It’s that time of the year. That beautiful sun has gone missing and a misty grey veil has slipped over our city. Midterms seem gloomier, the snooze button is hit 10 times more than usual, and motivation has mysteriously disappeared. I’ve noticed throughout the dorms how this new dark weather has been affecting residents, and though I’m not a licensed therapist, psychiatrist or psychologist, these are my personal college tips on coping with Portland’s very own “50 Shades of Grey”. (And no, not like THAT shade of grey.)

1. Vitamin C and Vitamin D! Head over to the “Vitamin Shoppe” on 4^th avenue. Five bucks for a bottle of healthy mood enhancers? Yes please.
2. It’s easy to get sucked into hibernation mode in our own rooms, but we are not small woodland creatures such as squirrels (unfortunately). We are humans who have the opportunity to NOT sleep away our winter. Set your alarm clock 10-20 minutes early because you know you’re going to hit snooze subconsciously.
3. From my personal experience, working out is a huge mood booster. Even if you accomplish nothing else in a day, getting to say you worked out truly adds a feeling of success. All PSU students have free gym membership at the PSU Rec Center, so take advantage of it!
4. Surround yourself with positive people. If you have that one ‘Positive Polly’ in your group of friends, make extra time for him or her. Actually, make time for all your friends. Being around others will motivate you to do more engaging activities than sitting inside all day.
5. I would suggest adding “blue light” to your room. But let’s face it, a very small percentage of college students would actually take time to do this. If you feel that this trick will placebo your mind into thinking it’s blue outside, please take the cheap college route by making an extra tab and looking through google images for a bright blue picture to stare at. (I kid, I kid.)

Good luck fellow students! We can beat this SAD (seasonal affective disorder) ordeal together.