Ever since I could legally drive, I've used my freedom to visit local parks and trails in order to escape reality. At least once a week I go on a an adventure, with or without company; I called these routine trips "nature walks."
Escapism is what first attracted me to the beautiful trails around my hometown. Life can start to feel chaotic in high school, and moving on the feeling can get worse. Schedules are packed with school work, jobs, sports and extracurricular activities. Living becomes a system of balancing and prioritizing; and that system can distract us from finding out who we are and who we want to be. None of that changes in college; in fact, the balancing act is even more challenge. Nature walks can create a time and a space to escape from all the mayhem.
Not only do nature walks allow you to escape all of your problems, but if you haven't noticed already, nature is quite beautiful. While I absolutely love urban living, part of me longs to be surrounded by trees and the sound of rushing water. My favorite part is when you walk so far that you can no longer hear any cars. It's all about silencing the mind chatter and remembering to focus on the little moments of peace and serenity.
In this day and ag,e being completely alone is difficult. Even if you're huddled-up in your room with all the doors locked, it's hard to hide from social media. Even when I swear off human contact, I still end up checking my phone. If I really want to get off the grid, nature walks are the only answer; and leaving my phone in the car is a liberating action. Nature walks allow you to spend some necessary alone-time (minus cool animals). Your brain can think whatever it wants to without the influence of others, and you can continue to develop, or even discover, yourself.
As the stress of the upcoming semester slowly starts to build inside, don't forget to etch nature walks into your busy schedule, especially while the weather is still pristine. The outdoors await you, with endless spots for a much needed venture out of the fast-paced, urban college lifestyle.
