“Dopamine Decorating”: Creating Colorful Surroundings to Boost Your Mood

Dear 1L,

I thought of you as I woke today.
A still-dark scene on my window bay.
Forever it took for the sun to arise,
And away it did go then, long before 5.
So while, on exams, you’ve a one-track eye,
Please do this ONE thing for me.
Here is the why:

❤️‍🩹 Up to 40% of you will graduate with mental health problems.

That’s the prediction.
That is a LOT.
And it doesn’t rhyme because it’s sobering.

So PLEASE take preventative measures.

One way to do this is “dopamine decorating”: creating colorful surroundings to boost your mood.

You are going to be cooped up somewhere for incredibly long spans of time over these next several weeks.

Please do not do it in a dimly lit room.

—Do you have enough light in your work area?

—What about color to balance the outdoor gloom?

—And are you getting outside during the daylight hours? (Maybe to exercise?)

These things are all critical.
Please consider them and be proactive.
(I worry about all of you!)

💌 Amanda

P.S. As for me, I know that I need to ward off winter blues. Pictured is my current preventative setup.

What might YOU do to brighten the mood in your own study space?

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