Last year, every morning after I woke up and got ready for class, I got to walk down campus with the most gorgeous view of the mountains. It’s something I actively thought about every single day. I used to do the same thing on my way to high school every day in Philly too, my drive to school included one perfect view of thousands of trees, resembling that of a painting in the sky. There is definitely something about nature that is calming, and I think part of it is beauty and part of it is consistency. Even when everything seems to be going wrong, the mountains are still right out my window, and the trees still rustle in Philly.
I have always loved being outdoors. I was born in southern Utah, and the first three years of my life were spent hiking or in a trailer connected to my dad’s bike. My dad and I still ride our bikes together all the time when I’m home, and I think it’s one of the reasons why we’re so close. Riding outside with the wind blowing past you, sun shining down, and trees surrounding— there’s something almost divine about it. Nature is a protective force.
Besides death, I think that nature is one of the only things that everyone in this world will experience. It’s a common ground, and the thing that people talk about when they have nothing else in common.
The last few weeks have definitely been rough for me. Amid midterms, thesis proposals, project deadlines, and scholarship applications, my two year long distance relationship ended. I don’t know that I have ever been as sad and anxious as I was the last few weeks. Aside from a few pints of Ben & Jerry’s and a girls’ night, I knew that spending more time with nature would be good for me. For the last few weeks, I have been intentional about paying attention to what’s happening outside. Whether it’s opening my blinds and taking deep breaths as the snow floats to the ground, or walking out of my building to watch the sunset, taking a few minutes out of every day to appreciate what’s outdoors has been healing.
The pandemic has required so many of us to stay cooped up indoors, especially as temperatures stay below freezing. So, if you haven’t done so recently, go crack open a window, take a walk around campus, or take some deep breaths. I have no idea how it has these magical powers, but nature just has a way of reminding me that not everything is bad, and that as a matter of fact, lots of things are very good. We all need more of it.