Five Simple Ideas for… Keeping yearbook fun in the spring

Talk to yearbook advisers and there seems to be little debate – February and March can be really stressful months for the staff.

Spring delivery books are scrambling to hit their final deadlines, and the workload has started to ramp up for summer delivery books. So the question becomes: what can the yearbook staff do to keep from pulling their hair out?

Here are some ways you can battle the spring stress and make the second half of the year much more enjoyable.

1. Celebrate the spring holidays. There are opportunities to have some holiday fun in the spring. On Valentine’s Day, the staff can exchange homemade cards. On St. Patrick’s Day, make sure everybody dresses in green.
2. Get outside! By the time March rolls around, your area may be starting to get some warmer weather. Take breaks and head outdoors. Maybe hold a staff meeting outside on a sunny day.
3. Bring in food on deadline nights. Whenever those stressful deadline days come around and everyone has to work a little late, food will help the staff loosen up a bit. On work nights, order a pizza or have everybody bring in treats.
4. Mix in some games. A staff that is mixing in fun with all the work will be much more productive. Have some board games around the yearbook room so the staffers can take a break and play from time to time.
5. Turn on the music. So maybe you don’t want music constantly playing in the yearbook room because it’s a distraction. No problem, but you can still turn on the tunes occasionally. On a particularly stressful day, what about encouraging the staff members to do some karaoke? Laughs, and FUN, will follow.