The great outdoors according to ODEL majors
Carlee Colvard, Assistant Editor
Photo courtesy of Carlee Colvard
Spring has sprung and with warmer weather comes more chances to enjoy the outdoors.
As college students enter the final stretch of the semester, sometimes life can get stressful. Did you know that going outside can actually help relieve stress?
According to the Huffington Post, Judith Heerwagon, an environmental psychologist, said, “Just looking at a garden or trees or going for a walk, even if it’s in your own neighborhood, reduces stress.”
Not only does going outside reduce stress, it also helps with concentration. One study monitored children who were more active outside and children who spent more time indoors. The study showed that children who spent more time outside were better able to concentrate.
Losing concentration on schoolwork? Try going for a walk.
If science isn’t enough to convince you to walk around campus, play some frisbee or go on a hike, here’s what some outdoor leadership majors think about why it’s important to enjoy the outdoors.
Why is it so important to get outside?
Photo courtesy of Madison Gregory.
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“It�s important to get outside because for me, I find spiritual enrichment in the outdoors. Being out there and it being peaceful, I can feel the Lord speaking to me. I�m extroverted so it�s good alone time. It�s also good for recreational activity.”
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“Getting outside allows you to be more active and also get the fresh air moving through your lungs. This is important because it benefits the individual in a health perspective.”
Photo courtesy of Chase Cannon.
Photo courtesy of Lauren Taylor.
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“The outdoors are therapeutic and there�s a peace you can�t find anywhere else. There�re no distractions, it�s quiet, and there�s fresh air. It�s also good mentally as a break from classrooms and it�s good to be active.”
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“It can be used as therapy to get away from all the stress and pressure of life. I love the peace that it brings. For me, it�s a way to worship God better and see all that he�s created. It a great way to build relationships with people because you really get to know someone when you spend about two weeks out in the woods with them.”
Photo courtesy of Stephen Floyd.
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“It�s important to get outside because it helps you to release stress and puts you in an environment to strengthen your relationship with God because it puts you in his creation. It can also strengthen community and build relationships with other people.”
Photo courtesy of Tilly Schoonhoven.
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“Whether it�s crunching through fresh, fallen leaves in autumn or the fantastic views within an hour from here right now during spring, while the leaves are still off of the trees, get outside. It is where I go to get a break from the hustle and bustle of life, to talk to God, to get some fresh air with no distractions. Outside is where it�s at.”
Photo courtesy of Jessie Eaton.
