The weather is changing and the sun is setting sooner. Fall started and the weather is beautiful.

It’s December, and I have to say, I am a bit shocked at how beautiful it is outside.

I am not saying that I want it to be snowing, believe me; I am fine without the snow. If I remember correctly, this time last year it was cold and I needed to wear my heavy coat with my snow boots.

The good thing about this weather is that there are still a lot of things that you can do to enjoy this time.

Though it may be cold, you can still go out and sit on the Doudna Steps with friends, or play a game of touch football with your friends in the Quad.

Taking advantage of this weather is something that can be a great stress reliever during the next few weeks, providing that the weather holds.

The thing is with this weather, is that we are in that awkward time where the weather gets cold, then warm, then cold again.

When the weather gets crazy like this, it’s important to make sure that you stay healthy.

Staying healthy is going to be something that may be placed on the back burner with finals week coming up.

I know that when I have finals week, I tend to ignore what my body is saying that I need to slow down and take care of myself.

When finals week does come, make sure that you pay attention to what your body says and what the weather is, because if you get sick while you are stressed, the weather may not help.

Sleep, vitamin C and making sure you eat are some ways that you can make sure that you stay healthy, but also not stressing yourself out too much during this time.

The more time you spend taking care of yourself during finals week can even mean that you can be more successful while you are taking your finals.

Make sure to take care of yourself and study before finals to reduce stress and keep your head on straight.

Mackenzie Freund is a junior journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or mgfreund@eiu.edu.