The rainy season is upon us, and the grey skies are turning black earlier each day. Many of us are probably beginning to suffer from the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

This is a real condition brought on by a lack of sunlight in the fall and winter. Depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, lethargy and a general sense of hopelessness are associated with SAD, otherwise known as "cabin fever."

So, how do you keep from going mad during the Dark Days of the Long Dawg Winter? I have a few novel ideas, starting with the most practical:

1) Visit the UW's Counseling Center, which offers light box therapy. Basically, you sit in a room with a really bright lamp. Seriously, this thing's 10,000 lux strong, or about 20 times brighter than what you find in a typical room. If you do this for about 30 minutes each day, you'll probably feel better, since light therapy emulates sunshine and encourages the production of serotonin, a natural brain chemical that affects your mood for the better.

2) Turn on all the lights in your room. I mean all of them. Then dial up the brightness on your computer, cell phone and alarm clock. Open your window. Light some candles (carefully). Make it as bright as you possibly can. Then keep your eyes open. Wide open. Don't even go to bed. Stay up and soak up the light. You might feel sleepy, but you won't get SAD.

3) Camp outside. Any natural light, even filtered through rain clouds, is better than that artificial stuff. Sure, it's a little dangerous ... and cold and wet. But hey, you don't want SAD, do you? Pitch your tent on the HUB lawn, in Red Square or on the Quad — anywhere with a clear shot at the sky.

4) Cut a hole in your ceiling, for the reasons outlined in idea no. 3. Of course, this might be more challenging if you live on the first floor of your dorm or apartment building, but it's a perfect opportunity to meet your upstairs neighbors. Just introduce yourself, and explain that you want to tear a chunk out of their floor and roof to avoid becoming SAD. I'm sure they'll understand.

5) Make some more windows. By "make," I'm referring to a variety of methods, from actually building a window frame to punching a hole in the wall. Whatever it takes, get that light. It may not be pretty, but at least you'll feel better.

6) Ask your professor to turn on all the lights in your lecture room, and then bring in some portable lamps for the dark corners. Pass out lighted candles. Leave no seat unlit.

7) Don't walk to class with a hat or raincoat. That just might block whatever precious light is filtering down from the heavens. Wouldn't it be a shame for the sun's rays to have traveled 93 million miles through space, down into our thick atmosphere and right onto you, only to be stopped by a measly little jacket? Who cares about getting drenched!

8) Confiscate sunglasses. If you see some silly person walking around with a pair of SAD-inducing frames on, walk up and demand in "the name of sunlight" that he or she take them off. If you meet resistance, grab the nearest Husky football team members and tell them what you're trying to do. I'm sure they'd gladly join you in "encouraging" the sunglass-wearer to see the light, literally. The exercise will be good for you, and I'm sure they'll thank you later.

9) Light a bonfire. Or two. Or three. Heck, light a dozen. Like the signal fires of Gondor in The Return of the King, you should place them at strategic points on your route in and out of campus, preferably on tall buildings like Suzzallo. On grey days, you can get an extra boost of serotonin while calling for the aid of the Rohirrim.

10) Weave Christmas lights into your clothes, and carry a portable generator with you to power them. You could probably put the generator in a little Radio Flyer wagon and tow it behind you. Sure, you might look a little weird, it's probably not the best thing for the environment and your classmates may not appreciate it, but at least you won't get SAD.

I'm positively sure any of the above ideas will help you avoid the depression brought on by a lack of sunlight. Some might question your sanity, but they're either just jealous of your literal brilliance or starting to lose it themselves.

So get out there and turn some lights on.

[Reach columnist Will Mari at opinion@thedaily.washington.edu.]