Mental illness is extremely prevalent among college students. A study showed that anxiety is the top concern affecting 41.6% of college students, followed by 36.4% affected by depression. Aside from the parties and football tailgates, college can be a lonely and dark place at times. The most important thing to realize is that you are never alone in this battle. It is impacting more people than you might realize. The second step is learning how to cope with this anxiety and depression. Mental health is often not discussed in the public dialogue, but it’s about time that changed. From my own personal troubles with mental health over the past few years, I have found nature to be the perfect escape into tranquility and peace. This is why.
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Being surrounded by nature can be an escape from our fast-paced society. It gives me time to quiet my mind and ground myself in the present moment.
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Walking around gets the blood flowing and increases productivity of the mind.
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Nature enhances the senses with peaceful sounds, delightful smells, and beautiful views to appreciate.
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Being in nature can remind you how small you are and how small your problems are.
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Getting away from people sometimes can remove stress from your mind.
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It’s important to be alone with your thoughts and allow them to flow through you and be at peace with them.
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Get away from the “normal” and have true peace and quiet.
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Gives you a break from responsibilities, and believe it or not, you deserve this break and so does your busy mind.
Pro-tip: Put the phone away and immerse yourself in the natural world to give yourself a break from our fast-paced society.
“It’s a beautiful thing to have lungs that allow you to breathe air and legs that allow you to climb mountains, and it’s a shame that sometimes we don’t realize that that’s enough”
-Unknown
Slow down and appreciate the simplicity of life.