Is it official? Can we bring out the banners, start the parade? Let’s share cookies and lemonade everyone, because it’s SPRING! It’s finally spring! Hallelujah! We did it. We made it through the long, cold night and we’re now awakening to a bright, warm morning. For students, this is fairly bad timing: the entire month of April promised to be overwhelmed by final papers, assignments, and exams – and overwhelmed it was.
And while Mother Nature is still making up her mind – cold, damp days are still far too frequent for my taste – spring ultimately promises rain, greenery, and sunshine. Delightful!
How to make the most of it? Well, since each season is unique, they each deserve to be celebrated in their own special way. And summer is slowly creeping up on us, so let’s get excited about springtime while it’s still here!
20 Things to Do This Spring!
1. Vote.
This one’s for all the Canadians out there! We’re having a Federal election (#elxn41) on May 2, 2011. Since spring is all about rejuvenation and rebirth, it’s appropriate to include voting on this list – let’s make a change, and pump some life and passion into our government! This is my first year voting, so it really excites me that I have an opportunity to cast my vote in the election. It makes me feel very blessed that I have the chance to have my opinions be counted – so many around the world don’t get this great privilege. So get involved! Check out Elections Canada for information on how to vote, read the parties’ websites for their platforms, and take the Vote Compass at CBC to see where you fit in.
2. Invest in rain gear.
3. Get some greenery!
Perk up your dwellings with some life. Maybe start a little herb garden in a pot by the window? (Fresh basil = heaven) Or stop at a corner store and pick up some bright orange tiger lilies. Or a bunch of roses. Or a little bansai tree! Having fresh things in the house will breath some life (and oxygen!) back into you.
4. Go outside again.
We’ve been hibernating for so long, we forget what the sun looks like. So on those days when it’s bright, fresh and dewy, get outside and walk around. If you still have exams, try studying on your balcony or on the campus field. Explore your city, move your body! Now that the snow is gone, let’s make the most of it, shall we?
5. Enjoy springtime fruits!
Forget about all that junk food you munched in the heart of winter, put the carbs straight outta your mind. It’s a fresh new season! That means it’s time to reach for the beautifully unprocessed gifts of the Earth – fruits & veggies. Here’s a list of all the yummy goodies that are seasonal for spring: limes, mangoes, pineapple, oranges, strawberries, asparagus! Delicious.
6. Spring Cleaning
Remember how slushy it was this past winter? How much salt there was on the street? All that gravel they used to melt the ice? Well, chances are, quite a bit of it is still stuck to your favourite boots. Littering your front hall. Staining your pant legs. Time to get rid of it! Wash the floors, open the windows, sweep, check between the couch cushions, clean your sheets. Make everything fresh and happy again!
7. Find Your Fashion
I don’t know about you guys, but my fashion sense plummets in the wintertime. I can’t help it! I can’t stand being cold, and haven’t yet determined how to stylishly layer, so I end up going for sweaters and jeans the majority of the time. And I hate that! There’s nothing I like better than wearing cute little dresses or skirts. So one of my biggest challenges this spring will be re-learning how to kick the leggings, long shirts and drapey sweaters and get back into flouncy, fluttery skirts and colour again!
8. Do a cleanse!
With spring comes a newfound appreciation for clear skin, bright eyes and total health. We want beach bodies, strong limbs and laugh lines..we want to be healthy again! It’s time to celebrate the body, not hide it, and that means we have to start taking care of ourselves again. As for me, I have this urge to rid my body of all the gunk it’s been filled with all winter – all the processed foods, dairy, and junk food. I want to renovate my palate, and start having hankerings for raw carrots and quinoa again! That’s why I’d love to do some sort of cleanse this spring.
They come in all shapes and sizes! Some suggest juices in the morning, with light lunches and dinners, some are all juice, all the time, and some cleanses just ban certain foods for a while. There are tons of cleanse programs on the internet, but most of them are only in the US, and pretty expensive! No thanks. Not to worry, designing your own cleanse isn’t all that hard – we’re not advocating starvation here, after all!! Just avoid processed foods, load up on fruits & veggies (& beans & nuts) and eat as fresh as you possibly can. The amazing Kris Carr outlines a great one here, Women’s Health has one here, choose from ten here, or just think lots of grains, salads and light protein! I don’t really like the idea of programs like The Master Cleanse – not only does it not seem healthy in any way, I can’t see that your body would like it very much either! It would probably say: “You’re not feeding me! Better hold on to all this fat!”. Whatever you choose to do, don’t overdo it! Just eliminate all the junk.
