I used to be very intimidated by the idea of spending time by myself, let alone spending time alone in nature. I have a really complicated relationship with nature and I often felt envious when people say, “We all have an innate desire to connect with nature, I make sure to spend time in nature”. During then, I was essentially unable to tap in my inner self and understand my relationship with the natural world. Since I also did not enjoy spending time by myself in addition to my nature disconnect, I recall getting really surprised when Williams quotes a study by Mackerron and explained how the joy one feels in a natural environment compared to urban life exceeds the joy we feel while being alone and in nature (Williams, 2017). What I took from this insight was how spending time alone is a practice and the joy one feels while being in nature (alone) is a hidden benefit that a lot of people have not discovered. I felt so heard. This nature challenge was a simple yet attainable journey towards reestablishing my relationship with nature. If I have to summarise my experience in one line, I am much more aware of my exposure to nature and realizing its benefits on my mental health prior to the challenge and this class. From this experience, it also healed a part of me who was scared of being alone in public or in nature. Cal Newport in Digital Minimalism (2019) talks a lot about the importance of solitude and made me rethink my view on solitude and boredom. In our society which encourages social interaction, it is difficult to step back and slow down with our thoughts. Either it is engaging in devices or running to achieve the next task, I found myself in this capitalistic and labor culture where our self esteem comes from one’s social capital or personal achievement, both of which are inherently tied too.As someone who has never actively spent time in nature or by myself, I appreciated how Newport explains solitude doesn’t have to be complicated but even just a simple act as walking from the example of Nietzsche or sitting with your thoughts in the most public space. This offers a more equitable definition of solitude than defining solitude as something you can only seek from going into a cabin in the mountains. I grew up in one of the world’s biggest metropolitan cities in the world, New Delhi & now in New York. I enjoyed telling others and myself that I liked being in the city or that I’m a city person. Coming back to Vermont and engaging in the 30 day challenge offered me the chance to breathe nature and force myself to take part in the natural world. It was only through exposure that I recognized what I have been deprived of. Therefore, when reading certain articles for the class, I had trouble comprehending or having capacity to view from individuals who experience what Susan Clayton describes as the, climate anxiety (2020) or in Ezra Klein’s article (2022) where he explains the concern people have with child bearing in a climate crisis. Given my limited exposure, I enjoyed reading Klein’s article which talks about the lack of equity and inclusion in the bigger discourse surrounding climate change. Learning about individuals from diverse backgrounds and their experience in nature is one of the goals I had set in this challenge in order to feel heard and understood regarding my experience of nature. I am not entirely there yet, but this small goal I have set from this challenge is allowing me to engage in climate issues from a critical perspective. While I have not been consistent in this challenge everyday, I found myself feeling guilty but I do not want guilt to take over. Since I am slowly re-establishing my relationship with nature and “forcing” myself to get comfortable being alone in the natural world, I realised that I would not enjoy this experience if it was made mandatory but rather, viewing this challenge as a beginning in my long lasting journey of including nature in routine. Some of my highlights were walking early in the morning to the golf course and sitting still and watching the mountains when the weather was warmer. Another experience worth mentioning was when I spent time with my best friend and went on a hike and created our senior year bucket list and lastly, our hike view at Silver Lake Trail. Some insights I gained from the challenge are, everyone comes from different exposure to nature and comfort and therefore learning to focus on your journey is really important instead of comparing. Secondly, I can feel the impacts of nature exposure on a short term basis and be able to feel relaxed afterwards but I have yet to experience what it means to have lasting benefits from nature and how to experience that. Lastly and one of the important things that I took from this challenge and from our class is realising how divided the world is in our perspective and understanding of climate change. While some countries are able to offer institutional changes to protect climate and feel anxious about climate change, there are many people who live with everyday consequences of climate change yet still unable to speak or don’t have the privilege to do so. I noticed that our individual differences in terms of nationality, socio-economic status and race have allowed us to view and engage with the environmental discourse differently and I want to work towards a more equitable and inclusive approach in addressing the climate crisis and, this class is just a beginning. Works Cited:
1. Williams, F. (2017).The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative. New York: W. W. Norton.
2. Newport, C. (2020). Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. Penguin Random House.
3. Clayton S. (2020). Climate anxiety: Psychological responses to climate change. Journal of anxiety disorders, 74, 102263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2020.102263
4. Klein, E. (2022, June 5). Opinion | Your kids are not doomed. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/05/opinion/climate-change-should-you-have-kids.htmlOctober 24, 2025