The sun is finally emerging from its seven-month hibernation, defrosting Washingtonians' winter slump. Spring quarter can feel like a fresh start, a reset. The idea of a “spring reset” could be an opportunity for a real change, or just a seasonal illusion that's hard to maintain.
Meadow Clarkson, a third-year double majoring in computer science and business sustainability, noticed a change in her mood and motivation when spring quarter began.
“I feel so much more motivated and happier overall,” she said. “I feel like entering spring really feels like a better time to reset patterns and get back into a better routine, because the sun and lightness really help motivate.”
That energy shift often shows up in small, everyday changes. For Clarkson, spring quarter brings reset not just in mindset, but in routine. Over spring break, she deep cleaned her room to prepare for a new quarter, and has focused on spending time outside.
She’s also been more intentional with how she spends her time, especially in the kitchen.
“I’ve really been focusing on more intentional cooking,” Clarkson said. “Going to the farmers market, buying more produce and planning out what I’m going to cook.”
For John Hotchkiss, a third-year majoring in energy science and technology, the shift feels less deliberate but still noticeable.
“It's like a whole new world honestly; the sun comes out, your friends come out,” he said. “I get a lot more into my hobbies.”
Along with that energy, he’s also trying to stay more disciplined academically, and not save everything until the last minute.
“This quarter, I'm trying to stay more on top of my homework load,” he said.
While many students describe a noticeable shift in energy and motivation, experts say the reality of a “spring reset” is often more complicated.
Laura Gambrel, a therapist and clinical supervisor of her own private practice in Bellingham, said that spring feels like a reset for some because more daylight hours contribute to a sense of renewal.
Gambrel explains that during times of transition, people tend to feel that natural pull to make changes in their lives.
“I think any transition is a time when our routines are disrupted, right?” Gambrel said. ”So anytime things are transitioning and changing, that's a natural time for our brains to be like, ‘Maybe this is a time to also do something new or different.’”
What happens to those goals and patterns when the newness of spring wears off and the quarter becomes more demanding? CJ Swanlund, a licensed psychologist and director of the Counseling and Wellness Center at Western Washington University, described a paradox between motivation and burnout as the academic year winds down.
“It's this really interesting paradox, with the sunny weather … some students feel this energy to make changes in their life, maybe evaluate some of the habits that they've gotten into over the year,” she said. “And then it's also the last quarter of the academic year, so there's also this exhaustion that can happen for students.”
Gambrel added that while spring can feel like an opportunity for change, maintaining new habits is often the hardest part.
“Starting small with the actual goal and then breaking it down to actionable things,” she said. “Motivation is not the thing to build habits, habits are the thing that will build motivation.”
That reality shows up for students like Clarkson, who said the initial motivation of spring doesn’t always last.
“It’s motivating at the start,” she said. “But I know, give me another two weeks and I’ll be feeling much more burnt out and ready for school to end for summer.”
Swanlund and Gambrel encouraged students to focus on achievable, realistic changes.
“The more that you do it, the more you'll feel like wanting to do it; the more you get into a routine, the more that will build,” Gambrel said. “If we wait till we're motivated, we'll never do it.”
Manna Spiro (she/her) is a campus life reporter. She is a third-year public relations student excited to start her first quarter writing for The Front. Manna directs the style and beauty team for The Rage Magazine and can be found going on spontaneous adventures with friends around Bellingham. You can contact her at mannaspiro.thefront@gmail.com.