9. Start something brand new
Any big ideas lingering in your thoughts? Are your passions pounding on the door, wanting out? What are you good at? What can you do right now? Today is the day. Start now! Write your novel, record your song, buy the supplies for your jewelry business, create an online portfolio, start that blog! For more of my opinions on the subject, check out my other post on starting.
10. Wean yourself off TV
Don’t lie to me. I know you’ve been watching three thousand TV shows this winter. I know, because I have too. Way too many. All the time. When I was up to date on all my shows, I’d just start watching a new one! This excessive television watching was done on study breaks, during dinner, etc, etc! And it’s got to stop. Far too much TV. Maybe during the cold season, I had an excuse, but now that the sun is out again, I’ve got to start cutting back on TV and ramping up my outdoorsy activities! How about you?
11. Have an Easter egg hunt
Need I say more?
12. Get a haircut
The theme here is re-invention, invigoration, renewal – and a cute new haircut fits right in with that. Getting rid of those dead, dry split ends from all the wind and weather damage will give you shiny, healthy, happy hair again. So check out some these hot spring hairstyles for inspiration, and get snippy!
13. Start exercising again!
Want a bod like hers? I sure do. So that means it’s time to bust out that workout gear and start hitting the gym! Or, start going for jogs around your neighbourhood. Or start a yoga class! Or wake up every morning and do push ups and sit ups. Or dance around in front of the mirror – just get that body moving and working!
14. Take care of your legs
Those poor things have been battered, dry, and hidden away all winter. So slather them with some lotion, start shaving again if you stopped (no judgement!), and get them ready to be flaunted, if you so choose!
15. Re-evaluate your New Years Resolutions
You know you made them for a reason! Maybe you can’t exactly remember what that reason is anymore, or maybe you’ve lost all your motivation. But I can guarantee that you’ll feel much better about the way your year went if you stick to your guns and keep up with them as best as possible! You don’t have to feel guilty, it’s all about what will make you happy. I posted my quarterly update here, and as you can see I haven’t done much…yet! But I’m not too worried, I still have 75% of the year left.
16. Drink more water
Refresh + re-hydrate. Get your skin glowing again, flush out those toxins, replenish your cells. I bought a large, green glass bottle that I like to fill up every morning and pour into a little cup throughout the day while I’m at my desk. Yes, I have to go to the bathroom a lot, but I also get to drink a huge amount of water, and it feels great.
17. Make Summer plans
Now is the ultimate time to start thinking big for the summer! It’s stretching out in front of you, full of possibilities. Places to go, people to see, fun to be had! So now is the time to start brainstorming about how to make this the best summer ever. Make tentative plans to visit people, to travel abroad, to throw a dinner party, to take a mini-roadtrip, to go camping or to just see old friends. If you start thinking about it now, there’s a much higher chance of it actually coming to fruition this summer, so get going!
18. Find an outdoor hobby
Start something that can keep you occupied outdoors during these warm months! Whether that be evening walks, painting on the porch, yoga in the park, or flower-picking, find something that will get you outside. This warm weather is way too nice to waste!
19. Start a reading list
Think of all that time during the school year during which you weren’t able to read. Think of all those books you never got around to. It’s so sad! Never fear, summer is (nearly) here! So start stockpiling books at your bedside table, checking things out of the library, and stalking your local bookstores – get ready for the freedom to read your little heart out. And start a reading list of all the books you’d like to read. If you’d like an online system, check out GoodReads or Shelfari – and get reading!
20. Have a picnic
Last but certainly not least, why don’t you experience one of life’s greatest pleasures – eating outside! Being cooped up inside to munch is way overrated. It’s much lovelier to pack some snack foods – crackers & cheese, lemonade, sandwiches in wax paper, potato chips and chocolate chip cookies – and go sit on a hillside somewhere with some friends + some music. I promise you’ll feel more spring-like in no time!
What about you? What’s topping your list of things to do this spring?? I’d love any inspiration you could throw my way!
With a spring in her step,
{Photo Credits: Intro, 1. Mine, 2. Personal Polyvore Set, 3. Mine, 4. Je t’aime 5. Mine, 6. Disney Princesses, 7. a bike about town via Girl With a Flute, 8. Lemonade, 9. Typewriter, 10. TV, 11. Easter Eggs, 12. Haircut, 13. Exercise, 14. Legs, 15. NYR, 16. Mine, 17. Plans, 18. Yoga, 19. Books, 20. Picnic}
