By Julia Simak

It’s Spring Break! Your friends may be off eating pasta in Italy or tanning on a beach in Florida, but your family decides to take this time to catch up on life and have everyone pursue their most creative passion. Too much time has passed since you last sat down with your thoughts and dipped into your creative hobbies. It has just not been  the right time… well, the right time may be now! With a plan in place, you can embark on a journey of pursuing a craft that you’ve always wanted to do. Whether you’re interested in learning how to knit, bake a three-layer cake, or learn French, keep reading to learn the most efficient way to plan your Spring Break!

Step 1: Brainstorm
Spend some time getting inspired! Although you only have a week, any long-term plan needs a place to start. Whether you go for a nature walk, explore the nearest city, or go down a YouTube rabbit hole, make a list of anything you find that catches your eye. Don’t limit yourself – even if skateboarding looks difficult, add it to your list if you’re legitimately interested in it. Also, it’s important to remember that you don’t need to become an expert with your chosen creative pursuit in the course of a week; maybe Spring Break is spent solely on identifying potential options and then creating a shortlist. It’s up to you to decide!

Step 2: Get Organized
Lists, lists, lists… and make a list of your lists! Everything can and should be organized in a … you guessed it… list. There are many variables to consider when beginning a new hobby. For example, what research do you need to do before starting? What materials do you need? Where can you acquire them? Where is the best place to work? Who do you need to contact? The list goes on. Once these questions are answered and the lists are filled with valuable information, you can move to the next step.

Step 3: Time Management
You have one week. Seven days to fulfill your lifelong dream of crocheting life-sized frogs. Take out a weekly calendar and start planning! Here is an example:

Your weekly plan can and should change depending on the goals that you’ve set for yourself. For example, if you didn’t have time to buy yarn on Monday because there was a huge storm, you can shift your plan around so that you can go to the store on Tuesday. As you’re tackling each step, remember to have fun!

What creative endeavor will you pursue this Spring Break?