April has a way of making time feel imminent. Spring settles in, temperatures rise and students juggle last plans and looming futures, suddenly aware of how quickly everything is moving. In moments when time feels like it’s slipping through your fingers, there’s a quiet comfort in returning to familiar media and stories. Here are some movies, songs and activities that
that carry a sense of closure, nostalgia or personal meaning.
Watch:
“Mamma Mia!” is the movie when it comes to navigating life transitions. A classic jukebox musical, it reimagines ABBA hits within a story centered on family dynamics and a uniquely complicated mother-daughter bond.
As Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) prepares to get married, the chaos and miscommunication that ensues vividly captures the liminal feeling of transition. As Sophie chooses between staying at home to help her mother and traveling the world with her fiancé, the movie balances comforting feelings of love with the interpersonal tension that accompanies hard decisions.
For me, the glittering, bedazzled blue title card has become a ritual, a marker of time passing. The familiarity of the film invited me to miss what’s ending while not quite knowing what comes next. In that way, “Mamma Mia!” doesn’t just tell a story about transition so much as it becomes part of one.
Listen:
Known for her dreamy melodies and personal songs, beabadoobee is an artist who expertly deals with feelings of longing for self-discovery amidst change. Her music lives in the tension between softness and edge; her clear, almost delicate voice is often layered over gritty, guitar-driven indie rock, a contrast that mirrors the experience of nostalgia.
“Ever Seen” emphasizes the transformative and resilient encouragement that love provides. Love, from a partner, family member or friend, is the focal point of the song, a grounding presence for both beabadoobee and the listener to fall back on for comfort.
“Beaches,” on the other hand, feels especially tied to this point in the semester. Its bright, bouncy guitar evokes a sunny atmosphere, mirroring the first real stretch of warm April days. However, within that lightness is a push to take chances, to make something of the time that’s left. “Beaches” is about leaning into uncertainty rather than shrinking from it, choosing movement even when the future isn’t fully clear.
Do:
Baking is a therapeutic activity I try to do year-round, and as April begins, I’m looking for flavors and desserts that feel lighter and brighter. Ingredients like lemon, lavender, strawberries and coconut carry the promise of spring, of something around the corner.
What makes baking especially appealing right now is its rhythm. It’s repetitive and grounding; measuring, mixing and following steps creates a rare kind of quiet that settles your mind. The act of recreating the same recipes, or even just working with familiar flavors, can bring back memories of summer afternoons and family kitchens, moments that feel distant but still close enough to taste.
Here are a few recipes that are simple, seasonal and worth making:
Perfect Berry Cobbler Recipe from Claire Saffitz: Quick, flexible and easily made with frozen berries and pantry staples.
Cheesecake-Stuffed Strawberries from Allrecipes: Just five ingredients, and perfect for spring picnics or those final get-togethers before the semester ends.
Lemon Thumbprint Cookies from Sally’s Baking: Slightly more involved, but a bright, citrusy twist on the classic winter thumbprint cookie, bridging the gap between seasons in a way that feels fitting for this time of year.
Whether it’s through a familiar movie, a song that meets you where you are or the quiet repetition of baking, these recommendations help make sense of a time that can feel unsure. As the semester comes to a close, it’s less about having everything figured out and more about noticing what’s here now: the people, the moments and the feeling of something ending and beginning at once. If anything, April is a reminder that it’s okay to exist in that in-between.
