February in the Midwest—the Quad Cities, especially— is a month of love and death. Not literal death, necessarily, but a cold, soul-sucking, happiness-crushing death that only the stupidest month of winter can cause. The winter blues are real, guys.
Okay, so that’s a little dramatic. But bear with me for a brief justification for my February-hating thoughts.
Christmas and New Years Eve celebrations are long gone, and all they left behind is horrible weather and a slightly permanent hangover. Valentine’s Day is a short -lived Hallmark holiday, and we’re still living in arctic tundra… despite what that LIAR Punxutawney Phil said at the beginning of the month.
The promises of coming warmth and green things are supposed to be enough to get us through the days that are still too short, too cold and too slushy. The truth of the matter, however, is that with every surprise snowstorm and “minor” cold front, we all lose a little more hope. And until the thermometer reads at least 50, we can’t even remember what our ‘summer body’ looks like underneath all of these layers.
February in Iowa leaves us wondering if things will ever be good again. Will we ever again feel the true warmth of the sun on our bare thighs? Will we EVER be able to put our mother loving snow boots away?
Thankfully, the answer to all of the above questions is actually yes. Sadly, that still doesn’t make us feel any better. So, what the !@#$ are we going to do to survive the next 3 weeks without wasting 21 precious days of life?
Well, the obvious options are Netflix and excessive sleep. But if you want a little inspo to make the most of such a craphole of a month, here are a few tips:
1) Make plans
Sometimes, as college students, we’re not so good at this. But from personal experience, having something to look forward to always makes the weekdays go faster and seem more survivable. Look at your calendar with your friends and make weekend plans for the month. It could be a Friday night Mallards Game, an at-home spa/treat yo’self day, or even a mini road trip to Iowa City for a Saturday night out. Whatever it is, it’s something to look forward to other than your bed.
2) Work out
You’re probably rolling your eyes and moving your mouse toward the x at the corner of this window, but hear me out for a sec. As hard as it is to get your happy butt to the gym and get going in this weather, exercise truly does boost your mood—especially when Mother Nature just won’t stop bringing it down. Even a 20-30 minute workout can get endorphins flowing and have you feel like a BAWS for the rest of the day as opposed to a lazy frozen ice cube turd thing that February has a tendency of creating in all of us.
3) Enjoy the company of others
As easy as it is to hibernate during this sh*tstain on the underwear of the calendar year month, make an effort to spend time with your roommates and friends. Not only will social interaction help ease the pain of your seasonal sadness, but it’s also important to remember that our time here is limited. Especially as a senior Bee, I’m starting to realize that four years at the hive turned into these last four months in the blink of an eye. So sure, the weather sucks, but an entire month of your SAU career doesn’t have to. Soak it in while you can, and love every minute of it. Just wear more layers, brew some coffee and let the Bailey’s flow freely, cuz
photos courtesy of Jill Duddleston and Pinterest