It’s the end of February. We’ve endured four months of sub-freezing temperatures, rain, snow, sleet, and general grey-ness. Spring is supposed to be coming, but it still gets dark around 5 p.m. Suddenly, the entire campus becomes overwhelmed in a collective hopelessness, a mass movement of misery that drives us away from the textbooks and towards the waffle fries.

9 a.m. class? Pssh, you’re lucky if I’m out of bed by noon. Screw orgo. Homework? Please, there’s whole seasons of Keeping Up With the Kardashians on Netflix to keep up with. The Ratty? Yes please, I suddenly feel like eating everything, including scrod (whatever the hell that is). Going out? Nah, it’s a much better idea to lie on the floor in fetal position and silently attempt to fill the lack of love in my life with a giant tub of EasyMac.

Basically, the whole campus — male and female — has a communal case of PMS.

There’s a name for this phenomenon: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This is not to be confused with Singles Awareness Day. We joke, but SAD is a real and serious problem. If you suffer from the winter doldrums, you’re not alone.

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Hello, readers!  It’s good to be back. After succumbing to Mono this winter break, I’ve had a lot of time to watch movies, go through multiple TV series, read some weird self-help dating books, and bake. I basically became an old spinster over break.  Pathetic? Slightly, but you try having Mono over Christmas.

At home, I met up with old friends and heard about their escapades, problems, and new boyfriends. In fact, I spent one evening listening to my friend drone on endlessly about her beau who almost told her he loved her. Ew. The only thing preventing me from gauging my eyes out with my fork was the chocolate cake that was on its way. Another friend was engaging in a “Friends with Benefits” type thing but secretly wanted more. As I listened to their relationship problems, I reveled in the fact that I had none of my own. I was single and free and boy, it felt good. [Read more →]

The ice skating rink at the Bank of America City Center downtown has been one of the only reminders of the winter season this year. However, this popular wintertime retreat is coming to a close once again on March 17th (St. Patty’s Day, if I must remind you). This week the rink began special End of Season hours, which are now Mondays through Fridays from 2PM to 10PM, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10AM to 10PM. The whole shebang will cost you $10 ($6 for entry, $4 for skates).

So bid adieu to the winter with one last hoorah at the ice skating rink this weekend…if you have time, that is. There will be a lot going on. Choose wisely.

Image via. 

It’s almost winter, y’all.

Ya better watch out
Ya better not cry
Ya better not pout, I’m tellin you why –
Santa Claus Freaky the snowman is coming to… Thayer St.

Fellow Brunonians! I bring you the great news that the heat is in fact on. Facilities has just informed us all that they will now be guaranteeing that all rooms will stay at a balmy 68-72 degrees (unfortunately they picked a pretty nice day to send that email out).

There definitely are good signs and bad signs in this one. Yes, winter is coming, and so are the numb ears and fingertips that come with it, but maybe now I don’t have to bring my comforter into the hallway for 4 am Saturday night floor parties anymore.

Nothing like the promise of a Milano cookie to get you up in the morning. — Courtesy of Reuters

This morning Punxsy Phil (as he is apparently affectionately known) poked his head out into the ridiculously terrible weather to declare that winter is coming to an end! With no shadow in sight, legend has it we will be treated to an early spring. You can see video coverage here.

And keep reading! There’s a conspiracy buried in here.

The announcement is hopeful, but completely incongruous with weather across the country. As Brown students wade through ankle-deep freezing slush to get to classes (that are really just never cancelled; RISD’s closed—what gives? anyway…), huge swaths of the country are suffering right along with us. [Read more →]