It happens just about every single year. The dreaded month of February. The awkward segway between winter holidays and spring-like weather. I don't think it's just me either. I think just about everyone rides the high from the holidays leading up to New Years and follows through a little bit until January is over but then wakes up hungover in February, head aching, gasping for sweet sustenance. It's crazy, but I don't think it's an unjustified attitude, especially when you live in a barren wasteland like Minnesota.
Walking outside, it's stark cold to the point where I can feel my soul shivering, but I end up having to shovel my car out of my driveway before hitting traffic on my way to work or school on top of that. Not to mention that on the commute to work, I stare out of the windshield and see only wintery death. The trees are bare and still, the grass is covered with frozen snow, and everyone's just kind of sluggishly shuffling to their destinations like zombies.
I just want it to be summer already. I miss the heat, the beaches, the lack of academic responsibility, the rain, the awesome way air-conditioned retail stores feel when you walking into them after parking your car in the sweltering hot parking lot. I miss being able to drag my friends off to the local aquatic center when I'm bored or walk through the hiking trails at the Coon Rapids Dam near my home.
I've thought about what I can do to keep my mind off of the winter blues this year and I've concluded that I am slowly going to teach myself how to play the piano. I wasn't fortunate enough to receive lessons as a kid, but I've always enjoyed the sound of the instrument. Not to mention it's hard to find a piano to practice on if you didn't grow up with a piano in the house. Luckily, where I live now has one that goes untouched just about every day, so I think I'll do some good and get acquainted with it.
The more I think about it, the more I realize this is something that I should sit down and write about because it's one of those things that you just push through and deal with. From what I understand, other people get the winter blues around this time as well, so I can rest easier knowing that I'm not alone. I mean, it's a little disheartening sometimes when I run into someone who is, like, absolutely stoked about an upcoming snowstorm just because that means there's snow to play around in. Those are the people who live right on campus and don't have to deal with the hell that is commuting. I suppose that in the end, we are all in this together. Even if it gets gloomy sometimes, we can still come together and have a good time. Spring is just around the corner, after all.
