Spring Forward: Ways to Prepare for Spring | Melody Abouzari

Spring doesn’t officially start until March 20, but with all this cold weather we're having in San Diego, I’m just about ready to end the winter season and transition to Spring. As a Spring born baby, I might be biased in saying this; however, I can truly say that Spring is the best season. You get cool showers, beautiful flowers blooming, and days hot and sunny enough to enjoy by the beach. And the best part? Sunsets take place around 6:00-7:00, meaning you don’t have to end your day early and start your night. While we won’t be settling into the new time zone until March 12, it’s never too early to bring some bright energy into your life. Each new season brings along promises of a new interval of productivity and hope. To honor and get the most out of your springtime, here are five tips to embrace the new season with style!

Spring cleaning

While it may be cliché to recommend cleaning during the Spring season, it really does help you to feel refreshed, renewed, and productive. My favorite tips for cleaning are to start a new show or movie that you've been dying to catch up on, or maybe listen to a new album, and just go to town. It doesn't always have to be a massive declutter—it could be simply ridding yourself of two or three pairs of pants, cleaning off your work space, or lighting a candle. Whatever makes you feel good and motivated in your space is the ultimate goal of spring cleaning. Oftentimes, New Year's motivation can slowly start to fade away and cause you to forget about your goals. Cleansing or refreshing your space can revitalize those ambitions and enforce healthy habits for the future.

Change up your wardrobe

In the winter time, it can begin to feel like we’re more focused on bundling up and staying warm rather than dressing our best. However, dressing well doesn't necessarily mean wearing fancy clothes everyday! It's simply wearing things that make us feel confident in our bodies and ourselves! My favorite transitional “hack” is to start dressing brighter in the spring and summer time to symbolize and honor all the beautiful and rich colors given to us by our very own Mother Nature. This can also be known as Dopamine Dressing, and increases your brain's serotonin levels! It’s a simple way to boost your mood, helping bring positive feelings to your day!

Make a playlist

Music is a sensory tool that we can use to both retrieve our stored memories and create new ones. Listening to songs from your childhood can bring happy, nostalgic feelings, boosting your mood and improving your outlook. Luckily, you can recreate that special feeling for seasons as well! Making playlists with labels as simple as “Spring ‘23” or “Spring Break” and playing them when you’re out and about is such a fun way to document your memories! Plus, they’re so easy to store since they’re digital! Either by keeping them in a specific memories folder or on a hard drive, it’s a sure way to keep track of your happy memories and keep them alive!

Make seasonal recipes

Before global shipping and wide spread agriculture, people could only eat foods that were in season. Not only is this healthier because the foods are not being genetically modified for us to eat year-round, but it also brings excitement to each season. It's so fun to try a new recipe, as you may even end up finding one of your favorite dishes or desserts of all time. In the springtime, some of my favorite seasonal fruits and vegetables to eat include rhubarb (perfect for desserts!), apricots, radishes, and strawberries! There are tons of recipes out there that you can create, making for a fun way to improve your cooking skills! It’s also healthy for our brains to learn new things, and this is the perfect way to do that!

1. Exercise outdoors

Going back to the subject of New Year's motivations, I know it can be hard to keep up with your goal of exercising and working out more. Sometimes you just don't want to go to the gym, or it's too cold to go outside and you want to snuggle up, or simply you're just feeling unmotivated. Instead of pushing yourself to a physical and mental exhaustion, try starting with something simple. Fresh air is guaranteed to improve your mood and your health, and with the warmer season coming around, you can take advantage of seeing the great outdoors, especially in our beautiful home state! Bring a yoga mat, a surfboard, or some weights and just enjoy the scenery!

So those are 5 ways to prepare for spring and make the most out of the best season. Stay healthy, Ravens, and let’s spring forward!