While I am very grateful to be where I am in my life right now, there have been plenty of winters where the darkness felt all-consuming, and when I thought I would never get away from the shiver in my bones.
Winter is an incredibly difficult time. While life doesn’t necessarily get easier in the spring or summer, there is a freedom in the warmth that I have a hard time putting into words. Maybe it has to do with the days being longer, meaning more time to do the things I love.
I truly believe people are happiest during the summer. You can disagree with me, but there is just something about the way the air feels in the warm months that reminds me we are human. I don’t necessarily feel that way when everyone is rushing to get inside, out of the rain and cold.
I try to feel the rain on my skin (as Natasha Bedingfield instructs), but I often find myself running away from the winter’s all-encompassing greyness. You can call me dramatic, but I know there is a part of all of you that can’t wait to see the sunshine.
So, here is a list of things to look forward to this Spring. I hope this helps make the last few weeks of winter feel a little bit shorter.
1. Making a spring/summer playlist
I make a playlist around this time every year, and it is one of my favorite things to do. I get to imagine whole scenarios of being in the car with my friends, windows down, music blasting or lying on the beach in a large t-shirt, feeling the sun on my face. Add them all up to make a perfect playlist that you can play while the weather changes. But, be warned that while making this playlist early is super fun and definitely helps, you will probably be sick of it by the time the actual summer comes around- but that’s fine! Enjoy it now!
One of my favorites is Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles! A friend recently suggested listening to The Spring is Coming with a Strawberry in the Mouth by Caroline Polachek.
2. Warm nights
I love warm nights! There is something so romantic about not needing a sweater at night and feeling the perfect temperature long after the sun has gone down. And that’s another thing — you can actually enjoy the evening instead of crawling into bed at 5 pm because it’s pitch black.
3. Swimming
Oh! I just love swimming. I find it so incredibly freeing — feeling water taking over in such a beautiful way. One of my favorite scents in the whole world is when you pull out your swimsuit for the first time in nearly a year, and it smells like chlorine and sunscreen and nostalgia and anticipation.
4. Picnic day
This one is Davis-specific, and something the students and community members take very seriously. While I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing Picnic Day yet, I have only heard good things about it. It’s one of those campus favorites where every time I ask someone about it, they can’t help but smile. For those who don’t know, Picnic Day is a city-wide event where clubs, organizations, businesses and more come together to celebrate. There are different events all day, such as the Marching Band’s Battle of the Bands, where other universities’ bands compete, carnival games and lots of different interactive activities. For students eager to party, it’s basically an all-day dayger, but for those who don’t, there is still so much to do. I personally cannot wait to experience truly being a Davis community member out in the sun on a perfect day in April.
5. Lawntopia and Whole Earth Festival
Since we’re on the theme of Davis events, I thought I would include two more UC Davis and Davis events! These are none other than Lawntopia and the Whole Earth Festival. Lawntopia is a huge concert hosted by ASUCD, featuring incredible artists for a night of live music, and the Whole Earth Festival is a free student-run festival that lasts all day! It is used to promote art, activism and sustainability. There is live music, activities, merchants and overall, it’s such a good vibe to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend.
6. Hammocks on the quad
Now, to get back to more general Spring vibes, think about hammocks on the quad, gossiping with friends or reading a fascinating book. You can play Spike Ball, hacky sack, board games or use slack lines, chalk and bubbles to joke around with your friends. It is doing things like this every day that makes Spring so amazing, the things that you were too cold, too dark or too rainy to do during Winter. When I imagine this, I think of eating popsicles and lying under the sun, listening to my friends’ laughter.
7. Fresh fruit
Last but definitely not least, the fruit. I cannot wait to bite into a perfect blood orange or enjoy some cherries, all after cutting into a perfectly ripe avocado. And while this is true for everyone about to experience Spring, it is even truer for people in Davis because we have so much agriculture around us! Especially with things like the Davis farmers’ market that make it so much more accessible! I actually long for the day when it’s warm enough for me to walk to Central Park on a Saturday morning and have fresh fruit while lying on the grass.
This list is definitely not complete of all the things I am (and hopefully you too) looking forward to this Spring. I could go on forever about flying kites, water parks, sun tattoos and ice cream…
I really hope this list brought you some excitement for what is to come, even if it’s just a little bit. While being in the moment is an incredible tool for someone’s wellness, planning and looking forward to exciting things is also an important (and fun) part of life. Don’t forget that life will get a bit easier when the sun is out and the birds are chirping.