We should call it fall quarter session II instead
By ANDIE TARABZOONI — rmtarabzooni@ucdavis.edu
Getting out of the festive, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year” mindset and entering winter quarter at the University of California, Davis is the most whiplashing set of events that can occur to an individual. Instead of being blown away by the bright lights and homey feeling during winter break, I am instead blown away by the wind gusts that attempt to return me to my humble abode.
You would expect to encounter comforting events and retreats; in turn you are locked in the Shields Library prisons until you’re free from the 20-unit course load that you thought would be a “good idea” midway through your midterm-ridden fall quarter. The problem with winter quarter is the fact that no one knows what to do, ever. One day the sun is shining and hope is restored in the world, the next day the rain has flooded your room and left you for dead to spiral into the abyss.
None of the fun holidays occur in winter quarter, except for St. Patrick’s Day (shoutout to the Irish). What fun is there to be bombarded by the candy grams crowd outside the Memorial Union on Valentine’s Day? Even if you were in a relationship, what exactly can you do when it’s 40 degrees outside and the grass is just there to fool you into stepping in mud?
The timing really sucks. Winter quarter compensates for the fact that you’re so far away from summer break, (and any break really) by giving you two long weekends, yippee! But seriously, you get winter break — which makes you realize maybe you’ve romanticized your family dynamic a bit too much — only to go through a dreadful three months of gloom, the wind’s reign of tyranny and the most evil professors you’ve ever met. Then, once you’re finally free and survive the most character building months of the year, you only get a week off to recover and reload.
Electronics are not your friend in winter either. This might be more personal, but last year, despite using an umbrella and having a protective laptop case, the rain broke my laptop and made me use the open access computer labs on campus for a month. It was really sad. Along with that, my power cut out three times which again, not great when you’re in an academic session.
This is not to say that winter quarter provides nothing, I actually really enjoy winter quarter. But, you have to lock the door and throw away the key to any plans or expectations you have for winter. Winter quarter chooses what happens to you, not you. If you really feel like your life is crashing down during winter, maybe it’s time to leave the Shields cells and get some Black Bear Diner Hot Chocolate or buy yourself some candy grams. The world is not ending; the sun just hasn’t shined in 40 days, but it will.
Written by: Andie Tarabzooni— rmtarabzooni@ucdavis.edu
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