Why the November Blues are Essentially the Same as PMSing

Whether you’re on the giving or receiving end of experiencing period mood swings, I think we can all agree PMSing is not pleasant for anyone. Just like a girl during her “time of month,” the awaiting winter at Syracuse is a bitch. You avoid the inevitable aspects of nature at all costs, putting off the impending doom of interacting. And to some extent, we all experience the November "PMS." Here are a few signs you've fallen victim to winters upcoming wrath.

You feel lazy almost 100 percent of the time.

As the temperature drops during the winter, so does the effort you're putting into looking halfway decent. Not only is PMS-ing emotionally draining, but complaining about it and moping around is physically exhausting. The excessive darkness of winter and the unbearable bloating during menstruation makes it borderline impossible to get out of bed. The rotation of leggings, jeans, and sweatpants dwindles down to a rotation of leggings and sweatpants. Jeans simply do not don’t give you enough leeway for how “bloated” you are (or really how much snacking you’re doing). During these trying times of winter and PMS-ing, the nights grow longer and the hair on your legs thickens.

You start to avoid the world, and the world avoids you.

As the air becomes more frigid, so do your peers. Walks to class are no longer enjoyable strolls, waving at friends and acquaintances, but now are races against frostbite. Taking your hands out of your pockets or removing your chin from your chest is simply not an option unless you'd like to lose a finger or never feel you cheeks again. On a similar note, it is also a socially acceptable time to be unfriendly when experiencing period mood swings. The only compatible company for you at this time is either edible or has the voice of an angel (Adele’s “Someone Like You” may or may not be playing on repeat).

You're frequently traveling to the drug store.

During this 3-5 day period (pun intended), the drugstore becomes your second home. The root of your debt stems from continuous purchases of Midol, tampons, and Advil. Likewise, winter in the library starts to sound more like a hospital ward with everybody coughing, sneezing, and sniffling everywhere… and despite our efforts not to give in to winter's shit, we all turn into germaphobes. As much as you try to prevent getting sick, viruses “going around campus” come in like a wrecking ball. As much Emergen-C, Airborne and kale smoothies you intake, a stuffy nose, scratchy throat, or congestion is bound to happen. The only thing worse than being sick is going to Health Services. But it is a great excuse to not share when someone asks for a sip or bite of something.

You start to judge everyone and everything around you, and you wish it didn't exist.

Walking to class or listening to a girl in the midst of PMS-ing endlessly bitching about nothing significant makes you long for earmuffs. After questioning what you could've done to deserve having to listen to her babble, you then remember that you chose the school, and you feel instantly dumber. If you’re the PMS-er, all you can think about is the end. Winter’s gloomy skies cause you to forget about that yellow thing in the sky called the sun, and PMS-ing causes people to forget most girls aren’t like that all the time.

There are a lot of similarities between PMS and November, but one things for sure… they both have expiration dates. So grab a midol, a thick scarf, and embrace the shit that awaits you. You have no choice but to suffer through the pain.