Why times right now couldn’t get much worse

As I look at many factors this point in the semester, it would be safe to say this is the worst time of the year for North Dakota State students. If you take everything into consideration, times can’t get much worse than they are right now. It’s really not even close, either. This time of year makes you feel significantly less positive emotions. Let me break it down.

I’ll state the obvious first: it’s the coldest it will be all year. I think back-to-back university closures are a good signifier of that. I mean, come one. It was negative 76 degrees with wind chill Wednesday at 1 a.m. That is ridiculous. That had to set records. You just don’t see temperatures like that.

I wanted to go outside at that time naked and run around for a couple seconds just to experience something nobody else has probably experienced. I then realized how stupid that was and that there would certainly have to be alcohol involved for me to do something that buffoonish. Walking to class sucks. Going outside in general sucks. Your cheeks get tomato-red, and your hair gets screwed up because you have to wear a hat. It truly is the worst time of the year in terms of weather.

The never-ending schoolwork in this cold weather accompanied by a distant spring break and potential disease suggests this truly is the worst time of the year 

Although, I still think this weather sucks at all times. Even when it’s nice out, you can’t play basketball outdoors or anything because the ball will get blown away. The wind is the one thing that never fails to make me hate Fargo. It always seems to pick up when it it gets cold out too, which is just amazing. Pretty much sums up Fargo right there.

We’re just getting started in the semester. We still have our worst academic days ahead of us. There have probably been a couple easy assignments assigned so far, maybe even an exam. However, the presentations, projects, tests and all the other fun stuff will be here before you know it. Enjoy these last couple weekends doing nothing because it’s only a matter of time before your weekend gets consumed by homework. More time will be spent in the library working on group projects rather than on your couch watching “Workaholics” and sipping on a Keystone (the poor man’s beer).

Spring break is still a month away. Our last significant break is still seemingly decades away. The countdown could not be slower. We will struggle greatly knowing this vacation is so close yet so far. You’ll probably have that teacher or two that assigns work over break that will be due the Monday we come back. I could rant about people like this all day, but I know students hate those kinds of teachers just as much as I do, so there’s no need for added hatred. We have to keep grinding until the big event happens. When it finally does, you know that week is going to go by faster than any given school week. Once that happens, we find ourselves with a post spring break hangover and forced to do a lot of schoolwork. Not exactly an ideal combination.

All it takes is one wrong move for you to get the worst flu you’ve ever had. It’s that time of year. I almost got a very bad cold last week. However, I was smart enough to take medicine right as symptoms were starting, and it stopped before it got serious. Having a really bad flu is one of the worst things a human can possibly endure. You’re incredibly feeble, can’t breathe through your nose, feel really cold despite 10 layers of clothes (in an already freezing place), can barely swallow, etc. On top of this, you probably won’t go to class, which means you’ll have some catching up to do. You also won’t have the energy to go to the gym. This will go on for about a week, and once you finally start to feel better, you’ll feel bad about yourself due to the lack of productivity. That is one of the worst feelings in the world, arguably worse than the flu itself. Always remember to wash your hands.

These things are coming at us all at once. It’s a lot to take in, and you can now see why this is the worst time of the year. All of these things are bad, but now they’re all here. The never-ending schoolwork in this cold weather accompanied by a distant spring break and potential disease suggests this truly is the worst time of the year. Rather than accept it and give up until spring break, do yourself a favor. Keep grinding and get your stuff done. Eat healthy, develop healthy habits and hit the gym. Put yourself in a position to have a great spring break and beyond. People say it’s about how you finish the semester, but in reality, starting off strong is equally important. Your mind gradually gets sick of doing homework as the semester goes on, and it’s important to get a jump start so you aren’t scrambling to pass a class at the last minute. Study hard, do your extra credit and plow over this rough time.