Sunday Depression

I don't know what it is, but there is something sinfully depressing about Sundays. However, I can't seem to pinpoint the reason why. I can find no obvious reason. After all, Sunday is technically still part of the weekend. There are no classes, no work, and usually no meetings. I should be feeling completely liberated and relaxed. So why does this weekly dose of despair always seem to settle on Sunday afternoons?

Sunday mornings are usually fine. I think it's because there is a routine to Sunday mornings. I wake up at 8:30, get dressed, leave campus around 9:05 with a car-full of friends, and arrive in Goehner for church by 9:30. After church we come back and usually socialize while eating lunch in the cafeteria. Lunch is the bookend to my Sunday morning routine.

After lunch, I have no defined structure. I might go back to my room and take a nap. Maybe I'll clean. But more likely than not I'll settle down on the couch to watch an afternoon movie. Which is another interesting point: Sunday afternoon movies are different than movies I would watch any other time during the week. Sunday afternoon movies are those touching yet slightly depressing movies like: Simon Birch, October Sky, Pay It Forward, and Finding Neverland.

Following the cinematic heart breaker I'll reluctantly begin on homework. And this is where I think the despair sets in. You realize that the weekend is over and it is time to get stuff done. You realize that you have an entire week of responsibilities before you and you can't help but feel a little bit overwhelmed. Which is ridiculous since we really have no reason to dread Mondays because we face them every week. We should be used to them by now.

Fortunately, this weekly Sunday depression seems to dissipate after supper...when it just turns into a normal weeknight. I've survived another depressing Sunday afternoon, I just wish there was some way to avoid them in the first place.

Carson