As once said by the indomitable Anne Frank: “I firmly believe that nature brings solace to all our troubles.” This sentiment most definitely applies to college life. As we journey through our college experience, it’s hard to find the time to go out into nature and just take a breath. Most of us find ourselves spending our time in a classroom or in libraries, trying desperately to find good study spots. Yet, we at the Rio Piedras campus often forget that we are surrounded by nature and green spaces that offer a break from the tense energy of hundreds of peers studying all at once.
In trying to find an escape from the overwhelming vibe of traditional study spaces, and the fact that the power was out that day, I sat down in the biggest green space in my campus (the yard in front of the Humanities building, for my fellow gallitxs). To my surprise, it was genuinely one of the best study sessions I’ve ever had at UPR. Naturally, you might have questions or doubts about this, so let me clear some of them up.
Some people (myself included) need complete silence for studying. However, most of us already rely on headphones, and if you don’t, the only noise you’re most likely to hear outside is the gentle rustle of the breeze. Secondly, maybe you are uncomfortable with the idea of sitting on the grass because of insects, but I assure you, as long as you avoid sitting near an anthill, the issues are minimal and far outweighed by the benefits.
When it comes to green spaces, we inherently relate them to feelings of peace and relaxation, emotions that we don’t often feel when studying or even simply being in university spaces. Imagine studying in a place that boosts endorphins where you could gradually feel the mental weight from the academic workload melt off your shoulders. On the other hand, some of you may think: “I’ll just study at my house/apartment.” However, if you’re like me, and prefer to keep our homes separate from the stress of classes and as a safe haven, green spaces can really be a great alternative.
Often, we become so accustomed to the traditional learning environments that we forget how crucial it is that we feel comfortable and open-minded while studying, so that we might actually learn instead of memorizing. We need spaces that improve our mood in order to open our minds to new—and sometimes difficult—studies.
