Feeling stressed about schoolwork? Spend some time in the beautiful green spaces on IUB’s Campus!

 

Introduction

One reason many prospective students are drawn to attend Indiana University is for the beautiful, green scenery that is iconic of the campus. The campus covers 3,674 acres, one of the largest campus areas in the Big Ten.¹ This large area is covered with many green spaces and beautiful scenery, like the Jordan River or Dunn Woods. Green spaces like these has been shown to have positive impacts on mental health and stress relief in urban areas.² I researched how the green spaces at Indiana University positively influence the mental health of the students at the university, focusing on relieving the stress from schoolwork. College students experience high levels of academic-related stress, especially younger students like freshmen and sophomores.³ College students experiencing stress have been found to practice unhealthy habits like eating junk food, rarely exercising, and sleeping less.⁴ Therefore, it is important to find ways to help college students relieve and manage stress.

This school year has an added level of stress on students for several reasons, so the usage of campus green spaces will have an added benefit. As stated earlier, green spaces have been shown multiple times to have positive impacts on mental health. In a study done in New Zealand, it was shown that both prevalence of green spaces and accessibility of green spaces were important factors in the number of mental health treatments sought in the surrounding area.² In Bloomington there are lots of green spaces, especially close to campus. However, students living off-campus do not have as much access to these green spaces as those students living on-campus. For many students, it is difficult at times to have easy access to the green spaces on campus, especially this semester since many students are completing all coursework remotely. Obstacles like parking and distance to campus may discourage students from coming onto campus to enjoy the green spaces.

Another study done in Sweden showed similar results as the New Zealand study, and showed that more time spent using these green spaces also correlated with lower self-reported experiences of stress and stress-related illnesses.⁵ If time is an important factor in determining benefits of green spaces, then that supports the idea of including it as a factor measured in my own research. Also, it reiterates the importance of green space accessibility since that is an important factor in determining how much time college students would spend using these areas.

Stress is something that almost every college student experiences for various reasons. There are many things that may cause stress for college students, such as finances, relationships, and the adjustment to a life away from home. However, for my research, I would like to focus specifically on stress that is caused by schoolwork. In several studies, stressors associated with schoolwork was identified as the main cause of stress among college students.^6,7  In my experience, many college students are overwhelmed by deadlines and workload, especially this year. Many of my peers have expressed that they feel this semester has increased workload from a normal semester, and I have experienced similar things in my own classes. Many students are stressed from having many assignments due every week, so this academic-related stress is very present in the student population this year.

It is important for students to manage this stress for many reasons. While under stress, students are more likely to engage in unhealthy habits like consuming unhealthy food, remaining sedentary, and depriving themselves of sleep.⁶ These unhealthy habits could be contributing to the rise of college obesity, and might establish habit patterns that cause young adults to remain overweight or obese after they graduate.^{8, 9} Also, another study showed that students who are regular users of green spaces on campus showed higher satisfaction with their lives as a student.¹⁰ Overall, reduction of stress is an important health goal for all college students in order to maintain healthy habits and to enjoy their life as a college student.

Objective and Hypothesis   

The goal of this research was to evaluate how usage and accessibility of green spaces on the Indiana University- Bloomington campus reduce the academic stress of the students at the university. Based on the literature, I hypothesized that the data would show that students who utilize these spaces often will show lower levels of stress compared to those who do not, therefore highlighting how essential these spaces are in reducing academic-related stress experienced by college students. I also hypothesize that many students in the sample will report difficulty in accessing campus green spaces, which would imply the necessity for the university to make these areas more accessible.

 

 

Methods

Data for this research will be collected using a survey distributed to the sample through Google Forms. The sample consisted of 168 students at Indiana University with relatively equal representation from the four undergraduate class standings (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior). Participants were recruited through my classes, my friends, and through various large group chats that consist of IU students. Participants were asked to complete a survey consisting of questions asking about their class standing, residency status, and major. Then, participants were asked to rate their agreement with a series of statements about green spaces, academic stress, and their accessibility to green spaces. Data was then compiled and assessed for trends.

Results

            Overall, students who reported spending more time in nature experiences less academic-related stress than those who did not. The average time spent in nature per week for those who marked “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement “I often feel stressed by academic work” was 0-2, while those who marked “disagree” or “strongly disagree” spent an average of 3-5 hours a week in nature. Also, over 60% of participants reported either an “agree” or “strongly agree” to the statement “I feel more relaxed while completing academic work while surrounded by nature.” Over 70% of participants also reported agreement or strong agreement with the statement “The green spaces on campus are

important for my mental health.” The overall results for these statements can be found in Figures 1 and 2.

Lastly, another notable figure from the data collected was that nearly 66% of participants who lived off-campus reported they experience obstacles in their efforts to utilize the green spaces on campus, with the most common obstacle being lack of parking available on campus.

