Midterms are in full-swing for many students and it’s easy to let the stress get the best of us. But spring is a time to enjoy the opportunities Ohio State offers. I’ve compiled a list of pointers and ideas to help students balance the stress of school and the spirit of spring.

Feed your health.
Spring is no time to slack off, academically or health-wise. Allergens are highly present this time of year along with the spread of illness and infection, so it’s important to remember to practice common sense with your body while you are still young. Take the time to get physical activity daily by playing disc golf, playing catch on the Oval, swimming or taking a morning or evening walk. Get creative and kick that winter workout routine to the curb – take up something new to keep your motivation to commit to better health. All of these options are outdoor, which is also important in regards to your health: get out in the sun and absorb some well-needed vitamin D after a long winter of gray skies. And speaking of vitamins, you’d be surprised what a difference it can make in your overall well-being by taking them on a daily basis, not just physically, but mentally. It’s easy to take one multi-vitamin a day, so commit to do it. ‘Tis the season to feel great all-around.

Happiness is a conscious choice.
The weather makes for perfect road-traveling conditions but is also perfect for trying new activities like skydiving or hiking. Pack a picnic and go have lunch by Mirror Lake. Watching students silently walking to and from class is tranquil, although I find the multiplying number of mutant-turkey ducks inspiring enough (wasn’t there only one turkey duck my freshman year?). Breaking routine and trying new things will allow you the freedom to notice beauty you wouldn’t have noticed before! Don’t let a second of daylight be wasted on stressing the small things when there is a great big campus out there to explore. Find a friend to walk with at dusk one night a week. I recently implemented a weeknight to walk with a friend around campus and explore the cityscape as the sun sets. Exploring vacant buildings and discreet alleyways has given me new places to photograph or escape to whenever I need new scenery or inspiration.

A final word of advice:
Life is not easy. I have learned most of my lessons the hard way, through first-hand experience. I won’t let anybody tell me how to live my life, nor will I size up any lifestyle or way of living until I have tried it myself first. The minute you get used to the spin of things, life changes pattern again. I can’t tell anybody how to live. All I can do is take what I have learned and try to offer my ideas as a supplement to anybody struggling to efface the foggy winter blues.

Albert Einstein once said insanity is the action of doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. I have realized that unhappiness is the result of refusing to change your ways. If people are unhappy, what they are doing in life clearly isn’t working for them. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Embrace the new “you” boldly and bravely. The small details were missing from my life for a while because I was caught up in the fast-paced college lifestyle. I noticed that when I started paying attention to the small things instead of blocking them out, I was no longer blind to so much of the beauty around me just waiting to serve a purpose in my day. Those small, secret purposes are what get me through and keep me inspired. Diamonds are hidden in the mundane recesses of everyday life waiting to be found, but in order to hold them, you must first go after them.