Last updated on September 12, 2019
This post is written by Linda Simington, a spring student blogger and Eastfield College student.
Ahhh, spring is in the air, and 2015 classes seem to have taken off with a bang! Students and faculty alike are hustling, bustling and establishing their routines as we settle in to yet another new semester. The seriousness of classes and homework have already begun to weigh in on anxious nervous systems as academics take a front-row seat in our lives.
We all want to do our best, so, yes, school can be a bit stressful. However, there is a way we can help alleviate some of the stress and relax our minds, if just for a bit: gardening! Yep, that thing your parents and/or grandparents like to talk about and putter around the yard doing.
Even apartment dwellers are usually successful at growing a potted plant or two. And potted plants don’t just have to be flowers or house plants. Vegetables and herbs make lovely plants and taste great, too! Herbs like basil and thyme look great in pots and add a delectable flavor zing to ordinary salads, sauces and much more. Tomatoes even have a more compact variety called — Can you guess? — patio tomatoes!
Whether you garden in your yard or on an apartment balcony, most seem to agree that gardening is relaxing. Cultivating and caring for the little gems can be very therapeutic, can reduce stress and can even be fun. But don’t take my word for it. The American Horticultural Therapy Association published an article connecting the benefits of gardening to health and well-being. Still not convinced? USA Today also touts the benefits of gardening.
Even Eastfield must surely agree, as landscapers have been beautifying our campus by adding more plants that will make areas more pleasing and relaxing. Just kind of makes you want to smile, doesn’t it? I can hardly wait to see what it will look like once Mother Nature gets with the program and sets everything to bloom.
Gardening does call for a little physical effort or, what some might even refer to as, toil. But a little work never hurt anyone and seems to make it just that much more rewarding once the fruit of one’s labor (couldn’t resist that pun), is realized.
Stressed much? Try introducing yourself to a new little buddy or buddies from your neighborhood garden center, or better yet start one from seed!
There, I feel better already. Don’t you?
More Information
- Get started at a college of DCCCD today.
- See which degrees and certificates you can get at Eastfield.
- Check out all DCCCD degrees and certificate options.
- Read all of Linda Simington’s posts.
***Read all of our student blogger posts. Are you interested in being a student blogger? Send us an email at socialteam@dcccd.edu.