It’s that time of year to say goodbye to those pesky dust bunnies and declutter all the shipping boxes under your bed. But before you toss out that pile of old cheat sheets from BILD 3, I urge you to hear me out: Your dorm room trash is someone else’s treasure, or even better, your next masterpiece. Whether you are procrastinating an essay due tomorrow or need a break from studying for midterms, here are three spring crafts to help you escape the quarter’s stresses. Coming from someone who is a lot less creative than she wishes she was, these crafts are simple enough for anyone to pick up and can remind us that it is okay to step back from life and take a much needed break.
1. Turn old cheat sheets into paper stars
If you are tempted to tear your cheat sheet into shreds after finally conquering midterms, turn them into paper stars instead! Grab a pair of scissors and cut the papers into long, thin horizontal strips. Then, fold each strip into a pentagon shape until you can puff it up by pinching the sides. Be careful, though, these stars are highly addictive to make once you get the hang of it. Before you know it, you will have worked through your entire recycling bin. Turn all of your paper from this quarter into something you can look at with pride. Fill an old Mason jar with paper stars and gift them to your friends, or keep them on your desk as decoration. You can also turn them into trophies by threading string through each star to create a garland as a joyful reminder that you survived yet another week of midterms.
2. Preserve your memories in a junk journal
Whether you just finished your first year or are about to graduate from UC San Diego, you probably have some Library Walk pamphlets and random stickers crammed into your desk drawer. Grab some glue, a pair of scissors, and any notebook, and let your creativity carry you into a flow state. Cut up ticket stubs, food labels, or receipts from your year, and paste them onto a page in whatever way feels right. Add some fun stickers, bedazzle the pages, and don’t forget to make some cute drawings! You can even write down the highlights of each event to help you remember little details from the day. There are no rules — go crazy with it!
3. Paint that stress away
Posters, tote bags, canvases — paint can upgrade it all. If you don’t already have materials laying around, stop by the Craft Center at Sixth College and DIY your heart away. Pick up old paper, grab any paint colors or markers that catch your eye, and give yourself permission to let loose. Repurpose an old tote bag with splashes of color for your next Marshall Field picnic, or paint a picture of you and your friends on a newspaper you just finished reading — perhaps this one! Splatter some paint around and mess up your graded blue book if midterms have you down in the dumps. The endless canvases you accumulated throughout the quarter are waiting for you to unleash your pent up stress.
Spring cleaning doesn’t mean that you have to throw everything away. Sometimes the best thing you can do with the remnants of a long year is turn them into something that brings you joy. Clear your mind — and your desk — and go make something amazing.
