The alarm clock buzzes loudly on the nightstand until the girl unceremoniously hits the snooze button to shut it up. Pulling back the covers, she feels the chill of the winter morning and instantly feels the urge to pull the covers back up and hibernate until the warmth of the spring sun streaming through her window awakens her.

I’m a summer girl, and I dread the colder months of January and February. I don’t mind the cold around Christmas because it feels festive, but by Dec. 26 I’m done with it. However, I still have to make it through two, sometimes three months of cold weather.

Recently I found that there is a name for these feelings, and it is appropriately named SAD– seasonal affective disorder. This condition applies to people who feel moody or depressed during seasons of the year they dislike.

Yes, this is a real thing. I don’t consider myself depressed or know if this disorder actually applies to me, but I do know the summer brings me copious amounts of joy while the winter is something I just have to deal with.

During these months, I always try to find things I can look forward to to help lift my spirits. Looking forward to Dinner Theater, Sadie and Spring Break usually do the trick.

Dinner Theater is a big production that Student Council puts on for parents and family of students in the organization to raise money. Kids in StuCo start preparing in December for this event, which usually takes place in late February/early March. I love to dance, and all the practices for the numbers are really fun for me.

Although Sadie can be a bit stressful to prepare for, the actual dance itself is always a good time. Plus, I can always use some of the two-stepping moves I learn from Dinner Theater dances when the DJ plays too much country music.

After the wonderful two-week break we have from school for Christmas, the second semester always seems insurmountable. The promise of a week off for Spring Break in the distant future has me looking up beach vacation destinations and planning trips I will probably never take. Regardless, dreaming of laying on the beach somewhere always makes me feel a little better.

Usually I do not applaud the bipolar Texas weather, but those few days in January and February that get to 80 degrees are lights at the end of the tunnel, even if they are a warm-weather tease.

Cold weather is definitely puts a damper on my day, but I refuse to let SAD get the best of me.