I know that people might think I’m crazy, but I’m glad to be back at school. All my friends live hours away and there’s only so much you can do in my hometown.

A lot of people get the “blahs” in the winter. The winter season itself is depressing. The weather is (supposed to be) cold, the sun sets early, and after the holidays, you end up thinking, “Now what?” If that’s not enough, students realize that the end of the holiday season means that school will be starting soon. Want something even more depressing? After looking at the calendar, students find that their next vacation isn’t until spring break.

So how do you beat the winter blahs? Since I’m not a psychiatrist, I did a little research on the Internet.

On momscape.com, it says, “Don’t pack away all your Christmas decorations. Leave a few around the house as a reminder of the spirit of Christmas.” I wouldn’t leave your three-story inflatable snowman in the front yard, but leaving out a little Christmas decoration might not be a bad idea.

It’s already a New Year’s resolution, so why not exercise. Not only will exercising help you lose that inch, but it will also raise your mood. The weather in Martin has been perfect for exercising outdoors.

WebMD.com says, “... Not only can your physical well-being be improved through activity, but symptoms of depression, tension, and anger — all of which may be more common during this season — can also be minimized through daily physical activity.”

Students might feel down because they’re away from their family after spending a month surrounded by loved ones.

What can you do to make yourself feel less lonely? Get together with your friends and talk about all the great things that happened over the break.

Another idea is to celebrate the holidays with your friends when you get back to school. Students celebrate the holidays with their family, but hardly ever get to celebrate with their friends. Who cares if you’re having a Christmas party in the middle of January? As long as you’re having fun, then what’s the big deal?

The funniest thing I heard was a group of friends throwing a big exchange party. Every year, students always get one present that they don’t need or want.

Friends get together and swap gifts. You might find something that you want, but your friend getting rid of it. So your friend gives you the present that she didn’t want and finds something to replace the unwanted gift.

This way, everyone is happy with what they get, it didn’t cost anything, and you have a great time with your friends.

The main thing to remember is that when you’ve got the blahs, it’s important to surround yourself with friends. Whatever you’re feeling won’t seem so bad if you have someone there to help you out. The winter months are always hard for people. Even if you’re feeling a bit sad, just remember that it’s only a few more months until spring. No more grey skies or cold wind, and the spring season means spring break.

As always, if you feel like you can’t shake the depression you’re in, go find someone professional to help you. Your feelings shouldn’t affect you so much that you can’t function.

For those of you who are counting, spring break is March 13. That’s only a little over 50 days away. You’ve got to have something to look forward to, right?