The month of January tends to conjure up some dismal images and emotions in about 99 percent of the population in the northern hemisphere. It’s one of the coldest months of the year, and the hours of daylight are numbered. The caroling, eggnog, gift-wrapping and all the other jollities of the Christmas season have come to pass. There isn’t a legitimate holiday to look forward to for months. (Because really, the same cynical people who hate January will certainly mock Valentine’s Day, and St. Patrick’s Day is just an excuse for anyone who is even remotely Irish to get drunk, eat corned beef and pinch people.)
There’s a small segment of people, however, who like January and are able to surpass the phenomenon of post-holiday blues. These people are the college students of America.
In the days following Chrismahanukwanzakuh (for the sake of political correctness), our parents head back to their monotonous jobs and our siblings return to the tedium of high school. On the other hand, we don’t have to start classes for another two weeks, giving us ample time to travel or earn some money at a part-time job. Yet it’s my experience that we tend to spend these two weeks on more fulfilling ventures, like taking advantage of the enormous sales at the local mall and eating leftover gingerbread men. We also get to enjoy our gifts, whether they be new clothes to wear or an iPhone to upload applications to. Personally, I spent most of my time at home very productively, learning from an expert musician how to play the guitar. (Note: this musician was my 14-year-old brother, who proudly watched me conquer an “easy” song on his new “Guitar Hero.”)
After a few weeks of this laziness passes, however, the novelty of home wears off. Our parents tire of having us at home and stop feeling the need to accommodate our vastly different schedules. Fortunately, we must return to school just as our grace period nears its end.
Once we are back on Grounds — or “campus,” as some universities would call it — the glory of January doesn’t necessarily end. During the second week of classes, we get a day off for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to recognize the equality he brought to our country and, of course, sleep in. And, classes are suspended during the presidential inauguration this year. It’s almost like the Founding Fathers put this pivotal date in January to throw posterity a bone.
Yet, it isn’t only Benjamin Franklin and his friends who helped us get through this blustery month. I think the entertainment industry feels for us as well, as almost every television show airs new episodes during January. The anticipation we experienced as little kids on Christmas morning is now delayed by a few weeks, as we eagerly await a new episode of “Gossip Girl.”
Additionally in the entertainment realm, we occupy ourselves with the football playoffs. Even someone who doesn’t even know what a first down is can enjoy the football frenzy. Mainly, with the Super Bowl approaching, many of us are planning to host or attend parties. This game also features a ridiculous half-time show — with wardrobe malfunctions in good years — and the only decent commercials to ever air. And, it comes with an enormous side of chips and salsa.
So, the notion of post-holiday blues seems to be an anathema for college students. The smell of peppermint and evergreen has faded, and no longer does each house appear festive and jolly with its rainbow of lights around each window. But we get to rest and enjoy ourselves — joined in spirit perhaps only by Santa and his elves, who take their annual trip to Cabo to reward themselves for a job well done. And while much of the world is toiling in cubicles and suffering from winter depression, we have Boys’ Bid Night just around the corner.
Abigail’s column runs biweekly Fridays. She can be reached at a.coster@cavalierdaily.com.
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