For most of my life, I have always felt a oneness with nature. My family enjoyed going to the arboretum throughout the year, but specifically the fall, when the leaves changed colors. Unfortunately, growing up, I lived in a modern suburban area where I was not surrounded by trees. This resulted in my sister and I going to different forest preserves near my house.
One of my favorite forest preserves is Waterfall Glen, located in Lemont, IL. When I was a junior in high school, my family moved to Downers Grove where we were completely surrounded by trees. We moved next to a wetland. Since we have moved in, I have seen an increase in happiness around my household. Everyone is more uplifted because of all the green around us. I remember sitting outside and smelling the fresh green grass and trees and feeling completely at ease, something I was not able to experience living by fake trees.
It was not until quarantine in 2020, that I took advantage of all the new forest preserves around me. Thankfully, where I live there are many forest preserves. My sisters and I enjoyed exploring all the different ones during that time. I loved walking through them or going off the path and finding hidden streams. One of my favorite things to do in a forest preserve is read or journal. There is a sense of peace and happiness that I feel when I am leisurely reading outside.
When I came to U of I, I needed to be outside. I am a transfer student who transferred last year during the height of COVID. I lived in the dorm, which is already a lot on one’s mental, but especially when everything was online and there wasn’t much to do, I needed to go outside. It became a habit for me to take a long walk everyday in the Urbana area where there are lots of trees and green grass. Whenever I was feeling panicked or stressed, I would go on a walk to clear my head. It helped me tremendously. I especially love when it gets a little chilly and I have to wear a coat or sweatshirt when I go on a walk. My friends know how much I enjoy going on my walks, and then recognize how much it helps me. To this day, whenever I need to clear my head or get some fresh air, being outside and going for a walk is the best remedy.
Humans in Nature 