A walk to the river: nature and student mental health

This narrative explores outdoor learning for post-secondary students, the myriad health benefits of nature experience, and the importance of engaging with the more-than-human world. Some comparisons are drawn between indoor- and outdoor-based learning, and the affordances the latter offers for place-based wonder, emergent learning, and the promotion of psychological well-being. Given the concerning rates of mental distress among college students, the natural world is fitting medicine for stress reduction and fostering healthy bodies and minds. Indigenous perspectives for mutually beneficial interactions with the land and the importance of reciprocity are also discussed.