OPINION

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By Tucker Golladay

Tucked away in the woods of Mineral, Virginia is a place I have always considered home. I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan shortly after I was born. Finally, my family and I settled in Richmond five years ago. However, despite the constant moves, the one consistent place in my life has always been my family cabin in Mineral. When I lived in Michigan, my family and I would traverse from the Midwest to the East Coast once a year to visit my grandparents and the cabin. When we moved to Richmond, the property was passed down from my grandparents to my parents, and I started to visit more frequently.

Hours spent on the hammock drifting into a somber sleep, the wind that carries smells of trees and flowers, and sounds of birds chirping and rodents scurrying, make up the surrounding property. There’s a pond that sounds alive, and a stream that fills the pond which seems to never end. I have paddled, walked, and climbed along the path, while gaining many scratches and mosquito bites along the way, but have never made it to the end.

The lack of technology while at the cabin has always granted me the opportunity to connect with family and disconnect from social media. I see my cabin as one of the more influential places in my life, because of the ability to step back and disconnect. More and more often, we close the doors of our room and melt into the screens that we all spend too much time on. When I am home, I catch myself spending little time with my parents, and as the rest of my family has moved to college or to the workforce. I rarely get to hear their stories. However, while spending days at the cabin, I am able reconnect into their lives.

Over the past several years, it seems the modern ideology of a cabin has shifted from wood-burning fires to million-dollar mansions surrounded by a few trees. I am grateful that the internet connection in Mineral is spotty, because it allows me to take a step away from social media. The only form of media I have is through VHS tapes. I feel lucky to have a place that I consider home, besides my day-to-day residential home. Being surrounded by woods and being able to go out experience serenity and disconnect is a gift. I am, however, aware that not everyone has this same opportunity.

As a Collegiate student, the workload we have day-by-day can take over our thoughts, so I have found taking a weekend to go to the cabin is important in my own mental life. It allows me to live in the moment without having to worry about the next test or quiz. Not everyone has a cabin or a plot of land surrounded by woods, but I think the same impact of nature can be gained from the hiking-trails and parks that crisscross Virginia.

In a world that never seems to slow down, it can be increasingly hard to keep up, and that often takes a toll on mental health. Living most of the day with your eyes glued to various devices is disorienting and promotes a synthetic reality. My brother has recently moved to Boston to work, and he says “going from the bustling city to the rural Mineral is powerful. It gives me a chance to take my mind off work while promoting a more sensitive lifestyle.”

According to Stanford researchers, living in a city contributes 20-40 percent higher risk of anxiety and mood disorders. In a experiment of urban versus rural settings, researchers found that the brain responded differently in the two settings. The study suggests that the subjects who walked through nature had more positive brain activity.

Studies have proven that nature can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, but I do not think there has been enough promotion to get in nature. The benefits have been proven, and the research is there to back it. My cabin has helped me handle my life and collect myself every time I visit. If you ever find a break in your day, then I recommend avoiding technology or other mass-media and, instead, taking a walk in nature.

Featured image credit: Jay Mantri.