Even as the shortest month of the year, February can often feel like it can drag on. The excitement of the holidays fading to memory and the promise of spring feels so far away. It’s no wonder many people struggle with this 28-day month. Many are unable to find joy and motivation.
Sophomore, Sirena Troutt, commented, “because it’s when the second semester – usually the more challenging semester of the two, at least for me – starts to get into full swing while I’m still reeling from Christmas Break.”
This highlights a common struggle for students. The change from the holiday season back into school can be stressful.
The second semester often brings more challenging work, and higher expectations, all of which can be overwhelming when joined together by fatigue. This adjustment can be tough for students, like Si, as they struggle to grip on these new sentiments and many find it hard to shake off what people would call a “post-holiday slump”
Moreover, the weather during the month doesn’t help.
The cold days can dampen spirits and make it harder to find motivation, “February also happens to be a dreary, gloomy month, and the weather can, more often than not, get a person feeling down.” Sirena Troutt commented, agreeing with the sentiment.
The lack of outdoor activities and sun can cause feelings of isolation and sadness making the month feel like it drags on and on.
There are ways to get over this constant slump during these 28 days. There’s always some advice to be shared.
“Try to move around, talk to people, find some activities that will make you happy. And don’t be too hard on yourself if you need to do a little bed-rotting. It’s the shortest month!” English teacher, Stephanie Cromer commented.
Kindra Petersen, a freshman English teacher, added, “This time of the year I start sending positive emails home and letting students know how much I enjoy having them come to class. When I lean into gratitude and lean away from complaining and things I can’t control, I feel much happier.”
Despite the efforts to remain positive people can still continue to feel down and upset.
“I do feel more melancholy during the month of February, mostly because of how gray it tends to be, and how the month tends to go from light to light to dark,” said Mr. Al Pace.
“Honestly – I get this feeling at work a lot. I don’t have any outside windows in my office or in the library, so it’s easy to feel a little trapped,” admitted Jen Keltner.
These sentiments are widely shared. People feel isolated and sad because of the cold and the inability to go out more often.
Still, many people find ways to cope; “Lots of random days off in February help make things more manageable,” noted Audrey Randel, Freshman.
The space between school weeks and the upcoming spring break helps a lot of students.
“It is a stress reliever of school” Lucy Murphy, Freshman, added in agreement.
Several freshmen students noted that avoiding the February slump can actually be prevented in the previous spring through course selection, where students can pick a class or two that provides a break to their 7-period day. These are classes like Orchestra, Band, Choir, or P.E.
“In those kinds of classes you don’t have homework and you wanted to be in there because you like what you are doing,” shared freshman Orchestra member, Lila Wall.
Gisselle Rubio, freshman, MHS athlete, noted that she finds running in February, even indoors, helps with the “long” month. She noted how Intro to Strength is her break during her day that she indicated on her course selection the February before.
In conclusion, February may be the shortest month but it sure packs a punch with its general dreariness. While it seems like the longest month, at least there are fewer days so it flies by. But we can find some joy by knowing that spring is just around the corner. After all, March is right around the corner, and with it, the promise of new beginnings and better weather shines through.
