I ‘ve got a fever, and the only prescription is more warm weather. Well, that and a little cowbell of course.

With April just days away, it seems like students across campus have caught at least a slight case of spring fever. And as the snow turns to rain and flowers start to bud, it’s only natural that everyone is getting anxious for warmer temperatures to arrive.

Spoiled by an exceptionally mild winter, many wait impatiently for the forecast to heat up. In fact, just the mention of the words “45 degrees” is enough for some to break out the shorts for the entire week.

Ohio really does have more seasons than winter, still winter, almost winter and construction. Spring arrived last week and I’m sure Mother Nature will get the memo sooner or later.

Until then we’ll just have to find a way to fight off spring fever a little longer.

But to be able to combat spring fever, one must know what it is.

Some students I talked to, such as sophomore Josh Dellinger, had never heard of spring fever before.

While spring fever is not a real illness, it is a condition that affects most people to some degree. Symptoms may include a sense of longing for brighter days, desiring to take long walks on the beach and having no desire whatsoever to complete school work.

“Oh, I’ve had that since October,” Dellinger said upon learning more.

And he’s not the only one suffering.

Haley Lambert, a junior at the University has a case of spring fever too.

“Is it May 5 yet?” Lambert asked.

With five more weeks to go in the semester, spring fever can make it difficult to focus.

“It’s really hard to convince myself to get out of bed in the morning, let alone go to class,” sophomore Whitney Meadows said. “Especially on dark, overcast days.”

Her roommate, Jessica Bouman agrees, “I have no motivation.”

She displays another symptom common of those diagnosed with spring fever.

With spring break long gone by now, motivation has called in sick and spring fever has quickly settled in to take its place.

Unfortunately, it’s during the home stretch of the semester when such encouragement is needed most.

It’s not uncommon for students to be bogged down with assignments toward the semester’s end and spring fever can often interfere with a student’s ability to concentrate on the task at hand.

“You know it’s spring when you have a project due in every class,” sophomore Carrie Gluvna said with a sigh.

So how can we overcome the urge to be lazy and beat spring fever? Patrick Grayshaw just might have the answer. He suggests a later spring break may do the trick.

“Our spring break was in winter,” Grayshaw said.

He has a point. To be on break when it’s still snowing outside can just make you sad. And it really can lead to SAD

SAD, or seasonal affective disorder, is an actual, well-documented condition resulting from connections between human mood and energy levels and the seasons. Physician Norman Rosenthal has estimated that SAD affects just over 1 percent of Floridians and nearly 10 percent of adults living in New Hampshire.

While treatment for SAD can include light boxes and medication, students with mild cases of spring fever shouldn’t worry.

Spring fever is natural and it’s not anything that a little warm weather can’t fix.

As University student Heather Stelzer said, “There is no real cure because our minds are already on vacation.”

So it looks like we’ll just have to let spring fever run its course. It’ll be warmer before you know it.

And while you’re waiting for that first 60 degree day to roll around, you can always break your fever by filling that prescription and practice the cowbell.

Send comments to Taylor at [email protected].