A little greenery might be the ticket to scoring higher on exams and keep stress at an all-time low

Exam season is upon students across the country. College and university students might be sighing with relief now, but more tests, exams and essays await next semester. Staying calm during crunch time is tough, but nature can help!

Elementary School

Researchers at the University of Illinois found that spending time in nature not only helps to improve a child’s grades but it also helps them overall. These researchers looked at hundreds of studies and found that being exposed to nature betters a child’s attention, lowers stress levels, improves self-discipline, boosts physical activity and helps the child engage and cooperate better at school. Basically, nature rocks! It can help children take in everything they’re learning and give them the tools to think critically and learn how to be resilient.

Highschool

Want to improve your highschool-aged kid’s grades? Give them a room with a view! Researchers from the university of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign discovered that when highschool kids have a green view, their ability to keep their attention and bounce back from stress improved by 13 per cent compared to those in either windowless rooms or rooms with views of other buildings. They do better on tests and even their morale improves!

College and University

A 2024 study from North Carolina State University found that birdwatching significantly improves mental health and reduces distress among college students. Birdwatchers saw a seven per cent increase in well-being and a six per cent decrease in distress, outperforming other nature activities.

Birdwatching not for you? No problem! Just take a walk outside! Researchers at Cornell University found that spending as little as 10 minutes in nature can boost happiness and reduce both physical and mental stress in college students. The most effective time range was 10 to 50 minutes, with benefits plateauing after 50 minutes.