This is a special time that only comes once a year. We've hit that mythical place and time author Norton Juster calls "The Doldrums." In one of my favorite children's books, "The Phantom Tollbooth," Milo makes a wrong turn on his journey to Dictionopolis and is utterly and hopelessly trapped in a place where thought is not allowed.
Most of the people I've talked to have said their Thanksgiving breaks were nowhere near long enough. There's something special about being at home with family and friends. For others, it was all about getting away from the stresses of school. Whatever your reasons for wanting to stay home, it's important to remember the semester's not over.
The next few weeks are always the hardest to get through every Fall Semester. It's easy to get stuck in The Doldrums, which cause heartache if not handled properly. One of the unfortunate occurrences in academic life is the most important moments for our success are scheduled at the worst times. When I think about all the work I need to do before the holidays, I want to crawl into my warm bed and watch all of "Roots." That's how long my hibernation would be, only interrupted by pancake-eating binges. Alas, I can't resort to that.
For those of you who weren't fortunate enough to run across "The Phantom Tollbooth" as children, it might comfort you to know Milo was rescued by a "watchdog" named Tock. I could go into all the symbolism, like time continues despite our wishes to stop it, but I won't. Instead, I'll point out that we can be rescued from even the worst of psychological ruts by the passage of time.
That's a nice sentiment, and it can probably be easily applied in situations like bad break-ups. Unfortunately, this is one in which the passage of time is part of the problem. Motivation will be hard to find, but there are definitely healthy ways to relieve stress.
Here are ideas for keeping sane during the next few weeks. Step back from things for a second. Take a deep breath. School is important, but it's not everything. If it means keeping yourself sane, a C on a final is fine, and not the end of the world. Get outside or to the gym and exercise. My running shoes have pulled me out of countless Doldrums. Eat a banana. Not only are they delicious and comically suggestive, they contain serotonins which are important for mood elevation. Express yourself artistically. Things become mind-numbing when you're trapped in a world of purely concrete ideas. Sometimes it helps to create a new kind of escape.
The things you shouldn't do are unfortunately quite common and easily accessible. You shouldn't, for instance, drown your problems in a bottle. As nice as it sounds to be completely numb to all the outside world's stresses, you'll end up regretting it when your finals come back with fat F's. Don't hibernate either. Go to the library to study so the temptation of a comfortable bed is not staring you in the face. Most importantly - don't punch a wall. You could end up in the emergency room like one of my roommates (that's right, I went there, and I should probably be afraid to go home today).
I know it will be hard (that's what she said), but you must remember to stay focused. Try to inject fun here and there for sanity's sake.
Write to Brad at bthorn@bsu.edu
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