1. Clean your room—and keep it clean

Studies show that studying in a cluttered room is detrimental to your schoolwork and your mind. If your room is cluttered, your mind is cluttered. It is so easy to let your room get messy, especially in college. We put necessary chores on the back burner because it seems like between classes, extracurriculars and going out there is no time for anything else. That is the wrong mindset. When you put cleaning last on the list you put yourself last on the list. You deserve to spend time in an organized, clean room. I always find myself much more calm and ready to work when I am in a clean room, it can do wonders for your well-being. So find time to tackle the mess in your room and make sure you can see your floor, you will find that life is good in a clean room.

2. Have conversations

This seems so simple and you might be saying, "I have conversations every single day!" Do you, though? When I am talking in a large group of people I find myself checking my phone half the time, and so is everyone else. When I'm not checking my phone I am waiting to interject with my own story after the person talking is done telling theirs. When was the last time you listened to someone without intending to reply? Do we listen or do we just wait to talk? Having a real conversation will train your mind to listen to other people and in turn, to empathize with them. You will gain so much more from the conversation and this can lead to healthier relationships with everyone around you.

3. Take a break from your homework

I know what you're thinking, you're thinking that taking a break from your homework is not a problem, it's actually starting your homework that is the problem. Well the breaks we take from homework or studying are not the right kinds of breaks. We pause to check social media or binge watch Gilmore Girls (super guilty of this) and we go back to staring at our screens to continue writing essays or taking online quizzes. We need to, however, take a break from the screens. The most productive break you can take is by exercising. This has been drilled into our minds for years and I only realized a year or two ago how amazing exercise can be to help clear your mind. Even a brief walk releases endorphins that help boost your mood and leave you happy for the rest of the day.

4. Let it go

A lot of what we preoccupy ourselves with is stress and worry. We tend to worry about everything that is out of our control. Ask yourself, will what I am worrying about be a significant issue five or even ten years from now? If the answer is no, let it go. Things tend to work themselves out if we stay calm. As long as you work hard and plan ahead everything we worry about falls into place. I also suggest writing down your thoughts and even your fears. Keeping a journal and seeing everything you are worrying about on paper makes it seem more manageable. It is also extremely reassuring to look back one year ago and see what I was worrying about, most of my worries are so unimportant now. If you deal with your stress in a manageable way you will find that it is easier to be positive and positivity leads to good people and good things in your life.

Spring into spring with a new, clean mindset. Approach every day with a positive attitude and you will see that good things will come.