Ah, springtime, the season of new beginnings and rebirth. The days are lengthening, and the greenery is reemerging. Somewhere out there is a bear – the breakout star of an unfilmed David Attenborough documentary – lumbering out from her den after months of hibernation. The last traces of winter may not have disappeared just yet, but spring is definitely on its way.
It’s a good time to think about what we can do to recenter ourselves and prepare for the coming year. According to The Washington Post, America’s tradition of an annual spring cleaning can be traced back to the 1800s, when the burning of wood and coal to keep homes warm in winter led to a thick coating of soot and grime by spring. Other cultures have their own traditions and reasoning concerning deep cleaning in the spring, such as the Iranian custom of cleaning during the Persian New Year Nowruz. This year, instead of just spring cleaning your physical surroundings, spend some time cleaning up other aspects of your life as well. It’s never too late to try something new, and below are a few ways you can help yourself have the best year possible.
- Declutter your living space
Do the t-shirts in your closet spark joy? What about the ivy plant on your windowsill that you were hoping was just dehydrated but is now deader than dead and haunting your plant-parent dreams? We often keep things around that we no longer enjoy or need because it’s easier than throwing them out, but it can get discouraging seeing them everyday, knowing that it’s one more thing we need to take care of but haven’t. If there’s too much to do, just pick one area of your room, like your desk or your closet, and tackle that. Even if you only clear up that one space, you’ll feel so relieved and proud of yourself to have completed that project. Who knows? You might just be inspired to take on the rest. - Go for a walk
Take advantage of the lovely weather and head out for a stroll along Paradise Pond! Breathing in some fresh air and getting in some light exercise is a great way to recharge and return to your study space invigorated and ready for a night of mad studying. Whether you undertake this outing alone or with a friend for ten or forty minutes, this can be a good way to get closer to nature and clear your head. - Take a hard look at your schedule
The month before finals is rough, and you might have lots of projects, midterms and essays that all coincide on the same ridiculously busy week. By listing them all out somewhere, whether it’s on a random sheet of notebook paper or your Google Calendar, you can visualize your schedule and prepare yourself mentally for the work that is to come. It may seem daunting, but by having clear ideas about how you’ll handle the studying, the writing and the questions you need answers to before you can start, you’ll feel better prepared for the coming month and not be swamped at the last minute when you realize you’re going to have to churn out 20 percent of your entire GPA in forty-eight hours. - Try something new
Spring is the time of new beginnings and new adventures. If there’s something you’ve wanted to do for a while but haven’t done yet, now’s the time to go for it! Go to a theater production or a meeting for an organization you’ve gotten constant emails from. Switch up your bubble tea order instead of that old favorite you’re starting to get tired of. If you don’t have any particular desires in mind but want to shake up your weekly routine, look up some local events on Facebook or the Campus Center bulletin boards and just show up! Scared to try things alone? There’s a Smith Facebook group called “I want to do something but not by myself” that you might want to check out. - Get back to what’s important to you
It’s easy to compare yourself to others. No matter what you’re doing, there always seems to be somebody who is in more organizations, taking more classes, having more fun on social media and getting more opportunities than you. Remind yourself of your core goals and values – it may be that you’re making some of your decisions based on what you think you should be doing rather than what you actually want and value in life. Think about what’s important to you – whether that’s friends, family, a good sleep schedule or a genuinely fulfilling educational experience – and resolve to avoid feeling guilty if you sometimes let go of the rest.
