Sarah Brown, Unsplash Colleges are meant to foster learning, creativity, and discovery, but that doesn’t happen only in the classroom. A recent U.S. News & World Report article highlighted research showing that campus green spaces can improve students’ mental health by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety and can even help students to learn and focus better. Simply spending time outdoors among trees, lawns, and gardens, rather than being cooped up in a cramped dorm room or classroom, might do more for students’ well-being than many realize.
According to the article’s authors, “decades of research … shows that access to green spaces can lower stress and foster a stronger sense of belonging.” Taking nature walks, studying in a green field, and being surrounded by natural beauty can help alleviate stress and relax the mind.
However, the answer to the student mental-health crisis cannot be found in landscaping alone. Real emotional well-being also means stepping away from screens, spending time with real people, and taking all the academic and media “doom” talk a little less seriously.
Too often, students pass green spaces by, absorbed in their phones or rushing from one obligation to the next. Here in North Carolina, for example, NC State students don’t have to look far to find a dose of nature. The university’s campus is filled with inviting green spaces, from the Court of North Carolina’s canopy of oaks to the quiet paths around Lake Raleigh. These areas offer more than just scenic backdrops; they provide a space for reflection, community, and calm amid the pressures of academic life. Yet, too often, students pass them by, absorbed in their phones or rushing from one obligation to the next. If universities truly want to improve student mental health, they might start by encouraging students to look up from their screens, take a walk outside, and engage with the real world around them.
The modern campus encourages constant online connection, leaving little room for quiet, genuine rest. Still, even when students do step outside, many can’t escape the presence of the digital world. We live in an age in which news and information are effortlessly accessible, with every tragedy or global crisis a tap away. Topics such as war, climate change, and economic instability dominate online conversation. The trouble is that we’re not meant to absorb every problem unfolding around the world in real time. It’s easy to spiral down a rabbit hole of the impending “doom” that this country and others may—or may not—face. With professors and the media constantly bombarding students with all the problems of the world, who can truly relax? Students already deal with academic pressure and personal stress; they don’t need the additional weight of constant social-media alarmism piled on top.
Universities today pour millions into counseling centers, wellness programs, and awareness campaigns, but sometimes the simplest, most human fixes get overlooked. The modern campus encourages constant online connection and academic overcommitment, leaving little room for quiet, genuine rest. Having a computer is almost a requirement to attend college. From online discussion boards to emails from professors to maintaining a LinkedIn profile and coordinating with school clubs through group chats, students are rarely “unplugged.” While therapy and mental-health services are valuable, they cannot replace the benefits of real-world community and time spent away from screens. Colleges might do more good by promoting a culture that values balance, reminding students that sometimes logging off, taking a walk, or grabbing coffee with a friend does more than any wellness campaign ever could.
At the heart of all of this is community. One of the strongest predictors of happiness is human connection, and this can be overlooked in conversations about student well-being. Social-media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook have, in many ways, begun to replace real human interaction for many college-age Americans. After class or work, instead of meeting friends at a restaurant, bar, or community space, many young people turn to their phones to get a quick fix of (artificial) connection through funny videos, tutorials, or influencer updates. But virtual connection is no substitute for genuine relationships built through shared experiences and face-to-face conversations. Students thrive when they feel part of something larger than themselves—when they share a meal with friends, join a club, or simply talk with someone who listens. A healthy campus culture depends not only on beautiful green spaces or digital detoxes but on a genuine sense of belonging. Colleges should remember that no app, wellness program, or mindfulness campaign can replace the simple joy of real human connection.
Reagan Allen is the North Carolina reporter for the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.
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Reagan Allen
