Audra Nuru, endowed chair of social sciences and a professor of family studies and communication at the University of St. Thomas, spoke with WCCO-TV about the “August blues,” the feelings of anxiety or regret that can emerge as summer comes to an end. Nuru shared ways to navigate the seasonal transition, including focusing on the time that remains, letting go of pressure to make summer perfect and finding something to look forward to in the fall.
From the story:
Maybe you’ve experienced the “Sunday scaries,” which is when you worry about the looming workweek or wish you could have accomplished more over the weekend. The “August blues” create similar feelings, one being regret.
“At the beginning of summer there’s all this possibility, right? And then August arrives and we start asking ourselves, did we take that trip? Did we spend enough time together? Did the kids have enough fun?” Nuru said.
Another feeling can be anxiety. The thought of the school year beginning, schedules changing and colder days ahead can create anxiousness – all while summer is still there to be enjoyed in August.
“That affects how we feel about the time that we have left,” Nuru said.
For those struggling with the “August blues,” what can they do to manage it? Nuru says the first step is to simply savor the present moment. The weather’s still warm, and while we’re losing daylight, there’s still plenty of it compared to fall and winter.
