Persistently studying every spare moment, reading stacks of texts, and writing all winter, sometimes we go for weeks before glancing up to see what’s going on around us.  Gradually, the snow has melted, the car windows no longer require scraping, and green blades of grass begin resolutely poking out of the ground.  If your neck and back are stiff from hunching over your laptop and your fingers are cramped from hammering the keyboard, it may be time to take a break for some revitalizing spring rituals.

Here are some things that just might bring the spring back into your studies.

• Change all the wallpapers on your phone, laptop, and any other screens that are still displaying cold winter vistas. Visual stimulation generates mental inspiration.
• Treat yourself to a fresh new bouquet of tulips the next time you hit the grocery store. Place them in your brightest vase and display where you’ll view them often.
• Revisit and revise old goals. Cut whatever no longer fits into your current life and create new objectives for upcoming courses and exams.
• Take a retail therapy trip to invest in colourful new pens, a leather-bound notebook or three, and patterned stationary to brighten your desk space.
• Attack closets with a no holds barred pruning session (be a ‘Closet-Ninja’). Store old winter-wear in totes to make way for fresh spring threads.  Create a donation pile for the thrift shop and drop off for the reward of a heartfelt ‘thank you’ from the store volunteers, who truly appreciate the goodwill.
• Nothing makes you stand taller than a new haircut. Trim bone-dry ends and aim for an easy-care new style.
• Head to the library and check out a new book on a subject that has nothing to do with your current courses. Alternatively, read a new book that offers additional insights to your studies.
• Open the windows and let fresh spring air oxygenate your living space, breathing new life into every room.
• Grab a wet cloth and wipe the winter dust from everything—furniture, electronics, and light fixtures (be sure to unplug everything first). Everything looks brighter with a clean patina.
• For an excellent cure for fatigue, plug in your headphones with new iTunes, and go for a long walk or jog around your hood or local park. Or leave the phone behind and revel in the sounds of spring birds singing as they work.
• Release old coloured markers, paints, and crayons from the drawers for an artistic session of scribbling or painting whatever emanates through your hands.
• Sample new essential oils, lighter spring perfumes, or sensual aftershaves. Spring is in the air!
• Try a gentle milk thistle tea or fruit and vegetable smoothie detox for a day or two. Drink ample water and cut back on the heavy dairy and meat diet from cold winter days.  A salad or two never killed anyone either.
• Instead of the same old beer or wine, try out a refreshing fruit spring cocktail next time you’re out with friends. Test new recipes at home to tantalize your tastebuds.  Does anyone have a perfect Long Island Iced Tea recipe? Please share!
• Ditch depressing blacks and greys of winter for crisp whites and brilliant colours. Even bright socks with cheeky messages can put a ‘spring’ in your step.
• Seek out a friend or family member with a baby or puppy for soul-soothing snuggle time. It’s hard to beat the affections of a brand-new fur or human baby.
• Sick and tired of cooped-up studying inside? Grab your books and head outdoors to discover cool new places to read. Perhaps a park bench or on your favourite old lounger under a budding spring tree.  Pitch in some yardwork in between courses.
• Release your Instagram photos from digital prison and frame them. I’ve found brand new frames for under $10 from my local Value Village.  Brighten up your walls with a nature or travel theme.
• Gather your buddies for a road trip to a waterfall, lake, or garden. Pack a lunch in your backpack with thick ham and cheese sandwiches, apples, water, and nuts for a healthy and delicious steep in nature.
• If you’re feeling truly sassy: “A Canadian is someone who knows how to make love in a canoe.” Pierre Berton. Although, you might want to wait until summer for that one.

Ritualizing the changes of Canadian seasons breathes fresh air into the otherwise mundane.  It begins on the inside—change your outlook; change your heart; change your life.