We made it. Well, we’ve made it halfway at least. Now that week five is behind us, winter term is officially halfway over. This leaves only five more weeks until finals week, then spring break and then the start of UO’s beloved spring term. That being said, these next several weeks won’t be easy. There’s no guarantee this recent run of fair weather will last, meaning there is plenty of time for your seasonal depression to resurface. So here’s a playlist to help everyone power through the second half of winter term.
The full playlist is embedded at the bottom of this post.

Here are a few highlights:

“I Will Survive” — Gloria Gaynor

Gaynor uses the song’s catchy, upbeat arrangement as a vehicle for sharing a story of personal triumph. In reality, Gaynor is singing of newfound freedom following a break-up with a longtime boyfriend. But the song’s lyrics can be just as relevant to your unhealthy relationship with winter term. “It took all my strength not to fall apart, trying with all my mind to mend my broken heart, I spent, so many nights feeling sorry for myself, oh I used to cry but now I hold my head up high,” she sings. Winter term might be tough, but in the wise words of Ms. Gaynor, you will survive.

“Finish Line / Drown” — Chance The Rapper

There aren’t any two metaphors better suited to describe winter term than the feeling of drowning while simultaneously seeing the finishing line on the horizon. While Chance’s song doesn’t exactly align with that comparison, my point is: winter term is ironic. As the weeks pass, water levels begin to rise, eventually making its way past your waist and towards your neck. And just as you’re about to go under, the finish line appears. You take your finals and you head off to spring break. Just as God helps Chance through turbulent times, this song will help you through winter’s midterms and finals.

“Gotta Get Away” — The Black Keys

Sometimes the best way to beat seasonal depression is to travel somewhere where the sun is in season. Though it might not always be realistic to go on a last-minute weekend trip to San Diego, getting away from Eugene can benefit your mental health. Whether it’s a day to trip to a nearby beach town or a night at home with your parents in Portland, breaking your usual weekend routine is a good way to unwind and rest. Just as Black Keys’ frontman Dan Auerbach sings, “I went from San Berdoo to Kalamazoo, Just to get away from Eugene.” Well, he doesn’t say Eugene, but he could’ve.

“I Wanna Get Better” — Bleachers

This song is a little outdated for a playlist in 2018, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t increasingly fun to shout out the window of your car on a sunny February afternoon. While some songs fade into one-time summer hits, others become sunny-day classics. “While my friends were getting high and chasing girls down parkway lines, I was losing my mind,” Bleachers’ frontman Jack Antonoff sings — a relatable sentiment to any college student whose midterms comes right as Oregon’s weather suddenly decides to act like it’s May.

“Sunshine” — Atmosphere

While the lyrics from “Sunshine” may describe the all too familiar scene of waking up with a hangover, they don’t exactly capture the mood of a college student’s average Sunday morning. Atmosphere’s hit-single is far too upbeat to truly represent the morning after downing a bottle of Burnett’s vodka, however, it’s lyrics spark an exciting, new ideology: go outside! Oregon’s sunny winter days are limited, but they do exist and they have to be taken advantage of. There’s always going to be another homework assignment to do or midterm to study for — don’t let those stop you. Forget your homework, fail a midterm and realize “Sometimes you gotta give in to win,” as Atmosphere puts it.

Listen to the full playlist here:

Follow Zach Price on Twitter: @zach_price24