As students return from spring break, refreshed from a week of traveling and spending time with family, carrying that sense of relaxation into the rest of the school year is important. This final stretch can often feel overwhelming and rushed, but embracing spring can ease stress and keep you balanced.
I’ve gathered my top recommendations to help you make the most of April and set yourself up for a smoother transition into summer.
Watch
Season Three of “The White Lotus” has quickly become a standout for me this month, and I found myself eagerly awaiting each new episode on Sundays. With its signature format — each season set in a different exotic location within the White Lotus hotel chain — the show masterfully blends slow-burning tension with a pervasive sense of unease.
This season, set in Thailand, captures a vibrant, endless summer. As intriguing characters seek escape in the lush landscape, the show explores their illusions and desires against a backdrop that feels both dreamy and unsettling.
The show follows many different groups of travelers that all present fascinating characters. My personal favorites are the Ratcfliff family, whose sense of self is built upon money that the audience learns they will soon lose; Rick Hatchett, played by Walton Goggins, a man haunted by his past; and his girlfriend Chelsea, played by Aimee Lou Wood, who is confused by Rick’s lack of emotional intimacy.
What’s most compelling about the show is how deeply it develops its characters. As we follow their every move throughout their vacation, we get to watch up close how flawed, fragile, and dysfunctional they are, often mirroring parts of ourselves.
It also excels at satirizing the ultra-wealthy, turning their privilege into a source of both comedy and critique. Rarely have I heard such hilariously insufferable conversations, showing the audience how upper-class people from all over the world can sound so completely absurd.
I’ll reluctantly admit I was looking up flights to the nearest beach by the second episode, but if you can withstand the envy for tropical skies while looking up at Missouri’s dreary gray ones, “The White Lotus” is the perfect way to ease into spring.
Listen
There’s been some recent distaste over popular podcasts like “Emergency Intercom” and “Call Her Daddy,” for their tendencies to sound out-of-touch and superficial. Instead, a lot of people are now searching for a podcast that brings a refreshing, grounded conversation while remaining funny – something hilarious but not frustratingly ignorant. In this case, I recommend Upstairs Neighbors.
Dom Roberts and Maya Umemoto Gorman possess some sort of genius when it comes to comedy. They normally just discuss popular ideas and trends or recap funny stories from their life, but what sets them apart is their sheer originality.
They have this unmatched ability to take the most brain-rotting corners of pop culture and transform them into something almost poetic as if internet chaos got an English literature degree.
The way they bend and shape language is genuinely astounding. They’ve essentially built their dialect, somehow both bizarre and totally accessible, and it’s one I hope more people take the time to listen to and laugh with.
I would recommend starting with episode 17: “RAW TIME! Listening to Y’all’s Nightmare Hookups,” as I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder at two people’s reactions.
Activities
Apart from consuming media that brings us into the fresh spring weather, I think it’s most important to make the most of the community around us. Columbia has many parks and spaces for people to relax and enjoy nature, which brings me to my first recommended activity: reading outside.
I enjoy reading, but I typically do it in the middle of the night as I sit on my bed with a crooked neck. Recently, I’ve swapped that with some time on a park bench or even with a picnic blanket in the sun, and it’s made a world of difference.
Science suggests that spending time surrounded by nature reduces cortisol levels and stress while also facilitating a more positive outlook on life, according to the National Library of Medicine. As final exams approach, stepping outside with a book might be one of the best ways to stay balanced and present.
Another hobby spring has stirred to life for me is making my own matcha, although I offer this recommendation warily since there’s now a worldwide shortage, according to NBC. Still, with iced matcha regularly going for nearly $7 a cup, making your own feels less like an indulgence and more like a smart, satisfying way to reclaim a little joy without breaking the bank.
I have recently invested in a full matcha set, and there’s something satisfying about having your own tools, like you’ve graduated from casual caffeine consumer to artisan drink crafter.
The entire process of making matcha is undeniably grounding; scooping the powder, blooming the whisk, pouring in the water and creating the froth. It’s slow, intentional and very peaceful. The very helpful but relatively simple tutorial I used was from @sincerelyxlils on TikTok.
Spring isn’t just a backdrop; it’s an invitation to recalibrate. Take a step outside, savor the simple pleasures and let this season be a reminder to slow down and savor the ride toward summer.
Edited by Mikalah Owens | mowens@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Chase Pray | cpray@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com