Dump the grump and stress a little less

My eyes are tired, my mind is cloudy and I have the overwhelming urge to hit any passing cheerful people over the head with my purse - all symptoms of end-of-the-semesteritis. It's a fairly common ailment at the University and I am sure that if I cared to venture out of the stacks right now, I would see more than one person shuffling along McCormick Road with a deadpan look highly reminiscent of my own. We are all just a little bit grouchy about our states of affairs right now.

Thanksgiving is still a little too out of reach to make us hopeful and final exams are a little too near for us to relax. Not to mention, all this action from Hurricane Ida is adding an unwanted soggy element to all of our schedules. What are we crabby college students to do then? Continue giving ferocious glares to innocent bystanders? Take our Plus Dollars and go on junk food binges? Beat our heads against our desks repeatedly in the hopes of curing our crippling writer's block? I think not.

If you'll pardon the slightly surfer dude expression, I think it is time that we all take a gigantic chill pill. Yes, exams are approaching. Yes, we all have tons of homework and projects weighing on us. And yes, the constant pressure to get good courses for next semester is breathing down our necks. But let's keep it in perspective - we are talking about the end of the semester, not the apocalypse.

When all these worries get you down, just remember that along with the impending pressure of final exams, the near future will bring us a number of good things as well. Everywhere we look, there are seasonally themed treats and coffees to chase away the exam cram blues, and in the weeks to come the opportunities for tacky holiday parties and mingling with friends are limitless. Not to mention that 'tis the season for all those mom-made goodies to start zooming their way towards us inside overstuffed care packages. This is good news even if your mom is not the mailing type, because you'll surely be able to bum some homemade cookies off of your friends.

If, however, the thought of all these coming attractions is still not enough to lift your spirits, then it's time to self medicate. And no, I don't mean in illegal or dangerous ways. I mean try a few little things to alleviate your grumpy 'tude. I have a few standby pick-me-ups for whenever I'm feeling especially cantankerous:\n

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1. Take a hot shower. I find that this helps alleviate my stress and empty my mind for a little while.
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2. Take the time to make yourself a good dinner. Cooking can be very soothing, and preparing a balanced meal (as opposed to grabbing a bag of chips at the library) is good for your overall health.
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3. Set aside an hour to take a nap. This will allow you to relax and give you a natural boost to power through all that studying. Also, in my experience, taking a whole hour gives you enough time to actually rest (unlike 20 minute power naps) without giving you the grogginess that often follows extended napping.
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4. Without going overboard, allow yourself the small indulgence of your favorite sweet or salty snack during your next study break. (I personally never underestimate the power of chocolate.)
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5. Whenever you have been working especially hard, allow yourself a half an hour chill session to do some pleasure reading, catch up on your favorite show or call a friend you haven't talked to in awhile.
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\nSo my fellow library dwellers, hopefully my tips have planted a few seeds of good cheer into your over-saturated brains. Perhaps if we keep those upcoming possibilities and brief stress relievers in mind, we might all make it to Winter Break without our faces becoming permanently stuck in sourpuss expressions. Just remember: stay calm, keep all of your stressing in perspective and most importantly, no matter how grumpy you may become, it is never okay to kick someone in the shins just for daring to be cheerful in your general vicinity.

Katie's column runs biweekly Tuesdays. She can be reached at k.mcnally@cavalierdaily.com.