Spring As New Beginnings

Apr 6, 20232 min read

Goodbye seasonal depression, hello spring!

CREDIT: Pinterest/@strwbryluvr255

Spring – the transition period from winter to summer, trousers to shorts, hot coffee to iced lattes. We pause Phoebe Bridgers and shuffle Faye Webster instead. We shrug off heavy coats to embrace the sun’s warm hug.

Though spring signals the end of winter, it also ushers in new beginnings.

In a cliché fashion, let’s grow like leaves and bloom like flowers. While shopping at Trader Joe’s last week, I spent many minutes contemplating which flowers to buy. They had a great selection: sunflowers, peonies, roses, tulips, hydrangeas and daisies. The petals were vibrant, full and colorful, promising me that no matter which flowers I chose, my bouquet would be beautiful all the same. There is an unspoken agreement between myself and the flowers that even though they will be brown and wilted in a few weeks, I will devoutly nurture them anyway. I will place them in a nice vase. I will display them proudly for everyone who enters my room. I will let their sweet scent drift with me on the way to class. I will provide them with enough sunlight and water until they droop and smell bad, which not only signals the time to discard them, but also the time to buy new flowers.

One of my favorite Virginia Woolf quotes is, “Moments like this are buds on the tree of life.” It reminds me to find beauty in the mundane. Spring makes everything more alive and brighter, and I want to chase the budding days into the sunset. I peel oranges, wave to dogs, and let the breeze tangle my hair. I find contentment in the slowness of life. In the end, these small moments make my tree of memory stronger.

Growth doesn’t happen overnight, but with enough care and patience, the tiny seeds of opportunity I’ve planted will soon sprout; and I’ll smile at the blooming greenery because it is my garden, after all.

We’ve reluctantly arrived at a stalling period in the semester. Our last long break has ended, midterms are almost over and finals are looming just around the corner. Just beyond the horizon summer waits, carrying its own promises and concerns. It’s beginning to look like summer plans might miraculously make it out of the group chat. LinkedIn messages about the summer jobs or internships you saved months ago are overtaking your inbox. While planning for the future, I often unintentionally ignore the present and all of its opportunities and extraordinaries. I look out my window in the morning to remind myself spring is here. I feel lighthearted because of this reason alone. The days are longer, so rest assured there will always be time. Nature is taking root, and I hope to grow alongside the trees this season.

Jamie is an Online Writer for Rowdy Magazine. Her favorite flower is tulips and the soundtrack to her spring season is sponsored by Hippo Campus.