Blog: Why I prioritise spending time on my own and outdoors

Written by Student Content Shaper Natalie D’Allura  

I remember stepping outside on the first really sunny day of the year and feeling all at once like myself again. I’d been sleepwalking through a lot of my first semester in Birmingham, though I could never quite figure out why. But the warmth of the sun and the daffodils springing up on campus instantly woke me up. I realised how much I’d been missing the sun, and that a lack of sunlight had been seriously affecting my mental wellbeing.  

I’ve always taken the sun for granted. Being from California, I’m used to an abundance of sunlight. Don’t get me wrong, it was wonderful to experience seasons for the first time, but I didn’t know how much harder it is to stay well mentally when the sun is hidden away for weeks and even months at a time. 

Sunlight is actually proven to improve your health and can be a recommended treatment for symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder, some of which (I now realise) I was suffering from when I first moved here. I’m intentional now about getting enough sunlight and have felt so much more energy throughout the day and happier overall. There’s  always a chance it’ll be raining tomorrow, so if the sun is out, then so am I. 

My solo date at Winterbourne 

This month, I decided to combine two of my intentions: to spend time in the sun and to spend time with myself. One of my favourite places to spend time alone is at the Winterbourne House and Garden on campus, which is free to enter if you're a UoB student. It’s  also the perfect place to get some sunlight. The gardens are perfect for a ‘solo date’ for people who want to try spending time alone but don’t like solitude. Not only do you get to be surrounded by nature, but you get to be surrounded by other people who are merrily soaking up the sun. 

I started by treating myself to a cup of herbal tea and a raspberry blondie from the tea room. I enjoyed my treats and wrote in my journal out on the patio which overlooks the gardens. I made a list of the things I noticed: 

• Birdsong 
• Children laughing 
• A pigeon flying overhead 
• Old Joe chiming two o'clock
• Rustling, maybe a squirrel? 
• A woman with a sketchbook 
• The warmth of the sun 
• A smile on my face

I felt that particular kind of happiness that comes from feeling present and at peace. I wandered the gardens, exploring nooks I hadn’t been to before, and found myself sitting by a pond. I read a bit of the book I’d brought along with me, but mostly I watched the magpies cooling themselves off in the water. One of the reasons I love spending time alone is that it gives you space to be still, listen, watch. There’s an expectation, when you’re around people, that you’ll be present with them. When you’re alone, you only have to be present. There are no expectations. 

An encouragement 

Over the next few months, don’t take the sunlight for granted. Open the window, lay out on the lawns on campus, or go for a walk in the gardens. Give yourself some time alone to be really present and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. 

Winterbourne House and Gardens, located on the east side of campus, has seven acres of botanical garden with woodland walks and plants from around the globe – the perfect place to relax between study sessions. Entry to the house and gardens is free to University of Birmingham students on presentation of your ID card. For more information, please visit the Winterbourne House and Garden website.