As a junior in college, now is the peak panic time in the academic year. There are assignments due left and right, midterms are instilling blow after blow, and no spring break means no time off.
At the same time, we are still in the middle of a pandemic. Quarantine is still proceeding on with no end seemingly in sight, and everyone is still locked inside their homes, fearing to go out unless they receive the near-to-impossible-to-get vaccine.
Stress levels are at an all-time high.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, whether that be in the academic sense, the personal sense, or any other way you can think of. Life gets exhausting, that much is true. Being in a pandemic for over a year now definitely does not help, what with feeling confined to one’s house and having minimal places to escape to. Sometimes all we need is a breath of fresh air.
It has been proven that being outdoors and being in a natural setting reduces stress, and can help improve your mental well-being. Just taking a walk around the block, or even going for a more extreme hike can take a great deal of weight off your shoulders. Breathing in that clean, all-natural air just makes you feel good.
With the weather slowly but surely getting warmer, it is important to take breaks from work, school, and life in general just to go outside and connect to nature. Make sure to relax. Make sure to check up on your own mental health, as well as your friends’. Make sure to take a breath of fresh air every once in a while. Everything will be okay