The start of a new month looks different for everyone. Some look forward to events, others count down the days until break. Me? I make my colorful whiteboard. Before schedules tighten and the stress gets to me, I stand in front of my whiteboard with a handful of brightly colored markers. Sure, it’s a simple ritual of wiping away the old month, planning my weeks and rewriting pieces of my life, but trust me when I say it’s necessary. In those few quiet moments when the board is blank and full of possibility, I feel like I am getting a fresh start. A moment to breathe before the new month carries me away again.Â
Honestly, there’s something comforting about the way that the colors look together. Red for work, green for events, purple for fun activities, blue for general things, orange for reminders and black for school. They turn the board into a little map of my life (or month), one that makes the upcoming weeks feel less overwhelming and more manageable. Without it, I would be (and have been) an anxious mess, feeling like everything is creeping in and out of control.Â
Clearing the board is almost peaceful too. As I wipe away last month’s notes of deadlines, holidays and reminders, I know that everything stressful from the month before is now just a faint trace from the eraser. The exam that I studied weeks for? The paper that I procrastinated? The work shifts? All gone. Even the small wins – an A on a paper for example – fade from the board, leaving with me the small reminder that good things will come again as well.Â
Then, my favorite part: rewriting. There’s a strange joy in rewriting the same routines every month, as if I’m choosing them all over again. Writing “study hours” in green every Tuesday doesn’t feel repetitive, it’s grounding. Each color coded square becomes more than a task. It’s a way of saying “I’m trying.” A visual reminder that I’m balancing school, life, friendships and school all at once. And somehow, seeing everything laid out neatly on the board makes it feel possible.Â
By the time I step back and look at the finished board, I feel ready for the month. Sure, the month ahead may still be full of unknowns: unexpected stress, late nights, new assignments. But, I’ll still have that one ritual that brings me back to myself every time: my color-coded whiteboard.Â
It’s funny how something so small can mean so much. But for me, my board is more than a planner. It’s a reflection of my life, my growth and my attempts to stay organized in a world that constantly changes. My monthly reset, my reminder that every new month is a chance to try again.Â
And the best part? It only takes ten minutes and a few colors.