October is the greatest month out of all the 12 months, and no, it is not because my birthday is in October. I love October the most because it is the best time of year to be a sports fan. October is the month that all the major sports are playing. It is such an exciting time. There is playoff baseball, football is in full swing, and hockey is back.

The other great thing about October is that the weather is beautiful. Now, for those of you who have grown up around the greater Grand Forks and Twin Cities area you may not have experienced the beautiful weather that I’m talking about. Where I was born in Pennsylvania, October is the month that the leaves start to change colors, the temperatures start to cool down and it’s a little crisp at night. Perfect bonfire and sweater weather. Friday nights are filled with high school football holding a nice warm cup of hot chocolate, or if you’re basic, a pumpkin spice latte.

Sadly, in Grand Forks October means some of the weirdest weather you could experience. There is still beautiful green grass everywhere and leaves do change colors here, although the colors are not some of the brightest that you have ever seen, but you get the picture. Regardless, the weather in the greater Grand Forks area kind of puts a damper on all the great things that October has to offer. Snow in October while there are leaves on the ground and leaves still on trees might be the most upsetting thing one could see.

Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a tasty pumpkin spice beverage. I love everything there is to love about pumpkins. I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin beer, pumpkin bread and most other pumpkin flavored items.

As students are all well aware, cooler weather means we are getting that much closer to finishing the semester which is exciting. The toughest part about October is that it is the longest stretch of school days with no planned day off for college kids. The stretch from the day after labor day all the way until Veterans Day in November is the longest stretch in the college academic calendar for UND students without a day off. I have long argued that this stretch alone makes the fall semester way harder than the spring semester.

For those of you who might be struggling with this long stretch of school remember to take a breath and remember that you are a smart individual, you made it to college and you have the ability and the work ethic to make it through. Take your schedule one day at a time, and find happiness in the small victories. If you find yourself still struggling, remember that there ain’t no shame to the mental health game and your own mental health is the most important thing. UND has many services for students if you find yourself having trouble. If you, or anyone you know may be having trouble, especially as the days get shorter and the nights become longer be a friend and let yourself or your friend know that it’s okay to be struggling and there is nothing wrong with asking for help.

The number for the UND Counseling Services is 701.777.2127