Why I Need Wild

 Coming into this class, I was unaware of the extent to which I had become caught up in the day to day of the modern urbanized world, and had lost touch with the natural world. Before beginning my college career, I had much more time and opportunity to get outdoors and in the “wild”. Fishing, paddleboarding, or hiking were near daily occurrences. However, after coming here to TCU, classes, summer internships, and all the other activities that come with being a college student often took the place of these excursions. 

This course has not only opened my eyes to this truth, but helped me to reconnect with the wild and rediscover why it is so essential. I now see that spending time in nature has a certain recentering, healing effect. For me, I now feel that if I go on too long without finding a way to get out in nature, I will feel the strain of not having this calibration. 

I need the wild because each time I immerse myself in it, it reveals to me the futility of many of the worries that follow me through the hustle and bustle of modern life. It is apparent to me now  that a simple walk through nature or paddle on the lake can bring me a sense of peace and ease that I can then carry into the rest of my life. Spending time in the wild does not take away from the time I use for responsibilities in the modern world, it enhances my focus and demeanor in a way that serves me in all areas of my life. 

As I continue into my career following graduation, I know I will be far better off having made the realization of Why I Need Wild.