Unfortunately, along with the sunshine and long days of June also comes the exam season for us students at the University of Leeds. It is typical: just as Hyde Park becomes a luscious green and every student tries to increase their tan, most still have to persuade themselves to stay in the library and focus, rather than enjoy the outdoors. For that reason, the Date Night Diaries presents you with some date ideas to go on with your friends outside of studying, to give your mind a much needed break at the end of a long library day. These activities may require planning or asking your friends to join you, which is something that I am sometimes shy to do as well. During high intensity work sessions, when you finally get home and flop onto the sofa, trust that your friends, and flatmates feel just as drained as you do. So, both of you would probably appreciate some worry-free, mindless entertainment.
Firstly, I suggest a visit to your local corner shop to discover what baking supplies they have. Most shops have a cake or cookie mix ready made in a packet for not much more than a few pounds. After visiting both Sainsbury’s in the Hyde Park area, I do have to present you with the unfortunate news of a lack of Betty Crocker in each of the stores. They did, however, have a basic vanilla mix, hot chocolate powder and chocolate sprinkles to add. My flatmate and I did not have a cupcake tin or cupcake cases (as that was beyond our culinary capacity) – however, we did have your regular square tin that the average person probably uses to cook their chips. We used this to make a bouncy square cake, marbling and swirling the chocolate batter with the vanilla. We felt like true bakers, although whether or not the end result tasted like we really were, was an entirely different question. We enjoyed working together to bake a warm and tasty homemade cake. I used to bake a lot at home but stopped when I came to university. There was simply something about following a recipe, washing your hands before you begin, and getting yourself immersed into all which could go wrong in baking a simple square cake.
Secondly, as I mentioned before, Hyde Park is looking sunnier than ever. For some reason I discovered this activity when walking home after handing in some coursework, feeling absolutely no relief as my next assignment was due just a few days later. I slipped my AirPods into my ears and selected ‘All Too Well’ by Taylor Swift on my Spotify, the 10-minute version of course. The song reflected my mood as I walked home that day, breathing in the fresh air. I was feeling a maze of emotions yet at the same time was numb to my surroundings. During my walk, I looked around, observing the people lying down on the grass – some were in groups while others were on their own, some playing football or some reading a book. My gaze drooped for a second and I noticed some purple flowers. They were grouped together, seeming wild yet formulaic all at once. I walked past at first, shrugging off the idea in my head. Then Taylor spoke to me in her usual empowering message, mixed with a little Miley Cyrus on the side.
I don’t need a man to buy my flowers. I won’t even buy myself flowers. I will pick my own flowers, I thought.
As I walked forward, my eyes scanned the grass beside the path to discover even more wildflowers. Buttercups and bluebells, but also some I had never seen before. My small, dainty bouquet became filled with deep magentas, light blossom pinks, dark plum violets, warm yellows and pale greens of the earth. Their stems were dainty, different to your average bunch of flowers, with such a large variety of sizes and shapes that they looked truly beautiful. I displayed them very proudly in my room in a small, washed-out vintage glass milk bottle that I had bought from a charity shop. For some reason, although they were only wildflowers and there were only one or two stems of each, they brought me joy. They resembled that walk and acted as a calming reminder that the simple things still exist. I did this by myself, but this could easily be done with a friend on your walk back from the library in the sun, picking which flowers take your fancy and collecting every colour. Collecting flowers and appreciating the beauty in the world around me calmed my worries and relieved my post deadline stress.
Thirdly, as much as it is exam season and the library is calling out your name, do not hate yourself for sitting and enjoying Hyde Park sometimes. Whether it is with flashcards or a cold beverage from One Stop, relaxing is just as important as studying. Pilates and yoga are really beneficial for the mind and body and help you relax and de-stress. Equally, in such a busy atmosphere, meditation would also calm the mind. This can be done with a friend while lying in the sun, taking deep breaths and counting instead of thinking. There are many playlists on Spotify with guided meditation, which I highly recommend for first-timers. I remember the first time I properly meditated – I felt as though I was floating above the ground. Relaxing on a soft blanket in the warmth of the sun could not be more of a de-stress. Put your phone aside, put your books aside and just lie and breathe. You’ve got this!
Written by: Maddie Brooks
Edited by: Harsheni Maniarasan