Winter Arc Challenge PDF

October 20, 2024 **What is a Winter Arc?** *By Emma Robinson (https://cornellsun.com/author/emmarobinson/)* Since the beginning of October a new trend has **emerged** called **the Winter Arc**. With the end of the year **looming**, the busy holidays approaching and the weather worsening, people o...

October 20, 2024 **What is a Winter Arc?** *By Emma Robinson (https://cornellsun.com/author/emmarobinson/)* Since the beginning of October a new trend has **emerged** called **the Winter Arc**. With the end of the year **looming**, the busy holidays approaching and the weather worsening, people often **revert back to** bad habits that they will not address until the new year. Instead of falling into this trap, the trend of the Winter Arc pushes us to make the most of what is traditionally **a time of unwinding and laziness**.  Now what does this **reaffirmation** look like? Most influencers have shown their Winter Arc routine to involve health and fitness goals such as going on the stair stepper for 30 minutes everyday or eating only whole foods. Others **focus on mental pursuits** such as spending time reading, journalling, or meditating. The most ambitious are aiming to do all these things by waking up at 5 a.m., while still getting nine hours of sleep. Now many of you may be thinking this is just another trend **promoting hustle culture** and unrealistic expectations, which may be somewhat true. However, I would argue that there is more to this trend than **meets the eye**. The Winter Arc is about **setting goals** for yourself, like many do in the new year, and **sticking to them** without outside support cheering you on. It means **reinventing yourself** or even just **bettering yourself** in some way without the expectation that anyone else is going to notice or care.  What is my Winter Arc going to consist of? I am already good at going to the gym, but I am planning to eat healthier to **better fuel my mind and body**. I am also going to work at the library instead of **rotting in my bed** between the end of classes and dinner (catch me in the Cocktail Lounge). I will be aiming to read more and **focus on my stress management**. However, **I think my biggest Winter Arc goal is to focus more on what I think has value and less on what others promote**. I think this is the core of the Winter Arc trend. It means doing things for yourself and only for yourself. This could be simply eating a high protein breakfast or doing that extra hour of work at the library before **calling it a day**. It could mean setting that time limit on your phone and not just ignoring it every time the notification pops up (we are all guilty of this). Basically, your Winter Arc could consist of anything that requires you **to show up for yourself** and build the life you want.  In order to maximize your Winter Arc, I recommend finding a new place to do work or joining a new study group. Anything that can make your same **mundane tasks** a little exciting could make the difference between just **scraping by** in a class and getting the grade you really want. Finding a workout routine that works for your class schedule and is not too dependent on the crazy weather could also be a way to work on your Winter Arc. Some of the gyms offer **indoor workout classes** that are fun to try with your friends.  Since the Winter Arc is so personalizable, it can really be utilized in any manner **to empower your pursuits**. From simply studying more to discovering a new interest, all of these could be included in your Winter Arc. Whatever your Winter Arc may be, pursue it. Bettering yourself and following your unique passions is never a waste of time, even if others claim otherwise.