It’s February, which means we’ve officially entered arguably the most boring and burnt-out stretch of school. From now until mid-April, students’ lives are bound to be ridden with worksheets, studying, and endless tests. It’s easy to get exhausted, but it’s also important to have fun, so here are a few things you can do to bring some life into these dreaded months.

1. Dedicate time to hang out with friends. Even if it’s just for an hour or two, spending time with friends is something we forget to do when loaded down with work but is one of the best ways to pick yourself up off the ground. Finding a time that works for everyone is hard, but you’ll be so glad you made the effort once you’re all laughing together for the first time all week.

1. Make a new playlist! Music can set the vibe for our days, and right now we need as much motivation as possible. Put together a list of upbeat songs to keep you going until at least March. Give it a witty name and play it 24/7 because at this point that’s how often we need encouragement to actually do work. Just because you feel like giving up doesn’t mean your music has to reflect that, so add as many 2000s hits as you can.

1. If you like winter sports, get your act together and go skiing or snowboarding. There are a ton of local mountains in Pennsylvania that are great for a little daytrip. Once you’re out on the snow you won’t be thinking about how many more days you have until the next break, instead you’ll just be focusing on the fun you’re having in the moment. Bonus points if you find a way to go after school, and double that if you bring some friends. Your day will 100 percent be on a whole new level.

1. Watch a new show. Not a rewatch of your favorite, but find something new to captivate your attention! It doesn’t have to be a twelve season hit, it can be a short, low-commitment series, but just seeing something new is a great way to mix up the repetitive days. After hours of studying and doing homework, watch an episode or two to wind down. You’ll have something to look forward to after a long day, can end the night stress free, and there’ll always be something waiting for you that’s not a mountain of work.

1. Write down one good thing that happened each day. These months are full of negativity, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Take one minute each night to acknowledge something that made you happy and remember that even bad days have good moments. It doesn’t take much time, is low-effort, and will force you to feel joy if there’s not much else to elicit that particular emotion.

1. If it snows again, spam DCPS about how you “fell on ice” and pray we get more snow days! Grab a friend to take a picture of you and your “broken arm” toppled over on the one patch of ice in your neighborhood and just keep DMing their Instagram page until they respond. Even if they don’t, at least you know you were a real one and tried to save our souls from yet another grueling day.

1. And lastly, if it comes down to it, bring back February break, even if just for yourself. Go MIA for a random week in February. Take the time to sleep in, recharge, and forget school exists, then tell anyone who asks that there was a death in the family. No one’s going to judge you; if anything they’ll be jealous that you got some well-deserved rest while they were toiling away at school. In fact, we should collectively agree to take the same week off so when we come back we can all feel communal misery.

Yes, this stretch of school is infamously one of the worst, but there are tons of ways to inject some excitement into your weeks. If you’re struggling with piles of work, try out one of these ideas and I guarantee you’ll feel better. •