How to Enjoy Spring

BY AMY MENG '25

As spring draws near, everyone’s wondering what it might look like. With lifted mask mandates and the normalization of COVID-19, some are hopeful, others indifferent, and while others are still apprehensive. While spring’s arrival is always certain (unfortunately for those with pollen allergies), the last few years have been strange. Who knows what might happen this time?

Regardless of the past or future, we should appreciate the present springtime; so, whether you’re caught up in school, home, or international affairs, here are some steps to enjoy spring while it lasts. 

Go outside.
The weather is absolutely perfect during spring. It’s warm and sunny—a welcome change after winter’s frigidity—but it doesn’t quite match summer’s sweltering heat. To those who swear by crunchy leaves and pumpkin spice lattes, it’s worth noting that the weather improves drastically in the spring and is ideal for dynamic activities like fun picnics and exercising outdoors. The cheerful weather is also mood-boosting, which enhances productivity and encourages a cheerier outlook towards the future. It’s a great time for playing those looped lofi beats and getting that math homework done. Look at it this way: after COVID-19 slowed down life’s pace, spring provides the opportunity to revitalize your pandemic-weary brain. 

Appreciate nature. 
While you’re outside, take a look around: you’ll see nature everywhere. Animals like chipmunks, deer, and birds (which are cool *ahem*) prosper during spring. Trees and flowers come to life, bringing color to the landscape. Although the natural world is always there, it’s seldom appreciated. Slow down and enjoy nature’s beauty; it’ll be a refreshing way to clear your mind and get that Vitamin D. If you’re looking for places to go, I recommend the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. It’s a paved road running adjacent to Acton, passing through forests and over wetlands and streams. You can go there any time of year, but it’s nicest in the spring or fall.
Enjoy activities and opportunities.

This means something different to everyone: sports fans look forward to spring sports seasons. From an academic perspective, spring also signifies the time for exams, standardized tests, and end-of-term projects. While these can be tiring, they’re an important representation of the academic year’s culmination, and, once completed, they’re accompanied by a feeling of accomplishment. In a non-pandemic year, field trips and fun activities also characterize spring, but even with the pandemic, it’s fun. Last spring, many students spent time outside, messing around in the classrooms, and enjoying a newfound (albeit temporary) sense of normalcy. Ah, nothing like a spring stroll to clear those winter blues. Additionally, for seniors, spring is the start of  the home stretch of high school. This is the time to look forward to graduation!

Whilst lost in our busy schedules, it’s easy to focus on ourselves and tune out everything else. However, it’s important to enjoy the world around us, too. This year, pause for a moment and notice things you usually overlook, take a break, and enjoy everything spring has to offer.