Come hygge with us
If you’ve ever been to a Writing Pad class, you know what to expect: candles of the scented and unscented variety, warm teas and coffee alongside chilled pitchers of berry tea and water, plenty of lamps to create a warm ambiance, and snacks galore. At Writing Pad, we like to get in the mood for hygge — pronounced hoogah — a Danish word that encapsulates feelings of warmth, togetherness, coziness, and fun. This is your community, your sanctuary.
As we enter the cooler months, tis the season for hygge in the classroom and at home. Now is the perfect time to unwind with hygge and set the perfect mood for your writing. So buckle down and get ready to finish off the final scenes of your script or put the finishing touches on your personal essay. Here’s how you can hygge with us:
1. Come home after a long walk outdoors. Allow your mind to calm a bit, to enjoy the natural sights and sounds around you. The woodsy outdoors are peak hygge.
2. Find your cozy nook, maybe near a window. This could be your spot on the couch, your favorite chair or bench — anything that makes you feel comfortable and ready to unwind.
3. Put on some fuzzy socks and feel free to grab a thick blanket, too.
4. Fill your favorite mug with mulled cider, tea, or cocoa. You’ll be warm inside, warm outside.
5. Fill your room with plenty of warm lamps and ambient candles, and light the fireplace if you have one. Now’s also a great opportunity to hang those string lights you usually save for the holidays.
6. Reminiscing on past memories is perfect hygge-making, and could also prove helpful for finishing the essay you’ve been working on!
7. Remember to put your phone away and be present. Now is not the time for distractions; it is the time to settle in and enjoy the feeling of warmth and coziness as you delve into your writing.
8. Putting your phone away doesn’t equate to isolating yourself — if anything, it means the opposite. If you prefer to write alone, by all means do so. But if you work best in others’ company, now is the time to reach out to your writing community. Write together, and cultivate closeness. This is about support rather than competition.
9. Take a nice break and have some cake, stew, or other rich comfortfoods. If you’ve been waiting for a sign that yes, you should have a second slice — this is it.
10. Be thankful — look around you at what you have, and what you have accomplished.
