. Connection can take a pause, replaced by hunkering down and waiting for spring to arrive. It's a familiar feeling, and one many people recognize.

So, if "Blue January" names the feeling, it also opens the door to a question: what actually helps during this stretch of winter?

Landrum's insights

According to Boise State Distinguished Professor of Psychology Eric Landrum, the answer often has less to do with fixing our mood and more to do with how connected we feel to others. "We are social beings by design," Landrum said. "We all need human contact. We all need human connection." When daylight is limited and routines tighten, those points of connection can thin out.

Landrum notes that this can create a particular kind of loneliness that "isn't about being alone so much as feeling outside of regular connection." January amplifies that feeling. Social gatherings slow down. People retreat inward. The world narrows a bit. Yet connection continues to be important, and often harder to initiate when retreating indoors.

Rather than treating Blue January as something to endure or push past, it can be more helpful to approach it as a shared season that benefits from intentional community. At Boise State, that means noticing how many opportunities already exist to move together, essentially by re-engaging with the campus and city around us. In other words, shifting from blue as something heavy to "Bronco Blue," a collective way of supporting one another through midwinter and engaging in the tremendous location we have, one small step at a time.

One of the most accessible ways to begin is through movement. Research consistently shows that physical activity supports mental health, even at modest levels. Walking, stretching, swimming or light strength training can help regulate stress and improve mood. Importantly, exercise does not need to be intense or time-consuming to be effective. As Landrum puts it, "Trying something compared to trying nothing" can make a meaningful difference.

Boise State offers many low-barrier ways to build movement into the day. Campus Recreation provides access to fitness spaces, aquatics, group classes, a climbing gym and outdoor programs.

Employees are also eligible for Wellness Release Time, which allows up to 60 minutes per week, with supervisor approval, to focus on health and wellbeing during the workday.

For some, that might mean a class or a quick swim. For others, it may be as simple as a walk across campus, through Julia Davis Park, or along the Greenbelt. It's especially refreshing when paired with a colleague, and helps to lower cortisol, the stress hormone. Boise State also supports bicycling by intentionally designing bike infrastructure throughout campus.

On community

Movement, however, is only part of the picture. Community is the other half. Landrum emphasizes that while digital communication has its place, it is not the same experience as being together in person. "Digital friendship is not the same as face-to-face," Landrum added. Small, shared moments such as a meal, a walk or attending something together often provide a deeper sense of connection than we realize.

Community doesn't require large events or full calendars. Landrum points out that time is one of the most significant barriers to connection. He said, "There's no substitute for time. There's no shortcut." Making room for community often means simplifying or filtering other external time-grabbers elsewhere. It's a choice. "The more often we say no," he adds, "the more we carve time for the potential of community building."

On campus, those moments can take many forms. The Games Center offers a casual, social space for bowling, billiards, and table games, and how often does one pencil it in? Perhaps the beginning of 2026 calls for a Blue January cure, doing things not often remembered at the front of mind.

Albertsons Library provides a quieter form of community for those who recharge best alongside others. Making time for creating in the MakerLab can turn Blue January into spring using your own garden of ideas.

Walking meetings, across campus, through the park, or over the bridge, can turn working conversations into opportunities for connection and movement at the same time. As a bonus, it can stimulate ideas and enhance memory.

On the arts and other activities

Fine Arts Building, Center for Visual Arts Building, Photo by Emma Thompson

The arts also play an important role in how we process emotion and find renewal, especially in slower seasons. Research shows that engaging with art and music can support mental health, reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing, whether through active participation or quiet observation. Large-scale reviews of arts engagement have found consistent links between creative experiences and reduced anxiety, improved mood and greater emotional resilience, even outside of clinical settings.

Importantly, participation doesn't have to be active to be meaningful. Studies examining museum visits and visual art exposure suggest that simply spending time with art: walking through a gallery, observing color and form, or allowing the mind to wander, can lower stress and support psychological wellbeing. And good news: Boise State employees receive free admission to the Boise Art Museum with a Bronco Card.

Music shows similar benefits, with research indicating that listening and reflective engagement can reduce stress and anxiety. The Morrison Center for the Performing Arts offers opportunities to attend performances in music, theater, and dance, with select free tickets to student performances and discounted options available. Additional campus concerts and performances, as well as athletic and other community building events at ExtraMile Arena and other venues, can be found through Boise State's events calendar.

Blue January doesn't need to feel ominous when we can turn it around and build community. Instead, this stretch of winter can be acknowledged as a slower season, one that benefits from shared understanding, a few, small steps and intentional connection. By meeting it together through moving our bodies, engaging our minds and reconnecting in ways that feel realistic, human, and supportive throughout the season and beyond.

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