So… it’s mid-February. Definitely not the most exciting time of the year. All of the holiday celebrations are over with, although Valentine’s Day may yield a present or two. Winter in the Upper Peninsula is an endurance test- can you make it to May, or will you give up and flee to the Bahamas? Realizing that we are not even halfway through the spring semester doesn’t help.  Here is a list of suggestions to help you meet this time of year head-on.

1. Keep up with your schoolwork. Gray days and dark evenings make it easy to cuddle up and watch TV. (Even old sitcoms from the 1970’s are suddenly profoundly entertaining! So much laughter and sunshine!) But skipping classes and not knowing what to study can add more stress after a while. Make a schedule for assignments and due dates and you will feel more in control of your time.

2. Make a goal. Whatever this goal might be, make it something that you have to make a step toward every day. Make a personal goal to run a half-marathon next summer, for instance. Get a training schedule off the Internet that will take you all the way from 1 mile a day to 13.1 miles by June, for instance. A goal like this will motivate you and keep you focused on the future.

3. Get a sunlamp. You might be surprised at the effect a sunlamp will have on your mood, especially if you have the symptoms of seasonal effective disorder (SAD). A sunlamp set up in a room fills the room with natural light, as if the sun if shining in a window. The Internet would yield many options for sunlamps, and they aren’t that expensive.

4. Connect with someone. If you are feeling sad or lonely even a few minutes on the phone or a quick text message will help. The important thing is to not sink into a depressed mood until it is overwhelming. Talking to friends leads to smiling and laughing, which is proven to raise moods automatically.

5. Get out of routine (even for a few hours.)  Sometimes college can be an isolating experience. Student life is fairly routine: same professors, same classes, same textbooks, every day. Going to another town or city, even for a few hours, relieves the stress of boredom and routine, and is stimulating both emotionally and physically. So pack up a few buddies and go to Canada on Friday afternoon! Who knows what you could end up seeing? Spring break is also something we can look forward to as an opportunity to do something different for a few days.

6. Don’t be selfish! Students can be notorious for complaining. Every single one of us has our soapbox we stand upon to declare all of our many grievances. But spending all that time focusing on ourselves and our problems is not only inherently depressing, but self centered. Make a point to watch a movie about another culture, or read a book about people who are struggling in their lives, and you might realize that you don’t have it as bad as it seems at the time. Maybe you can use some spare hours to volunteer at a food bank, which will definitely help you get outside your own life and concerns.

7. Exercise Exercise is scientifically proven to release endorphins, which are the natural opiate-like substances of the body. Exercise feels great, both physically and psychologically. Comfort food calls in the winter, and gaining weight is not fun and could lead to a depressed mood. Exercising burns the calories from those endless cups of wonderful hot chocolate, and will definitely lift your mood. LSSU’s Heartbeats gym is a free place to try endorphins for yourself.

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