A Spring Break To Do List
If you know me, you know that I am quite a prolific list-writer. I fill out my planner each night, looking ahead to the next day’s activities and assignments. I make note of upcoming activities on my whiteboard desk calendar, and I keep running lists of the books I’ve read and movies I’ve watched. My lists help me to stay organized and give me a sense of accomplishment.
One unusually warm day last March, I was taking a walk with one of my friends around the lake in my hometown, and I told her that I was going to make a to-do list for all the fun activities I wanted to do over my week-long spring break. She seemed confused – and rightfully so! Why would I want to make a list for a break? Seems kind of counterintuitive, right?
Hear me out, though – making a to-do-list for your break, whether it be spring, Christmas, or summer, is actually a fantastic idea. Here’s why.
It keeps you from doing nothing
Let’s face it: Netflix all day for an entire week sounds kind of amazing. No schedule, no responsibilities, just you and all eighteen seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Or Stranger Things. Or – you get the point. But maybe you want to look back on your 2023 spring break and remember more than what shows you binge-watched. Not that there’s anything wrong with watching a ton of Netflix, of course! But if you make yourself a list, even a short one, filled with fun activities and time spent with other people, you can find a balance between your Netflix time and your time spent doing other things you love.
It helps you take time to slow down and enjoy God’s creation
Yes, I said it. To-do-lists can help you slow down and take time to interact more intentionally with the beauties of creation. Make it a task to go outside – maybe every day. Make it a goal to visit your local animal shelter or pet store and spend time with some cute dogs, or ask your mom if you can bake something together. If you build these activities into your spring break, it’ll make them feel less like a chore, and it will help you relax to know that you’ve set aside time to do them.
It’s (probably) beneficial to your mental health
This argument is very “psychology major” of me, but I have to make it. Depending on where you live, spring break might start to feel a little like spring, so go outside! Sunshine, fresh air and exercise are extremely beneficial when it comes to reducing stress and improving mood. Making a list and including activities like these can also give you a sense of accomplishment – if nothing else, make that list so you can feel that little rush when you cross something off.
Of course, you may need some helpful suggestions of activities to put on your spring break to-do list, so here are a few that, in my humble opinion, are a lot of fun.
Walk your dog! Exercise!
Visit your grandparents or other extended family members
Take a trip to the library, a coffee shop, or any other places in your town that you like to visit
Get dinner with a friend or a family member
For all my Minnesota folks, spend some time in the woods or out on the lake
Paint or draw (it doesn’t even have to be good!)
Bake cookies or a cake
Practice an instrument
Write a book! Read a book! Ponder a book!
There are so many things to do over spring break – why not make a to-do list? It can keep you from doing nothing, help you to slow down, and benefit your mental health! I’ve been doing it for years, and it’s so easy to pick up. So this week, pick up your planner and a pen, and fill in that blank space between Week 8 and Week 9 of the semester.
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