We've all been there. Fall is slowly creeping into winter as it gets a little colder out every day. The clocks turn back, so we technically get an extra hour of sleep, but it doesn't really feel like that, and it definitely doesn't make a difference in the life of a perpetually exhausted college student. You wake up and it's kind of gloomy-looking outside. You get out of class and it's already dark. This is when the college blues start to get you down.
It's that time of year where everything seems like it's weighing down on you all at once. The newness and excitement of being back at school has worn off. You're already sick of going out. Classes are in full swing and aren't getting any easier. If you eat any more dining hall food, your body just might shut down for good. You feel like a boring, dull fish in a sea of fish drifting along through campus. It sucks. It feels like you're stuck.
Of course, you do have a choice. You're a smart college student, you haven't come this far without realizing that. You can either keep drifting until winter break, or you can choose to be cheerful and make the most of the rest of your semester.
I feel like a lot of people don't realize that you only get to do college once, until it's too late. People end up as seniors wishing they had done this or that their freshman, sophomore, or junior year. Personally, I can't believe I'm already a sophomore and I don't know where the time has gone. Don't let the Binghamton weather and mid-semester blues waste your time here. Everyone wants to go back to college once it's over, and that's something to think about while you're still here.
In terms of mood-boosting, I've found that developing and sticking to a routine or something specific to motivate you does wonders during this mid-semester funk. Creating a real gym schedule to follow can be the motivation you need to get out of your dorm room or house. Mix up what you're eating by trying to cook more, or look up new foods to try that you can make out of what's available at the dining halls.
At this time last semester, I found some quotes I thought were inspirational, wrote them on post-its, and stuck them to my mirror. That way, every time I looked at myself, I saw everything I wanted to do and be.
Just take some time to remember how much work you put in to get to this point in your life. You've created so many opportunities for yourself, don't take them for granted. Take the time to think about your friends, family, and everyone you have at your side lifting you up and pushing you to be everything that you can be. Even in this dreary mid-semester time, they believe in you. You should believe in you too.
