{shortcode-0aa4a7bc2bae6df4a2d55d6520918c7a539b878e} Spring break has come and gone, and we’re right back into the thick of midterm season. Only three days in, and there’s already a month’s worth of work to be done. Keep your chin up, though. The Charles River is no longer frozen, there’s an extra hour of sunlight, and the weather is finally beginning to get warmer. Before you know it, summer will be here in full force, and you’ll be worrying about your internship instead! There’s light at the end of the tunnel, and your favorite blog (Flyby) is here to help you get there in one piece. We do, however, have our own mid-semester slump to survive, so we’re not gonna hold your hand every step of the way; we have some Ghosts of Flyby Past (read: past articles) to do that for us.

First things first, it’s time for a hard reset. As much as you hate studying for your fifth midterm of the semester, now is not the time for being a whiny baby; it’s time to lock in and pull yourself together. We know that trekking down to the laundry room feels like a waste of time when you wear the same pants every day anyway, but even a few minutes spent cleaning will dramatically improve your quality of life… and probably alleviate the tension that’s bubbling up between you and your equally stressed/busy/messy roommates. The last half of the semester is not a time to wallow — make your academic comeback instead.

If even our sage words of wisdom haven’t stopped your spiral, maybe Mother Nature can help out. With warmer temperatures, kayaking season is finally on the horizon. Staring at the water might help you remember that things are not that deep in the grand scheme of things. Technically if you capsize, you can cross another one of the Harvard traditions off your list (iykyk). If solid ground is more to your tastes, picnic along the Charles! We’ve already done the hard part — actually planning the picnic of your fantasies — so all you need to do is find a free hour (okay, maybe this is the hard part) to enjoy the views while surrounded by great company and food. Seriously, touch some grass. ASAP. There are so, so many outdoor activities (not all equal) to enjoy now that temperatures are tolerable enjoyable. (And don’t try to use your seasonal allergies as an excuse. We’ve got that covered with this article that will help you explore the great outdoors without sniffling every five seconds.)

Once you feel five percent closer to being a functioning human being, feel free to reward yourself with a sweet treat. There’s one for every mood, you know. You need some incentive to power through these last few weeks, and sometimes even the idea of passing your classes isn’t enough to sprint through the last half of your pset. If you’re looking for permission to treat yourself, you have it. Finish a sentence in your essay? Arrive at lecture on time? Manage to assemble a HUDS meal that doesn’t make your stomach recoil? Time for a treat! If you’re trying to cut back on spending, you could always stop by the many free (at least for you) museums on campus or chip away at your Board Plus balance.

If all else fails, just avoid all your responsibilities. Give yourself a second spreak. (But shorter, because someone has to take your midterms.) The commuter rail is perfect for a quick escape from campus. Pop the Harvard bubble and pretend that you didn’t just spend ten hours on a pset to only get six of the ten questions right. Pretend that you have no obligations and forget about them!

Hopefully this suggested reading list will give you the push you need to break out of the mid-semester slump… and hopefully not feel even more swamped by your readings (oops). Summer is distant, but it’s so close you can almost taste it!