Is it spring break yet?

All right, folks. I have a confession to make. I’ve been avoiding blogging because I feel like I have nothing to talk about. I know, I know—it’s a blog, write whatever you want, there are no rules, etc.

But here’s the thing: winter quarter has sucked out all the happiness and originality from my soul. Extreme, you say? Perhaps. But it’s how I feel, nonetheless. I’ve spent so much time in the study lounge down the hall these past few weeks that I have a pillow and blanket stowed away in the corner, just in case my homework load gets out of hand. What is more (warning: impending girl moment), I feel pale and chubby and I do not like it. However, this is not a venting outlet for me, dear readers. Quite the contrary…I am confessing all of this in order to share with some of you who may feel the same way a revelation I had. The other day, I was wondering what might be the cause of this recent uneasiness with my life…after all, I thought to myself, I don’t remember this happening in elementary school or high school in the winter time. It was then that I stumbled upon this quote, by good old Anton Chekhov:

People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy.

Hmm. Interesting. Could the weather really not be responsible for my foul mood? I mean, if I was truly happy, it shouldn’t matter if it is cloudy and 25 degrees outside, right? And to be fair, there’s a lot of beauty to be found in wintertime—what with all the snow on the ground and in the trees. My conclusion: I need to stop using the fact that it’s winter as an excuse to be lethargic and irritable. For so long I’ve been telling myself that I’ll be better come spring; that once this quarter ends I can go back to being a pleasant and active person…but to use the weather as a cop out for reaching my true potential is kind of immature.

So, I’m going to take a few vital steps to expel these so called “winter blues,” and you can join me! In these next few weeks, I’m going to avoid clutter in my room and keep the blinds open to let some light in. I’m going to exercise more, replace sugary coffee drinks with tea, and stay in touch with family and friends. Any other suggestions? Let me know! Hopefully soon, we’ll all be able to be happy in spite of the chilly weather and, like our friend Anton says, not even notice whether it’s winter or summer.
-Nadine