Discussion

As seen from the results, the data collected highlighted the importance of campus green spaces and the effectiveness of using them in reducing stress for students. The majority of participants reported feeling stressed often by academic work, underlining an ongoing need for stress reduction promotion for students. In a poll done in May of 2009, nearly 85% of the students polled reported feeling stressed on a daily basis, which is a 5% increase from 2008.¹¹ Based on this study, an overwhelming majority of college students report feeling stressed, which shows the importance of universities providing mental health services for its students. This poll also concluded that the main stressors for the students were school work and grades.¹¹

Campus green spaces were shown to be important in maintaining and promoting positive mental health outcomes in students. This showcases the need for Indiana University to maintain and further develop its green spaces. According to the Greenspace Trends Report published in 2014 by the City of Bloomington Environmental Commission, the IU- Bloomington campus lost 0.4% of its greenspace area between the years of 2007-2011.¹² Then, between 2008 and 2018, the Bloomington campus lost 7% of its tree canopy and greenspace area according to a report published by the Davey Resource Group.¹³ If this trend continues, greenspaces will continue to decline on the Bloomington campus. Considering the positive impacts greenspaces have on overall wellbeing of students, it is imperative that the university develop and maintain these areas on campus and discontinue the trend of losing these areas. The data also showed that many students living off-campus experience difficulty in accessing these green spaces. The university needs to make these areas more accessible to students by providing more parking spots on campus so that it is easier for students to arrive to campus.

The positive effects of nature and greenspaces on mental health have been studied extensively, and the data shows how important these areas are in promoting healthy mental states.^{2, 5, 14} However, not much research has been conducted on the benefits of nature and greenspaces as they relate specifically to the mental health of college students. This study aims to begin to fill that gap, but further research should be conducted on specific types of greenspaces that are beneficial, as well as the importance of these greenspaces at more urban universities. This academic year present an anomaly nationwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic since many students are completing coursework remotely and therefore are not on campus as often as years past. Further research could be conducted on how reduced exposure to greenspaces in this year impact student mental health.

 

Conclusion

            In conclusion, this research has demonstrated the importance of greenspaces on college campuses due to their benefits on student mental health. The majority of students who participated in this survey expressed how the campus green spaces positively impact their mental well-being and how they often experience obstacles in their efforts to utilize these spaces. Indiana University and other universities should use this as motivation to develop and maintain these areas on campus, as well as focusing on improving accessibility to these spaces by resolving the issues that make it difficult for students to access the green spaces.

 

 

 

References

¹ Indiana University Board of Trustees. (2016). Fast Facts- Indiana University Fall 2015. Retrieved September 09, 2020, from https://web.archive.org/web/20160309162833/https://www.iu.edu/~uirr/reports/standard/factbook/?path=/2011-12/Bloomington/Fast_Facts/Fast_Facts

² Nutsford, D., Pearson, A. L., & Kingham, S. (2013). An ecological study investigating the association between access to urban green space and mental health. Public health, 127(11), 1005-1011

³ Misra, R., & McKean, M. (2000). College students’ academic stress and its relation to their anxiety, time management, and leisure satisfaction. American Journal of Health Studies, 16(1), 41-51. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/210480531?accountid=6724

⁴ Hudd, S. S., Dumlao, J., Erdmann-Sager, D., Murray, D., Phan, E., Soukas, N., & Yokozuka, N. (2000). Stress at college: effects on health habits, health status and self-esteem. College Student Journal, 34(2).

⁵ Grahn, P., & Stigsdotter, U. A. (2003). Landscape planning and stress. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2(1), 1-18. doi:10.1078/1618-8667-00019

⁶ Abouserie, R. (1994). Sources and Levels of Stress in Relation to Locus of Control and Self Esteem in University Students. Educational Psychology, 14(3), 323-330. doi:10.1080/0144341940140306

⁷ Harvey, L., Drew, S., & Smith, M. (2006). The first year experience: A review of literature for the higher education academy. York: The Higher Education Academy.

⁸ Racette, S. B., Deusinger, S. S., Strube, M. J., Highstein, G. R., & Deusinger, R. H. (2005). Weight Changes, Exercise, and Dietary Patterns During Freshman and Sophomore Years of College. Journal of American College Health, 53(6), 245-251. doi:10.3200/jach.53.6.245-251

⁹ Gordon-Larsen P, Adair LS, Nelson MC, Popkin BM. (2004). Five-year obesity incidence in the transition period between adolescence and adulthood: The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 80:569–575.

¹⁰ Speake, J., Edmondson, S., & Nawaz, H. (2013). Everyday Encounters with Nature: Students’ Perceptions and Use of University Campus Green Spaces. Human Geographies–Journal of Studies & Research in Human Geography, 7(1).

¹¹ MtvU, & Associated Press. (2009). mtvU AP 2009 Economy, College Stress and Mental Health Poll. Somerville, NJ: Edison Media Research.

¹² Ernest, C. (2014). Greenspace Trends Report (pp. 1-18, Rep.). Bloomington, IN: City of Bloomington Environmental Commission.

¹³ Davey Resource Group, Inc., & Bloomington Parks and Recreation. (2019). Urban Tree Canopy Assessment Summary Report: City of Bloomington, Indiana (Rep.). Indianapolis, IN: Davey Resource Group.

¹⁴ Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., & Daily, G. C. (2012). The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1249, 118-136.

¹⁵ Misra, R., & Castillo, L. G. (2004). Academic Stress Among College Students: Comparison of American and International Students. International Journal of Stress Management, 11(2), 132-148. doi:10.1037/1072-5245.11.2.132