Let’s recap here: half the country is buried in ice, and the rest is scared of ICE. The weather doesn’t cooperate, the media just depresses, and the sun seems to be on a vacation, making daylight a rare commodity. If that wasn’t good enough, we have officially entered the worst time of the year: The Holiday Hangover. The rush of the vacation days has evaporated, leaving us with heavy stillness. However, as the saying goes, we cannot control what happens to us, only how we react to it. So in the spirit of that, let’s choose to be better than our environment and take this time not as a rut, but a recharge! Allow yourself to rejuvenate through cozy nights and creative arts, making the end of the beginning of 2026 one to remember. Stop pouring outwards and start filling your own cup.
I know the taskof changing a mindset, however briefly, and a new habit can be daunting. But that’s why you aim to start small. Fill your cup with droplets before the flood. Some small crafts that are low-commitment, not time-consuming, and high-reward include:
- Junk journaling: Think of this as a tangible sanctuary for your thoughts. Unlike a traditional idea of diary, which follows a format, there are no bounds or pressure to be profound here. Just tear up your McDonald’s brown bag for a background, tape down the burger wrapper, the fries box and the chicken nuggets container, finally topping it off with a round sketch of a hungry man. It’s ordinary. It’s silly. It’s a physical record of your quietest hours.
- Air-dry clay: This is for those intrigued by sculpting, however mildly. Normally, traditional sculpture takes time and money, both of which students don’t really have. But does that mean that the joy of creating with your bare hands is reserved for those with disposable incomes? I think not! Visit your local craft store and grab a bag of air-drying clay; the rest of the tools have substitutes in your cutlery drawer. Go on pinterest find a coaster or a trinket you like and go to town on that bag of clay. Mold, pinch, sculpt, smooth and shape the medium to fit your desires, bake when you’re satisfied and voila! You have an adorable little functional/decorative trinket that you made yourself. It is a reflection of your creativity and a result of you taking action just for fun’s sake!
- Low-Stakes Painting: Set up a corner in your room: it could be a drawer, a chair, a literal corner or just a section of your desk. This is the permanent corner for your paints. Now you have a dedicated space. It doesn’t matter now if you have five minutes or five hours: go there. Don’t worry about what to paint or draw — focus on the how. How does the blue blend into the gold? How does the brush feel on the paper? Just feel and let go. Play a podcast or a movie in the background and relax. It’ll calm you down and leave you with a wall hanging or an addition to garbage, but who even cares as long as you had fun?
Speaking of podcasts and movies, ‘tis the season of binge-watching, and boy, do I have recommendations.
- Normal Gossip (Podcast): This podcast is the best thing I am bringing with me into 2026, and I want my readers to be a part of my joy. The audience or “friends of a friend” send in stories of truly jaw-dropping, gorgeous, spicy pieces of gossip that keep you locked in for the entire hour. I hear it when I am biking, when I am on the bus, when I am on the treadmill or whenever I have a task. It is absolutely hilarious and engrossing and the hosts, both Kelsey and Rachel, are incredible with their storytelling. This podcast is the perfect remedy for the mundane nature of this season.
- Disney TV Movies: We have collectively decided to grow up too fast,t and we need to put a pause on it. I propose we forget about deadlines and dedicate at least one night a week to watching old, cheesy Disney television shows or movies. Favorites I highly recommend include Avalon High, Wizards of Waverly Place, Teen Beach Movie, Invisible sister, Radio Rebel, and Suite Life on Deck to name a few. None of these will disappoint. You may find them dumb or corny, but never boring.
- Addams Family (Film and TV): Anything Addams Family is a treat. If you’re in a retro mood, I recommend the short episodes of the old TV series; if you’re in an animated mood, I recommend the new cartoon movies; if you’re in a binge-watching mystery mood, I recommend Netflix’s Wednesday;if you’re in a cozy mood, I recommend the original Angelica Houston as Morticia movie duo. You can just never go wrong.
Finally, in these trying times, do not forget to eat.
- Recipes: In a blender, add tomato paste, any dry nut (walnut, almond, cashew), silken tofu (optional), seasoning, milk and pasta water. Give it a blend and add the sauce to the boiled pasta and mix. Top it off with cheese, and there you have a delicious and slightly indulgent, slightly nutritious meal.
Remember, March is coming. The snow will melt, the ICE will thaw and the California hills will turn a brilliant green with the sun eventually overstaying its welcome. But for now, you have the permission to turn inward. Don’t just wait for the light to return; build a fire of your own and take a sip from your own cup.