Why I Need Wild

      The past few days I have been extremely sick and unable to spend much time outside. Due to this, I have realized what I miss out on when I can’t experience the wild. The first thing I’ve noticed is that I find my attention span lowering when I spend more time inside and on my phone. I try to combat this with reading, but nothing will beat my runs through the park.  

         Another reason I need wild is because it adds to my appreciation of life. I’ve seen this show up most in my ROTC experience. I used to absolutely hate going to the field, sleeping outside, and dealing with the weather. One day I decided to start finding ways to enjoy being outside. I started small by enjoying less screen time and finding ways to appreciate the wilderness. By starting small, I have found a genuine appreciation for going to the field now. I started packing less gear and making an effort to fully immerse myself in nature when I am out there. This newfound appreciation has improved my quality of life with the Army drastically and made me happier overall.  

The wilderness has always been a pivotal part of my life. Some of my most fond memories with my family were spent in the Hoh Rainforest, at Deception Pass, or at Kopachuck State Park. I do not think I would be who I am today without my experiences in nature.  

 

Ten Best Photos and My Best Photo

 

Reflecting on my top 10 photos, I found that a lot of them are landscape focused. While I love animals, I enjoy landscape photos because I feel it captures the feeling I have when I took the picture. It allows others to see what I see and feel what I feel. While pictures of animals can do the same thing, landscape pictures allow others to value and focus on whichever aspect most speaks to them. 

My Best Photo

This picture is my favorite one that I took this semester. This was taken at the botanic gardens in Highlands, North Carolina. I find the reflection of the sky on the water truly amazing. I also love how the closer trees frame the further tree. 

Extended Outdoor Experience

This week, we had the opportunity to go to the Fort Worth Zoo as a class. I decided to count this as my extended outdoor experience. I had only been to the zoo one time before this, but I didn't stay for long. Compared to other zoos, I think the Fort Worth Zoo does an amazing job of making guests feel like they are truly immersed in nature. I value the shade the trees provide over all of the walkways. I appreciate how intentional the zoo is with their landscaping and design.  

Last time I went, the amphibian and reptile enclosure was closed. I was really excited to have the opportunity to explore that this time, it is now one of my favorite parts of the zoo. That being said, I was greatly disappointed when I did not see a horned frog. I am sure they have one somewhere, but I did not see it during our entire zoo visit.  

The Texas Wild exhibit was probably my favorite part of the visit. I liked seeing animals that live in this state because it made me think about the wildlife I can’t see back home and how unique Texas is. The coyotes were up and walking around when my group walked by. They seem much bigger than the ones I see in Washington. I also spent some time at the bald eagle exhibit. While I see plenty of these in Washington, it was amazing to see one up close.