I'll just say what you're all thinking: spring semester freaking sucks. I'm sorry, but it's the worst. This article is going to be very negative, but so is EVERYTHING about spring semester!
In the fall semester, there is so much happening in Ithaca. There's Applefest, Cortaca, the farmer's market is open, in the early months you can hike the gorges, Harry Potter weekend, halloween, etc. Ithaca is a fun place in the fall! We also get a break in October, a whole week off for Thanksgiving, so home sickness isn't really a thing, which is awesome.
The spring semester, however, first of all, isn't even "spring" (at least not in Ithaca it's not). Winter comes in November here and doesn't leave until late April, so you're basically freezing until the last week of classes. Because the weather continues to suck, you are limited to things you can do. You are cooped up inside from January to April and seasonal depression happens and you just can't do anything you want!
You can't go for a walk, you can't study outside on the lawn, if you wanna exercise you have to do it at the gym, literally everything has to happen inside if you want to avoid frostbite.
People used to tell me before going here that Ithaca is one of the darkest places on the east coast and that students need to use a sun lamp for therapy and I thought, "Wow, how dramatic?"
THEY WEREN'T KIDDING. SEASONAL DEPRESSION IS VERY REAL. I broke down a couple times in February and March for NO APPARENT REASON. My mom would listen to me cry twice a week over the fact that I thought people on my floor were too loud, or that I dropped my Snapple and shattered it on the way to class - absolutely ridiculous!
Obviously there were some other issues I went to my mom for, but the point I'm trying to make is that things that would have upset me fall semester never made me feel the way I felt during spring semester when I was going through something.
In the spring semester you only get one break, and it's not really in the middle of the semester, so the stretch after break until finals feels like forever. You go so long without seeing your best friend from home, your parents, for me, my boyfriend and it starts to affect you!
I did not feel home sick in the beginning of my freshman year here. I was surrounded by distractions! Come for an ice cream social in the pub! Meet new people at our floor meeting tonight! Tie dying on the quad for class of 2021! I always had something to do, and I was going home frequently, so I really felt fine.
This time around it feels like nothing's happening on campus, it's too cold to go out and explore, and when I'm not doing things like homework or activities, I'm thinking. I'm thinking about how much I miss my best friend, my dog, spending easter with my family, snuggling with my boyfriend on a rainy day...
It sucks. There's no way around though really. All you have to do is stick it out and wait for fall to come again. As sad as this article is, it's the truth. There's no controlling the spring semester stretch.
