The ice skating rink at Carter Green will officially open on Nov. 22 alongside the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. After an opening ceremony lasting from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Winter Pavilion, the market will open to the public. The market consists of a vast array of German food and drinks, as well as a variety of special events such as the Christmas tree-lighting ceremony. 

As one of Carmel’s signature events taking place during the winter, Christkindlmarkt will be a popular destination for CHS students, as well as the ice skating rink. Counselor Melinda Stephan said she thinks the market will help improve the mental health of students during the winter months.

“My kids love to go to (Chriskindlmarkt). They would love going ice skating at least once or twice a year,” she said. “Having something to do with your friends, whether it’s outdoors or indoors and just being somewhere where you think your spirits might get lifted is (always) good for you. Christkindlemarkt is definitely a great example of that.” 

She said the key to staying mentally healthy over the winter is to strike a balance between the time you spend with your friends or family and alone time. 

“I don’t think there is a prescribed (treatment) for it, but those are the kinds of things that I think make a difference,” Stephan said. 

Senior Rachel Engbrecht also shared similar sentiments about the negative effects of winter months on the mental health of students. However, she had an interesting take on it. 

“I think it’s more about the fact that you don’t see the sun as much, that kind of makes it more depressing. With the sun rising later and setting earlier you’re not getting as much (daylight) than you normally would,” she said. “and the grey clouds make it more sad.”

She said she usually likes to go to big city events to spend as much time with her friends as possible. “I would say I do it less in the winter. Most of the events happen in the fall or the spring but in the winter time the only thing I can think of is the Christkindlmarkt.”

With limited social interactions amongst students over the winter, Engbrecht said she is looking forward to the opportunity to spend time with her friends at the market and boost her morale. 

On the other side of the spectrum is Senior Tiffany Gao, who claims that winter is the best season to hang out with friends. As an ice skating enthusiast, she will be performing at the Carter Green ice skating ring on Nov. 30 starting 5 p.m. 

“I get what you’re saying but I feel like you can just go (outside) and play in the snow with your friends, and there’s also a lot of fun winter related hobbies,” she said. “Also the Christmas activities that come (with winter), like making ginger-bread houses and baking cookies are so fun.”

Despite her positive outlook towards the winter months, she said she agrees that it’s easier to feel lonely during it because of the harsh weather. However, she argues that it’s all just about perspective; if you find a lot of stuff to look forward to during the winter, like she has, it’s easier to enjoy the last few months of the year without feeling the need to “just endure it.”

Gao said the biggest thing she’s looking forward to over the winter is her ice skating performance at Carter Green on Nov. 30. “I’ve been ice skating for about 11 years. I’m in an ice skating club right next to where the Christkindlmarkt is being held and it’s connected to the (Carter Green) ice rink,” she said. “Our coach, who’s in charge, planned all the performances and she said that we could choose (our own) music but it had to be German related. We had the option to (perform in) duets or trios but I’m just going by myself and performing.”

Gao said a part of her affinity for winter is tied to her relationship with ice skating. She said she has a “love-hate relationship” with it and it helps her develop a strong mindset that benefits her outside of skating. She related her bad days with skating to “being stuck” and she had to learn how to escape from that mentality in order to regain her joy of it. She said this may be why she doesn’t feel too negatively towards the winter months; her ice-skating experience has taught her to break away from the feeling of “being stuck” and just enjoy the season for what it is and the opportunities it brings. 

Stephan’s advice for students who are feeling down during the winter was to just take it back.

“Sometimes it’s okay to just do nothing and (stay home). You don’t always have to feel like you’re missing out on something,” she said. 

Engbrecht shared similar advice. “Find something to do with your friends or just make the best of your time indoors.”