We're one month deep into the semester, but it's fair to say my enthusiasm for Fall 2016 has moderately declined. In no way am I saying I'm less than motivated or less than grateful to be enrolled in classes at this time; nonetheless, I'm feeling the aftermath of my major kicking my ass. I'm attempting to devise a 5 step plan to crawl out of what I'd like to call the mid-semester funk. Cheers!
1. Wake up earlier.
It seems counter-intuitive to wake up earlier for classes when you're already exhausted enough, to begin with, but hear me out. Waking up earlier gives your brain more time to mentally wake up before those 9 AMs start. You'll have the time to skim the chapter before your lecture. You'll have time for a coffee run, morning stretches, or an energizing shower. It's oddly worth it, plus no one likes to rush in the morning.
The science behind why this works in the fall is so that you can get the most out of the limited daylight as summer turns to fall. In autumn and winter, there is significantly less sunlight in a 24-hour day, so you need as much of it as possible. Waking up to lots of light helps to stimulate the pineal gland and stop the production of melatonin when you get up so that you feel more alert.
2. Focus on preparing healthy snacks and meals.
Pizza is the food equivalent of instant gratification, but it does nothing useful for your body. Keep whole grains, instant quinoa, and seasonal fruits at arm's length. You'll be less tempted to ditch a study session to get Taco Bell when you've got healthy-ish baked apples with cinnamon or savory lentil soups ready to microwave.
3. Actually celebrate autumnal and winter holidays.
It may seem as though you're so swamped with work that there is little time for fun, but trust me on this. If you can get to Halloween, then you can get to Thanksgiving Break, and that means that Christmas/Hanukkah/Winter Break will be there in no time to save you.
Use these holidays as built-in stress relievers. Even better, set goals with these dates like starting your midterm paper at least a week before Halloween and getting your final project approved by Thanksgiving.
4. Try to find something admirable about the upcoming autumn and winter.
I love the summer, I love my shorts, and I love the heat. Nothing makes me as sad as shorter, colder days. That being said, you can make the most of the chillier days by sipping hot coffee (since it's going to get too cold for fraps). You can get inspired to decorate your dorm for Halloween or start a Secret Santa sign up sheet within your friend group once the holidays approach.
Face it, fall isn't nearly as great as summer, but you get to wear a lot of maroon/flannels and do cute things with your significant other. Plus there's plenty of an excuse to cuddle, and you'll be less sweaty doing it.
5. Work hard to get a head start on your summer body (since next summer is only a year away).
If all else fails, I can plan ahead for next summer by getting in the shape I want to be in. I'm not exactly trying to get chunky under all these fall layers I'm going to bundle up in. Not to mention, research indicates that exercise helps to prevent symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
