Thanks-giving break is a tease. Let's be honest -- it felt great to be home for a taste of the holidays with your family and friends. The problem, then, is that the warm sweetness of Thanksgiving is followed up by the cold and bitter reality of finals.

Coming back to State College after such a teasingly short break can often invoke feelings of impending doom. Not only has your main form of sustenance switched from stuffing and pumpkin pie to old coffee and EasyMac; the weather is changing from cold to freezing and there's pressure to do well on many, many exams. It's notoriously terrible.

How to fight off this version of Seasonal Affective Disorder that I like to call "post-Thanksgiving, pre-finals depression?" The most important thing you can do is recognize that you, a Penn State student, are at high risk for this common disorder. You have to take an active role in making sure that the final three weeks of this semester don't become a period of gloom and doom.

As I see it, there are two important antidotes to this depression -- the holidays and football.

If you're feeling Scrooge-like or just can't manage to bring back that childhood magic, there are many ways to catch up with the season's spirit.

Decorating your dorm room or apartment is a key first step. "Charlie Brown" Christmas trees look beautiful atop micro-fridges and computer-paper snowflakes make easy ornaments. Actually turning on those Christmas lights you've had up all year is an easy way to make your room glow.

It can also be fun to plan a gift exchange with your friends from home. But instead of exchanging regular presents, bring back the tackiest college stuff you can find. Penn State snowman salt and pepper shakers? Perfect.

When you're in the mood for a break, just dust off the dreidel, pick up a pint of the University Creamery's eggnog ice cream, make a seasonal playlist on iTunes, buy a bottle of peppermint schnapps and throw a holiday party.

Or you could spend a sunny afternoon shopping downtown. Buy your parents tacky Penn State mom and dad mugs, sweat shirts and hats. Don't forget to pick up some grilled stickies at the Diner for Christmas morning.

One of the easiest and least obvious ways to feel better is to help somebody else. Other people have bigger problems than "post-Thanksgiving, pre-finals depression," and donating your time or money can help both of you. That is the spirit of the season.

But, if you're not that into the holidays, or would just like to focus on football, then you might want to take a different approach to the next few weeks.

First, immediately become a big fan of UCLA and Texas Tech. (If a miracle happens and either of these teams win this weekend, Penn State still has a chance to go to the Rose Bowl). Read up on their teams; purchase team apparel; mark off game times in your calendar. Don't become too invested in these games, however -- victories are highly unlikely.

But after the games this Saturday don't go your way, realize it doesn't matter because Penn State is still going to a BCS bowl. This should be celebrated! Plan a party for the BCS Selection Show at 5 p.m. this Sunday on ABC. There's nothing like getting all your friends together for some nachos, cold beers and a show that guarantees raucous cheering.

Once it has been announced that we're going to either the Orange or Fiesta Bowl, something needs to be done about getting there. Petition the university to provide student transportation to the bowl game. We're the 12th man -- we had an impact on the season -- shouldn't they give back to the people who helped get them there? Give us rides to Miami or Tempe.

If Penn State ignores your petition, try to find a way to head south anyway. Sell many of your belongings -- maybe even your soul -- so you can afford a trip to sunny Florida or Arizona. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; make bus or plane arrangements. Buy giant vats of blue and white face paint. Prepare, prepare, prepare.

In the midst of all the parties, announcements, petitions and reservations, don't forget one important detail -- tickets.

For optimal results, combine a healthy dose of holiday spirit and bowl game anticipation. The combination should be just what the doctor ordered.

If these approaches don't work individually or together, you might want to try an experimental preventative measure -- studying. It takes longer to see results and is more painful than the other methods, but many experts on "post-Thanksgiving, pre-finals depression" think it's the most effective in the long term. Consider this a viable last resort.