January and February can seem like the end of the world. Or at least, a lot less exciting than the December we just had. Just a few weeks ago, everyone was in the holiday spirit, rushing toward finals and looking forward to a three-week break. But now that it’s back to school, things have slowed down a little. The cold weather has started to become a bit less magical, and a bit more dreary. But there’s no real reason January, February, and the rest of the second semester can’t be just as fun as December. So how can we start to bring cheer up as we get back into the swing of school?

“By spending time with friends and seeing what the theater has this semester, like the improv games last year. I also enjoy going to clubs like the math team,” senior Lorelei Osterlund said.

Freshman Sydney Carlson is excited for “Scholastic Bowl championships. And the musical is very good, I can’t wait to watch the musical. Outside of school, I like to look at the flowers in the new year. I like the rain. Looking at it, not being in it. It’s peaceful.”

“Spring is nice. I like to make tea to relax when there’s bad weather, senior Amanda Daly said.

Math teacher Daniel Jones says that having his dog here brightens his semester, since his dog Bucky has gone through training in the therapy dog program and now gets to come to school more often this half of the year.

In addition to all of those ways to relax and enjoy the semester, there are plenty of school activities to help bring up both your spirit and school spirit. Catch a basketball game or wrestling meet, cheer on the Robot Rumble battle bots team, or visit the Orchesis show in March, or any of the awesome activities coming up in the next couple of months. Take some time for yourself this semester, and make this one even better than the last.