Yesterday, as my friends and I were cooped up in our small apartment for the third day in a row, my roommate said she needed one of us to take her to the Botanical Gardens to take pictures for her class. At first we reluctantly considered, comfortable in our warm seats on the couch, crowded around the tv, debating who would have to take her there. Then I took a moment to look out the window at the beautiful, sunny sky above me and realized that I couldn’t remember the last time I went outside. It was hard to bring ourselves to escape from the comfortable, dark rooms we have been in for the last few months, but I realized that that was exactly what I needed to do. 

My roommates and I grabbed our tennis shoes, yoga mats and sunglasses and suddenly looked forward to feeling the warm sun on our skin that we will miss in the next few months. As soon as we arrived at the Botanical Gardens and began walking around the trail, admiring the beautiful trees, flowers and butterflies, I knew we had to get outside more often. Being surrounded by nature and beauty while getting some Vitamin D made me realize how important it is for your mental and physical health to spend time outside.

As we walked around the garden, we took photos of the vibrant flowers surrounding us, fed the ducks and turtles at the pond and did yoga in a pavilion on the lake. I know the SC Botanical Gardens seem to be nothing special compared to other botanical gardens across the country, but the fact that one can walk to it from campus makes it too accessible to pass up. Getting outside and escaping quarantine is exactly what we all need during this time, and no matter if you’re taking pictures of flowers, going on a run or just strolling around, the Botanical Gardens are a must-see.