With the laid-back fun of Welcome Week far behind us and the blessed rest of winter break still over a month away, Thanksgiving break is a much-needed respite from the November slump that many collegiettes have fallen into. While the ultimate goal is to make it through finals and all the way to the end of fall semester, there are more than a few of us who are literally just trying to survive until Thanksgiving. Here are 10 things you’ll recognize if you’re one of these desperate souls….
1. You’re literally counting down not only the days….
(Maybe the hours and minutes, if you’ve fallen really low.)
 2. …but also how many classes you have left.
“I only have to sit through a lecture by this professor 8 more times!”
3. Every time you go to the dining hall, you think about Thanksgiving food.
Or, if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, you’re just anticipating homecooked meals. Even just a bowl of cereal prepared at home will always be infinitely better than a full plate of dining hall food.Â
4. Your wardrobe is stuck in an awkward in-between phase, where it’s far too chilly for the tank tops and shorts you wore in August and September, but all of your cold-weather clothers are still in your closet at home.Â
Everytime you have outfit inspiration, you realize at least one crucial piece is missing from your closet. Paper-thin tank tops and 3 different cardigans it is, then.Â
5. If you have a pet at home, you miss him or her more than ever.
Maybe you’re one of the lucky souls who gets to see lots of animals on campus regardless, but it’s not the same.Â
6. Showering and doing laundry are like, the very extent of your personal routine at this point.
And even those are a struggle. Makeup and flat irons are things of the past.Â
7. Every time you have to leave for class, you fall into a deep spiral of contemplation.
How many times have I skipped, again? Can I take this L?
8. Your weekends are made up of nothing but food, sleep, and homework with your friends.Â
You basically rotate from room to room, with each friend taking a turn at playing hostess. Parties? Events? Socialization???
9. And if you tend to partake in Black Friday activities, you may find yourself distracted and planning out your escapades when you really should be doing homework.Â
You’ve already texted your friends back home and drawn up an elaborate route using the official blueprints of your hometown’s best mall.Â
10. You’re rewarding yourself for doing the minimum amount of work required by planning out exactly what you’re going to do when you get home.
Your favorite hang-out spots, the best small businesses, those tiny local restuarants, your bed — which are you going to hit up first?Â
We’re struggling, but we’re going to make it, Colleigettes — so stay strong!Â