Autumn is rolling in with a bang. If you thought the week-long Nor’easter was bad, just wait until you get hit with a slew of midterms and essays as classes start to ramp up. Just as a New England fall brings continuous rain, your classes will bring endless pain. Admittedly, getting to class can be quite difficult, especially when you have to brave both miserable weather and campus security threats at once. So here are a few suggestions for getting to class when walking through the rain seems anything but desirable.

1. Swim!

Honestly, if you have class in the SEC, swimming isn’t a bad option. You might as well embrace the wetness and use it as a polar plunge to get your morning blood flow going. You’ll feel revitalized and rejuvenated. Plus, if you get hypothermia, then that’s the perfect excuse to skip class for a few days and take the fall break we really deserve.

2. Uber Black

Once in a while, you deserve a reprieve. If you live in the Quad and need to get to the SEC with no shuttle in sight, splurging on an Uber Black might just be the way to go. You could even add a stop at Blue Bottle to pick up coffee right before class. Arrive in style.

3. Scooter Titanic-Style

Though it won’t keep you completely out of the elements, you’ll spend less time in them. One of you can hold the umbrella while the other drives. Riding with someone else is also a great way to conserve body heat.

4. Camp out in Lamont or the SEC

The brilliance of having a nearly 24-7 library means you can hypothetically stay overnight (not that we’re recommending this). If your first class is in the SEC and you live in the Quad, or you have a 9 am in Vanserg, it might just be easier to stay put and skip the trek. Work smarter, not harder, as they say.

5. Cafe Hop

There’s no greater joy than when a friend asks you, “Do you want to hit up a cafe this weekend and work?” Obviously, the answer is yes every single time. So why not bring that energy into the rainy, depressing week and café-hop your way to class? We’re talking Tatte to Café Gato Rojo to Jenny’s. Before you know it, you’ll arrive at that 9 a.m. of yours faster and happier than ever before. Thanks, caffeine!

6. Have your friend send the attendance poll

Honestly, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Make sure you’ve befriended at least one other person in your large lecture class who you can reliably count on to send you the poll everywhere. This isn’t survival of the fittest. It’s community-building <3.

There you have it, folks. Top ten six ways not to die in the rain. Whether you consider yourself a New England pro or are still adjusting to temperamental Masshole weather, I hope you can find some peace in knowing that we are all in this together. Swimming upstream, trying to survive, and (barely) staying afloat. May the weather gods be in our favor next week…