Winter is no joke for the upper Midwest. That’s something that we can all agree on. For the most part, we’ve become accustomed to the harsh, cold, dry and long winters. But at what point does a season become too long to bear?

The typical spring in Wisconsin has temperatures in the mid-to-high 50’s. It’s mid-April — it shouldn’t still be this cold.

Around this time of the year, students become anxious and weary for the return of the sun. It makes it harder to focus on class, but it also provides something to look forward to and push through the end of the semester.

This year’s so called “spring” has been cold, snowy, altogether too lengthy and it’s taking a toll.

The cold weather can affect people in serious ways. It has been known to result in poor mental health and poor physical health.

Lately it has been harder than ever to feel motivated with work and school and I can confidently attribute that to the lack of sunshine and high temperatures.

With that being said: where are you at spring?

Midwesterners are in some serious need of a vacation and some warmer weather.

This year’s long weather forecast according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac shows the average temperature for April in Eau Claire in the low 40s and for May in the mid 50s. April will consist of snow showers, cold temperatures, rain and few warm periods. May will have slightly warmer temperatures with a few thunderstorms, rain showers, and sunny periods.

You can imagine my disappointment while reading this.

As I read the average temperatures for May, I just kept telling myself that the numbers couldn’t be accurate. Meteorologists are more advanced than ever, but come on, trying to predict the weather a whole month in advance is still a difficult task.

In the off chance that the weatherman is actually right about Wisconsin’s upcoming weather, I find myself googling ways to beat the frigid weather.

In an article by the Huffington Post called How To Beat The Winter Blues, According To Top Experts, they gave seven simple tips to do just that.

The three tips I found most beneficial were to prioritize sleep, to eat high energy foods and to exercise daily.

It’s so easy to lock yourself away in winter with a warm blanket and a good book, but the best thing you can do is create a schedule to make time for both sleeping and staying active.

In the meantime, you can find me getting through this never-ending winter by listening to my summer playlist and binge buying swimsuits that I’m not even sure I’ll get the chance to wear.

Hang in there fellow Wisconsinites. Spring is coming! It’s just going to take a little bit longer than normal.