The short, freezing month of February has finally come to an end, and spring is on the horizon.

Well, almost. The equinox is still technically 17 days away, and let’s face it: In Milwaukee we might be trekking through snow all the way into April.

This period of limbo between winter and spring is one of the most agonizing times of the year. Everyone is itching for the sun to shine, the ground to thaw and the birds to chirp, but it feels like all we’re doing is waiting, waiting, and waiting some more.

The solution: Get off your couch before cabin fever gets the best of you, and shake up your life a little bit.

I’m not saying you need to go out and do something life-changing — although if you’re feeling ambitious, be my guest. But it can be as simple as picking up that guitar that’s collecting dust in your closet or shaving that rock star beard you’ve been growing all winter. There’s never a bad time to change your life for the better, and doing so now will give you a boost that can get you through to spring.

I know because I made a change of my own this week. I finally grew fed up with sitting in sweats on my couch eating Goldfish and procrastinating, so I decided to do something different.

I thought about seeing a concert, dropping by an art gallery or running to the mall, but none of them seemed right. I wanted to do something that made an impact on my life.

So I googled images of new hairstyles and picked one I’ve never tried before. I printed off a picture of a cute bob, changed out of my sweat pants, called Aveda and bused my way down to the Third Ward.

At the end of my spontaneous quest, my hair was a lot shorter and I felt a lot better. Just the simple act of getting a new haircut was so rejuvenating, it gave me the pick-me-up that I needed to get out of my wintertime blues.

And the change hasn’t been a one-time feeling. Seeing that haircut, I realized I’d been letting myself go, as we all do in the winter, with my once-fashionable sweaters and knee-high boots giving way to the same never-washed hoodie and fuzzy socks. There’s something to be said for being comfortable, but there can be such a thing as too comfortable.

So lately I’ve been thinking about how I dress, and even wearing a little makeup. It’s not out of vanity; it’s just because it makes me feel good about myself. I still lounge on my couch in my sweats after class, but I’m no longer wasting away the day in my room looking like a ragamuffin.

So instead of taking your second nap of the day or popping in another DVD while you’re waiting around for spring to arrive, do something refreshing.

Change and renewal is what spring is all about, so why not get a head start on the season and feel good about yourself while you’re at it?