Editor's Note | 10/25

Story by Jacob Zlomke 

| Published Oct 25, 2011

We’ve hit the doldrums. The sails are empty of wind, there’s no land in sight, and we’ve been drifting for who-knows-how-long. I’ve procrastinated this editor’s note far longer than I have any other and it’s the lifelessness of mid-semester that’s keeping me up to write this rather than slumber peacefully in preparation for yet another week of class, work, homework, sleep, repeat.

You probably feel it too: the magical time of year that usually starts right around Fall break and continues almost until dead week and the semester seems more like purgatory. Not to mention that the days are getting shorter and colder.

I like to think I’m easily entertained and that it doesn’t take much for me to enjoy myself, and as poor, busy college students,many of you are the same way. So what’s a young student with his life ahead of him to do at a time when every week creeps by like its got 14 days instead of seven? What’s the cure for the Mondays, every day?

Well, for starters, get off of the internet. Reddit, StumbleUpon, whatever you choose as a time waster isn’t doing you any favors. Sure, Reddit may seem like it is because of the “informed discussion” aspect to it, but really, you’re probably rotting your brain like 90s television. See, using the internet is too easy, too unengaging or challenging to be any shape of productive. Instead you’ll spend countless hours blowing off homework just to look at a couple more webcomics. And, at this time in the semester, homework loads become large enough that homework time is precious. The more time you spend writing off homework, the longer you end up spending on it. And the longer you end up spending on it, the less time you have to be happy.

So close Facebook. Unfulfilling garbage compared to what you could be doing. Take your free time, and use it wisely. Read a book that isn’t for class. Write a love poem and give it to a stranger. Go to the park. Soak in the last few days of nice weather. Watch football. Be with your friends. I don’t care what you do, that part is up to you. Maximizing your free time is key to beating the midterm desert. So do what makes you feel best as often as you can.

Of course, this is only a start. For the super-committed among you, I’ve got more.

Wake up early and get a good start on the day is a good one. Breakfast will do wonders! I always forget about breakfast because washing dishes and putting forth effort is rarely worth the immediate and effortless payoff of 15 more minutes of sleep. But the rest of the day is almost magical if given time to eat even just some applesauce. Then, you can fully wake up before class, instead of during class. What a novel idea.

If this is you’re kind of thing, avoid the urge to get drunk during the week. It may seem like you need to shake things up a bit, but the next day will generally not be worth the time you spent actually enjoying a good drunk the night before.

And finally, for the expert-level, try working out. Releasing energy in a positive way will be a great mood elevator. But seriously, I would never work out, so I won’t blame you if you won’t either.

There you have it I guess. I guess I’ve been writing this more to myself than anyone else because it’s advice I should start following before Fall Semester 2011 becomes Jacob Goes Off The Deep End. Nonetheless, surely the advice is applicable to others. I don’t think I’m crazy enough that I’m alone in this.