Written by Scroll Reporter Lilly Fischer

It’s that time of year again. There are two weeks until Spring Break, but it feels like two months away. The weather fluctuates between warm, beautiful Spring days and dark, wet, cold Winter days that make Summer feels like years away. Here are a few tips to help you survive until our break arrives…

1.Take a walk. Outside. Even if it’s cold. Even if it’s wet. If you walk outside one morning and it feels like Spring because the sun is shining and the air is warm, take a long walk. If you walk outside one morning and it feels like the dead of Winter because you can’t see the sun and it’s below freezing, take a long walk. A walk outside forces you to experience the world beyond your planner, and the exercise gives you a mental boost. Enjoy a hot cup of tea, hot chocolate, or cappuccino afterward.

2. Do not procrastinate. The academic motivation at the beginning of the semester has probably worn off. Your tired brain wants to do just enough to get through the day. But if you have time, get ahead. You will thank yourself later.

3. Find a new study location. Do you have a favorite place where you spend hours doing homework and studying? Change it up for an afternoon. Go to a different coffee shop, a friend’s dorm room, or even a different table in the library. Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes.

4. Treat yourself. Rewards are successful motivators. Treat yourself to a cup of coffee, an hour with a good book, an episode of your favorite show, or even a piece of chocolate!

5. Process through writing. So, I am a biased English major, but journaling does help you to process your thoughts and emotions, and you feel a weight lifted once your emotions have spilled onto the page.

6. Don’t be blue alone. Ask a friend to take a walk with you, grab coffee, or study together. Get a group together and get off campus for an afternoon. Call or write a good, old-fashioned letter to an old friend. A solid, Christian community is one of the best ways to overcome the blues.

7. Listen to music. Play some childhood Disney favorites or the soundtrack of your favorite Broadway musical. Turn the volume up on your worship playlist, or, if you can, make a little music of your own!

8. Remember you’re almost there and practice gratitude. Start and end each day thanking God for all the blessings you have—even for the schoolwork because it equips us to fulfill the roles He has called us to fulfill.