It’s Easter break! Classes are over, it’s been a long semester and you can finally collapse into a pile of utter exhaustion.
Amongst this relief, you enter your kitchen and pick your way through the ceiling-high stack of greasy pans. After scraping some month-old crust off a plate, you prepare an extra salty microwave dinner and traipse into your bedroom. You toss the pile of dirty laundry off your bed and plop down to turn on Netflix. Your phone buzzes. It’s that acquaintance-sort-of-friend you met in chemistry last semester. He wants to go out this weekend. “I don’t even like him,” you think. Not to mention that you don’t have the money for it anyway. You sigh. A puff of dust cascades across the room, fuelled by your tired breath.
Eww.
We’ve all been there. With the stress of winter’s weather and academic pressure, we neglect keeping a tidy space. Now that break is upon us, it’s the perfect time to devote yourself to spring cleaning. And I’m not just talking about tidying up the flat – Easter break gives us a moment to reassess our goals, priorities, and overall health for the coming months.
Back to the basics
Spring cleaning starts with, well, cleaning. Maybe your flat isn’t as vile as mentioned above. Or maybe it’s even worse (heaven forbid). Regardless, take some time to recall what your parents taught you when you first started doing chores for pocket change.
The dirty work isn’t fun, but you need to put in some elbow grease to keep your space fresh. Scrub your bathroom tiles, de-clog that mysterious lump in your shower drain, Hoover every floor in the house, and wipe the cobwebs off your bedroom window.
Clean in short spurts if it’s too daunting a task or knock it out in a day. No matter your preference, having a clean space will feel like a new beginning.
Reconsider things
Sometimes I look around my room and am genuinely shocked I’ve never been cast in Hoarders. I have too many shoes to validate. I keep records I’ve only listened to once. And until recently, I held onto academic essays I wrote when I was 15. That’s when I decided it was time to purge.
Once you’ve given your space a deep clean, take some time to assess what material things you really need. If there’s anything taking up space for no reason, why not give it away? The way I see it, if something doesn’t hold practical or emotional value, it deserves to go.
Plan it out
Easter break is a wonderful time to review your commitments and reorganize yourself for returning to uni. Take just a bit of time to sit down with your diary. Pencil in all your upcoming deadlines and jot down your goals for the rest of term. You’ll return to Manchester refreshed, inspired, and ready to tackle your next few months here.
Money matters
As an American, spring is the ideal time to review my (very pitiful) money situation. Hello, tax forms and tax returns!
Regardless of your nationality, having a break from school gives you time to check your finances. Review your bank statements since winter break. Do you notice any trends in spending? Maybe it’s buying lunch between lectures or spending some pretty pennies on nights out. If so, consider what you could cut and try setting up a new budget.
Cleanse your body
Spring cleaning applies to more than just your space and your things – it’s relevant to you as a person, too! Now that our days are longer, the sun is brighter, and the temperatures are (kind of) rising, there’s no better time to get in shape.
Clean the junk food from your cabinets and invest in healthy groceries. Go on walks to enjoy the longer days. Just do what makes your body feel good for the pure sake of feeling good. It doesn’t need to be a total lifestyle overhaul, but adding healthy habits to your day will create a reenergized start to next term.
Wave bye-bye to bad friends
This is perhaps the trickiest bit of spring cleaning, but hear me out. Have you been holding onto toxic or underwhelming friendships, too timid to cut them off and move on? If so, maybe it’s time to reset your social life.
Of course, you don’t have to be a playground bully when evaluating your friendships. If there are folks you’d rather be without, just start limiting your exposure to them. Stop making plans with them and see how you feel without their company.
Alternatively, if you have a friend who you’re not ready to entirely avoid, try having a candid conversation with them. Express your concerns and offer support. You never know what others are going through.
At the end of the day, you don’t owe anyone your time or patience. Unhealthy relationships will only drain your energy and happiness, and it isn’t selfish to put yourself first. That’s simply part of growing up!
Regardless of where you’re spending Easter break, try to do a bit of spring cleaning. Whether revamping your space, health, finances, or personal life, these tips are sure to create a perfect start to your return.