Halloweekend may be over, but there’s nothing more haunting than the post-Halloweekend experience in college — like getting outscored on your human biology midterm by someone who, just two nights ago, was killing it on the dance floor dressed as a hot Dr. Derek Shepherd. It’s a perplexing sight to digest, considering you barely even had the energy to make it to class.
Stumbling through parties, midterms, and the common cold, let’s just say that you barely look more put together than a zombie. Here are some practical ways to revive yourself from the dead.
- Physically: ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away.’
I don’t even want to know what you had to eat, drink, or smoke this past weekend — I’m not your parent — and, well, I’d prefer to keep hush about my festivities as well. No matter what happened, you’ve still got to recover from your indulgence.
Everyone knows to stay hydrated, get a good night’s rest, and keep your plate colorful with nutrients from fruits and vegetables. Those are the basics of self-care. Yet, the hot tip I didn’t know was that vitamin C plus zinc means a quicker recovery when tackling the campus plague. My sister, a certified health freak, put me on to this potion, and I’ve never looked back. Target has a plentiful stock of premixed options, coming in packet or gummy form. Since your Halloweekend was liberal with all sorts of gummies, I’d get the drink packets if I were you.
Once you’ve got your supplements down, it’s time for some real food. For your recovery meal, I’ll take you through my favorite stew-like dish that I keep stocked daily. I admit that this takes money and time, but your gut will thank you.
- Ingredients:
- Oil or butter (I use beef tallow and ghee)
- Ground beef (When I’m feeling really fancy, I’ll replace the beef with bison or venison)
- Vegetables (I use carrots, spinach, and asparagus)
- Chicken stock
- Salt (I use kosher and Himalayan pink)
- Preparation:
- Prepare your vegetables by cleaning and chopping them. I do this at the very beginning to let the vegetables soak in a pot of water with 1-3 tablespoons of baking soda. I leave this for about 10-15 minutes to cleanse them thoroughly while I’m cooking the meat.
- Get your biggest pan available and start preheating it on the stove with your oil or butter of choice. I usually pull out the wok and throw in ½ tablespoon of beef tallow at medium-high heat.
- Once you hear the fat sizzling, throw in your ground beef. Use a spatula to break up the block of meat until it’s evenly spread out, then sprinkle in a few pinches of salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes, or until it’s brown to your liking.
- Transfer the cooked meat into your serving bowl and pour a few cups of chicken stock all over.
- If you’re prepping this for the week, you can hold out on the chicken stock until you’re reheating everything all together.
- Pour out any remaining liquid from your pan and start fresh with new oil or butter. This is when I’ll switch to a tablespoon of ghee.
- Keeping the heat on medium-high, throw in your vegetables with another few pinches of salt. Cook this for 5-8 minutes; I can usually tell they’re done when the carrots are slightly soft.
- Finally, add the vegetables to your bowl as well as any finishing touches. Sometimes, I’ll slice in goat cheese and crack pink salt on top.
Whether you opt for this recipe, spend a few bucks on a Whole Foods “immunity shot,” or buy grub from your favorite poke place saturated with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, trick-or-treat yourself to wellness this week.
- Mentally: ‘You are sexy and a high-achiever!’
You thought I was going to suggest self-affirmations next, didn’t you? Well, it’s one thing to tell yourself nice things in the mirror, but it’s another thing to get a friend to do it for you. This stressful season merits mutual support now more than ever. Plus, you have a timely excuse; pull up a chair with a friend and get started on the Halloweekend debrief.
When my friends and I have gotten together lately, I’ve noticed that we exchange a lot more “You got this” and “Look at you!” than usual. The same goes for my dorm, as lingering a little longer in the kitchen means getting to chat with my roommates over dates and butter — a ferocious combo. These small acts can really get us through particularly hard days and jam-packed schedules, letting us pause to rejoice in community.
Show your friend that they’re on your mind, especially because it means more during this hectic time. Invite them out for a day trip to Westfield UTC, cook a homemade dinner together (may I suggest that recovery meal?), or even catch up over the phone while quarantining from the frat flu.
It’s easy to lose sight of ourselves amid the rush of late-night deadlines and stuffy noses. Check in on yourself, but don’t forget to check in with your friends. A problem shared is a problem halved!
- Spiritually: ‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.’
There seems to be controversy about the appropriate time to start celebrating the holiday season, which is obviously right after Halloween. If you disagree, put your pitchforks down because you still have one more fall holiday to enjoy before Mariah Carey starts defrosting: Thanksgiving. Any break from school is one to celebrate, indeed!
Personally, I’ve already taken the liberty of booking my flights for as far as winter break, although I still haven’t planned anything for Thanksgiving break. Not only does this give me something to do, but I can avoid further damage to my wallet by getting ahead and booking travel plans now.
Again, latching your spirit onto any upcoming holiday is one answer to this post-Halloween depression. Even if you’ll be staying on campus or travelling not too far from home, brainstorming ways to keep your spirits high could be just the motivation you need to push through a mundane Week 6. Be on the lookout for a future article from us, guiding you through local festivities and vacation spots.
They say energy is contagious, so I sincerely hope that this self-care trifecta can elevate the collective mood on campus for the weeks to come. And to that one hot doctor: Kudos for keeping the show going — you are sexy and a high-achiever!
