If there’s anyone who understands the meaning of stress, it’s students. By now we’ve learned to deal with stress in our own ways, but did you know that spending time in nature is correlated with better mental health, attention, and mood?

In fact, a study published in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” found that spending just 30 minutes in nature can significantly reduce stress and increase happiness.

“Getting outdoors is a great way to relieve stress, make new friends, and get to know the community,” said Dr. Megan Styles, assistant professor of environmental studies at UIS.

“If you take a little time off to get exercise, get away from the computer screen, and make time/space to think about things other than school, you may actually be able to focus more effectively when you come back to work,” Styles added.

To that end, then, let’s look at some of the best places in and around Springfield for you and your friends to get out and explore.

First, we’ll start with the places on campus that you can walk or bike to:

UIS Frisbee Golf Course

Frisbee golf is a staple for college students across the country. (Can you even call yourself a college student if you haven’t “frolfed” at least once?) This is a great activity that you can do by yourself or with a group of friends, and it’s a fun way to fit in some free exercise.

UIS has an 18 “hole” course that crisscrosses across campus. Hole 1 starts right across the street from Lincoln Residence Hall, and hole 18 ends near parking lot C-north across from the campus police station.

Each hole starts on a concrete slab with a placard that shows what hole you’re on, the distance and direction to the hole, and the par for that particular hole.

Search the UIS website for “disc golf” for a complete map of the course and a scorecard if you want to keep track of your game. And don’t forget to bring sunscreen and water!

UIS Campus Community Garden

If you’re looking for a good way to spend time outdoors and help contribute to our campus, look no further than our very own campus community garden. The garden serves as a clear commitment that UIS and its student body has to sustainability and the environment.

Last semester a group of dedicated students decided to revamp and rededicate the garden that was first built in 2006. The 20×20-foot plot of land contains a variety of garden vegetables, herbs, and other plants that, among many other things, will

Anyone who wants to can contribute their time to helping the garden, and in the future that hard work might even be rewarded with a share of what’s grown in the garden. Or if that’s not your thing, the garden is still open for anyone to stroll through or take a gander at.

If you want to test out your green thumb contact Dr. Megan Styles. The garden can be found near the Shepard House off Toronto Road towards LLCC.

If you have access to a car and want to travel beyond the university, this next section is for you:

Lincoln Memorial Gardens

Located on Lake Springfield less than 10 minutes from campus, Lincoln Memorial Gardens is one of the hidden gems of Springfield. If you want a quiet walk or jog in the woods, this may just be the perfect place for you.

Thousands of visitors come each year to see the same landscape that Lincoln would have seen a century and a half ago. This 100-acre site features six miles of hiking trails, footbridges, a pond, eight stone council rings, dozens of wooden benches inscribed with quotes from Lincoln, and a beautiful view of Lake Springfield.

The garden hosts special events during the spring, summer, and fall months. For an even better experience, be sure to visit during the fall when the leaves are at peak color. For more information, check out their website at lincolnmemorialgardens.org.

Washington Park

Located in the heart of Springfield, Washington Park is one of the largest and most popular parks in the Springfield area. Visitors are treated to 150 acres of rolling hills, forests, ponds, picnic areas, flower gardens, pavilions, and trails for walking and biking.

The park contains several facilities including tennis courts, a botanical garden, and the carillon. What’s a carillon you ask? It’s a 100-foot tower will an assortment of large bells at the top that will occasionally play music, and always during festivals and special events.

Washington Park is a great place to visit whether you’re having a romantic picnic, feeding the ducks, or playing a game of tennis.

These parks are just a small fraction of everything else there is to do in Springfield. Take a drive, explore around, and you might just find something new and exciting in one of Springfield’s many parks and natural areas.