Students toss a Frisbee during the Community Feast last month. Any type of outdoor activity will earn participants points in the new wellness program known as Owl Be Outside.
Madelin Vandeberg ’25 loves spending time outdoors around Kenyon’s picturesque campus, whether it’s studying under blue skies or catching up with friends while hiking the Kokosing Gap Trail.
And as the Student Council wellness and safety representative, she understands the physical and mental health benefits that go with it.
So she was more than happy to sign up for a new Kenyon wellness initiative called Owl Be Outside that incentivizes students to enjoy the great outdoors.
“It’s just a way to feel more encouraged to actively pursue that as a wellness activity,” Vandeberg said. “Plus, you could get a free prize.”
The new program, which started Sept. 1, is open to all students and is meant to encourage behavior that will benefit both the body and mind, according to Associate Director for Health Promotion Holly Levin.
“Hopefully this can bring some awareness to the benefits of spending time outside and what you're getting from that, whether it's the sunlight or being in nature or spending time with friends,” she said. “And we know that there's a huge link between time outdoors and mental health.”
She cited a study published in the Journal of American College Health in 2022 that experiences in nature lasting between 10 and 20 minutes can significantly improve mood among college students.
“It's a very accessible way to boost your mental health, especially on this campus,” she said. “We have a lot of nature here.”
The way Owl Be Outside works is simple: Spend time outside. Earn points. Get rewarded.
Participants are asked to track the outdoor activities they take part in each month. These can include things they do on their own — like going for a walk or tossing a Frisbee — or campus events that are highlighted in a monthly email. September’s offerings range from plein air painting at the Brown Family Environmental Center to a nighttime game of capture the flag behind Lowry Center.
Every 20 minutes spent outside is worth two points; taking part in highlighted Kenyon activities is worth 10 points. Earn any points at all, and you’re eligible for a monthly drawing. This month’s prize is a Hydro Flask water bottle.
The hope is that Owl Be Outside encourages behavior that continues long after a student’s time at Kenyon.
“This is just kind of a jumping off point for students to see what's available to them at all times and to make it a more intrinsic thing for them to be outside on their own,” Levin said.
Sixty-eight students signed up for the program during its first week. It was an easy choice for Vandeberg to be among them given her natural affinity for the outdoors.
“It makes me just feel a little more at ease. Indoor spaces can be confining,” she said. “I do think there’s a benefit to being out in the fresh air.”