For those of you who suffer from seasonal blues, winter can be the worst season of the year. Pep yourself up by trying one (or more) of these 10 easy ways to have more fun this semester.
1. Do something you always wanted to do as a kid.
Being in college means, in theory, that you can do just about anything you want to at any hour of the day or night. For many college students this may mean binge drinking and sleeping 4 hours per night, but what about all the things we vowed we would do once we were old enough to play by our own rules? This semester, wake up one morning and eat ice cream for breakfast. Wear the ratty t-shirt your mom forbade you from wearing out of the house. Jump on your bed. You can do it! Nobody’s stopping you…except maybe the people who live downstairs.
2. Lie profusely to someone you’ll only meet once.
Is a creepy stranger getting chatty with you in the waiting room at the doctor’s office? Have some fun with them. The lie doesn’t have to be fantastical; the goal should be to actually convince them of your story. If you’re there for a checkup, tell your new ‘friend’ that you’re there to have your partial eleventh toe removed. Act insulted when they ask to see proof. It’s only a stub!
3. Read Regretsy and laugh more.
Take some time to peruse Regretsy and enjoy gawking at the disturbing items that people apparently thought would be popular on Etsy. If a miniature ceramic statue of a shepherd pooping doesn’t make you laugh, nothing will.
4. Buy a Furbie.
They’re back, they’re cheap and apparently being sold at Shoprite. Furbies speak a unique (albeit somewhat creepy) language and come in a variety of exciting, fluffy colors. When you get sick of your Furbie you can just take out its batteries, and when you put them back in Furbie will still love you with as much passion as its little mechanical heart can muster. You may not be able to have a dog in the dorm, but Furbies might be the next best thing.
5. Find and open a time capsule.
Many of us made time capsules in elementary or middle school, and if you didn’t then you probably have a friend who made one. Open one up and see if those predictions and hopes for the future came true. While you're at it, make a new one to open on college graduation night!
6. Grab a friend and play MASH.
Mansion, apartment, shack or house? Minivan, convertible, SUV or bike? Most of us haven’t played MASH in years, but this game is still a classic and everyone secretly loves it.
7. Give a friend a haircut.
Find a friend who needs a haircut and offer to give them one for the bargain price of $0. Most boys will let you buzz their head, and a few adventurous females may let you trim their dead ends. Hairdressing is definitely not for everyone, but once you’ve snipped you realize there is something that’s very satisfying about cutting hair.
8. Catch up with an old friend.
The hectic pace of college life means it can be hard to stay in touch with people from your past. Slow things down this semester and call (or Facebook message) someone you always had fun with in high school. You’ll find yourself laughing and reminiscing in no time.
9. Create a dream baby with the hot celebrity of your choice.
Websites like MorphThing allow you to upload a picture of yourself and combine your features with those of a pre-pictured celebrity to create an image of your ‘baby’. You can also upload multiple photos and cross two of your friends, two celebrities, etc. Sometimes the babies come out with long hair or mustaches, but it’s all in good fun. Warning: you could be stuck on the site for hours trying to generate your perfect lovechild with Justin Timberlake.
10. Read a book!
Stop tweeting, stop stalking your cousin’s girlfriend’s sister on Facebook, put down the smartphone and take out your ear buds. Go to the library, take out a short book on a topic you’ve always wanted to learn more about and start reading. You’ll be surprised to remember how enjoyable reading can be, and how much better you feel without all that noise.
Image: Chateau Whitman
