“If you’re like me, you LOVE celebrating holidays! Celebrate some new holidays with me this year with one featured holiday every month!”
International Mind-Body Wellness Day - January 3rd
Even though you should ideally take time out of every day for self-care, mark your calendars and dedicate January 3rd to having a day filled with peace, happiness, and healing. Forget those stress-filled assignments and practice some of your favorite hobbies instead. Here are some ideas for your day:
Take a clothing item you don’t like and upcycle it
Buy a face mask or make one using some natural ingredient recipes
Text a friend you haven’t talked to in a while and catch up
Set up an indoor picnic and dress up for it! Wear your favorite sundress (even in the Winter), cut up your favorite fruits, and enjoy a brunch/ lunch (preferably not at the table)!
International Day of Women and Girls in Science - February 11th
Today, recognize the achievements of women and girls around the globe. Get inspired by the work of those who were doubted at first, but made waves in a field dominated by men, like Rachel Carson. Encourage your sister or friend to take that class they were scared of joining! Make a contribution by supporting a woman or girl you know or donate to an organization that makes real change happen.
International Women’s Day - March 8th
This is for all the women out there who have made a positive change in your life or the world around you. Say THANK YOU to your sister, your mom, your teacher or anyone else who has inspired you. Make some handwritten cards or send text messages that say, “Thank you for all that you do!” Celebrate women in business! Women are the #GOAT
National Encourage a Young Writer Day - April 10th
This is your time to help someone shine! Read a poem, story, or even a rap lyric written by a young writer you know, and tell them their creativity is awesome! Everyone needs some encouragement, and hearing it from you just may motivate a young writer to pursue higher education in writing or even a career. Work on writing poems with your siblings, cousins, or anyone who wants to explore their linguistic creativity.
National Join Hands Day - First Saturday in May
On May first, join hands with your family, friends, neighbors, and community in uniting for volunteer work. There is always an open spot waiting for you to make change in the world. It’s as simple as picking up trash in your local park or signing up to be a volunteer in a scientific/ social experiment. Today, people across all communities and generations will unite in making the world a better place. Here are some ideas for easy volunteering!
Join a local food bank or homeless shelter in aiding your community
Find a local waterway/ beach clean-up crew
Help your congresswoman/ man in achieving their goals for your community
Help a child in school with their education by becoming a tutor or mentor
National Clean Beauty Day - June 15th
Everyone! Does your sunscreen contain Oxybenzone? Chances are, you’ve somehow contributed in harming our beautiful reefs. Today is the day to swap out your old sunscreen for some new reef and planet safe beauty- along with your other wellness products. Here are some cool tips and tricks:
Did you know that you can send out your old and CLEAN mascara wands to wildlife organizations? They use these clean wants to brush out oil or any kind of unwanted substance out of fur and feathers! Recycle your wands for the better!
Lush Cosmetics has some fantastic packaging-free products. Ditch those shampoo bottles for some plastic-free options.
Check for CLEAN beauty logos on packaging. One of my favorite clay masks by Claudie features natural ingredients that you don’t have to worry about after you wash them off your skin.
July is Plastic-Free Month!
This month, bring out those reusable bags and never put them away again. No more plastic bags! In July, make progress toward a healthier environment by reusing those water bottles, jars, and totes for the better! Doing this together can decrease global consumption for plastic dramatically (and can actually save lives, especially aquatic lives)! There are tons of brands that offer packaging free options… and Starbucks’ new “reuse a cup” system is already up-and-running in 5 stores across the US. Here are some products that will help you go plastic free:
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples - August 9th
Today, learn and celebrate Indigenous People around the world. Check out my other blog about The West Berkeley Shellmound, a women-led project that protects sacred indigenous land. Indigenous people all over the world have practices that are crucial to the health of many people and the environment, including the burning practices of Indigenous cultures around California. Many tribes, including the Yurok Tribe use prescribed burns to maintain the land for better crops and to prevent larger, devastating fires in the future. Visit a sacred landmark, attend a talk, or learn more about Indigenous people online to appreciate all the important contributions they make to people and the environment around the world.
International Equal Pay Day - September 18th
EVERY DAY IS EQUAL PAY DAY! No need for a special holiday to bring attention to this issue. Women across the globe fight every day for equal pay as men who do the same work. Organizations and businesses claim to “work on the issue,” but we want results! Put your effort in fighting against unequal pay. Women currently only make 82 cents per every dollar that men make. Read this NYT article to learn more.
Sustainability in Higher Education Month - October
This month celebrates the integration of sustainability into the higher education curriculum. Enroll yourself into a sustainability course and learn about how the subject matter is impacting organizations and businesses around the world. For example, in my UGBA course, we studied Amazon’s Sustainability Project that aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. You can be a part of sustainability in higher education!
World Kindness Day - November 13th
ACTION ITEMS!
Compliment a friend or stranger
Do a chore for someone else
Buy a gift for a loved one
Start the “Pay it Forward” train at a drive thru
Send a nice text message!
Do something nice for your pets! (They deserve some extra kindness too)
National Eat a Red Apple Day - December 1st
Ending this list with a fun holiday. So… eat that red apple today! Apples have a ton of benefits like reducing the risk of diabetes! You can cut them up and dip them in caramel, blend them into your smoothie, or share one with your dog.
Happy Holidays!
article by Kerren Zou ‘24
design by Carolyn Lu ‘24