School can be very stressful- grades, big projects, preparing to transfer to the next step in education- the list does not end until you graduate. Once school is over a whole host of other stresses can be introduced into your life. Managing your mental well-being is a critical skill to foster in school that will serve us for the rest of our lives.
That is why I find the Nature Wellness Program at UCI (University of California Irvine) so inspiring. Nature therapy’s a practice that describes a broad group of techniques using nature to improve mental or physical health. Studies have also shown that students who actively engage with nature have a better quality of life and lower stress levels.
UCI has set up 5 “nature wellness stations” across its campus to encourage mental health. The college will qualitatively assess the impact of these stations on the student’s mental health.
https://naturewellness.uci.edu/
How amazing would it be if UCI could empirically show the benefits of the wellness stations and other campuses, city / state parks would start to incorporate nature therapy in their spaces.
Enjoy