Spring is less of a date on a calendar and more of a collection of signs that are largely universal from Scotland to Japan. It’s subtle at first, with the light lasting a little longer in the evening and the air losing some of its bite.
Spring as a shared language
Across the world, spring has always been a cause for reflection and celebration. In Japan, hanami, the tradition of gathering beneath cherry blossom trees as they bloom, draws millions of people every year. The blossoms only last a week or two, but the tradition is about taking the time to simply appreciate something beautiful while it is still here. While most of us won’t get to Japan this term, the blossoms will soon be out here. If you find yourself in Edinburgh, go for a stroll through the meadows with a coffee along the blossom-lined paths. I used to sit there on my school lunch breaks and found it genuinely exciting to see the trees take on a reddish hue as the buds were about to burst into flowers, a reliable sign that meant summer was nearly here.
In Thailand, too, Songkran takes over cities with water fights marking the new year, while in Europe, spring traditions such as the Maypole and fairs pop up.
What to look forward to this spring
Spring appears differently depending on where you look, so it’s worth knowing what to look out for close to home.
The flower moon, so called for the number of flowers that come into bloom around its rising, will come out on the first of May. It’s a good excuse to enjoy fresh air in the dark now that the nights aren’t as cold. And after the early morning May dip, when we’ve washed away our academic sins, it might also be a good opportunity to reconnect with nature.
On West Sands, you can literally step into spring with a chilly North Sea dip followed by the sauna, reflecting the shift from winter to spring.
Further along the coast, signs of spring come as feathers and noise as the puffins return. The Isle of May on the Firth of Forth is home to around 100,000 puffins, who come back each year as the weather begins to improve. This can be reached by boat from Anstruther, just a 20-minute drive from St Andrews, and a town worth a visit itself!
Tentsmuir Nature Reserve is only a 15-minute drive from St Andrews and can also be reached by a walk along the Fife Coastal Path. Here, you can move between different springtime scenery with red squirrels hiding in the forest, and a seal colony that comes to rest on the shore as they, too, take in the more frequent sunshine.
Take time to notice the smaller details, like the gorse bushes which come into bloom across the hills, golf courses, and coastal paths. Their tiny yellow flowers have a lovely coconut-like smell, just don’t get too close to their spines!
Find some more great Fife-based recommendations here!
If you let the coursework and general stress of uni life get in the way, it can become very easy to miss these little signs of spring. An afternoon walk on the beach, or simply noticing the greenery along the way to your lecture, is enough to appreciate this fleeting season of colour and renewal.