Go Outside with People!

Have you had one of those days (or weeks or years) when you look around and think, “Where is everybody?” Maybe you moved to a new place or went through a hard time or got sick. Maybe your social circles changed — or you did. Maybe you don’t have a lot of places in your neighborhood to meet people. Maybe the apps on your phone are designed to keep you scrolling, not reaching out. (Maybe? Definitely.)

If you’ve felt lonely lately, you’re not ironically not alone.?

• Young people’s loneliness rates have increased every year since 1976.1?
• Almost half of adults in the U.S. say they feel lonely.1
• Between 2003 and 2020, the amount of time Americans spend with friends went from an average of an hour a day to 20 minutes.1

Loneliness has been getting more press since the pandemic, and we’ve been getting better about talking about it. People have a lot of ideas on how to strengthen social connections, including social media reform, better social infrastructure and expanded mental health services.?

We’d like to bump a low-cost anti-loneliness tool to the top of the list: Go outside. Preferably with people.?

Sofia Rodriguez, Camp Fire National Youth Advisory Cabinet member, explains:?

“When you’re inside a building or in your house, you’re trapped in this feeling that you’re the main character,” said Sofia. “I’m the only one feeling like this. It’s all about me. But when you go outside, you think: Oh, my gosh, I’m small!”?

That “small” feeling is a powerful dose of perspective that can combat isolation.

“It’s a good feeling,” Sofia said. “There’s more than just me: There’s a world around me!”?

And while Sofia’s word and our own experiences at Camp Fire are enough to convince us, science is on our side, too. A recent review of 38 different nature-based loneliness studies said that “social, nature-based activities show promise in reducing youth loneliness.”2

Sofia’s favorite local nature haunt is Flowing Lake County Park. They go there for Camp Fire club meetings sometimes, but Sofia and their three siblings get a lot of outdoor time living on a farm as well.?

“My mom is really into throwing us outside,” they laughed. “Whenever we can, we go.”?

They feel lucky to live in Snohomish County, Washington, where there’s a lot of access to nature. Sofia is aware of safety issues: They know to go with family or friends, avoid unsafe areas and stay out of polluted water sources. But overall, nature is a source of peace, tranquility and fun for Sofia.

“It makes me feel more connected,” they said. “People usually slow down when they are outside. It makes them pay attention a bit more.”?

The ability to slow down, focus and build connections with both humans and nature is practically a superpower in our age of distraction and worry. When we feel isolated, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the problems facing us today. In fact, recent research is uncovering a link between loneliness and climate anxiety .?

“In Washington state, we’re seeing heat waves and forest fires,” said Sofia, who did a climate change workshop with their 4-H equity and inclusion task force last year. “I think about it often.”?

Without a connection to others or the outdoors, climate change can feel hopeless. But getting outdoors with others, like Sofia does, is a way to both appreciate our place in nature and build the collaborative networks we need to save it.?

The best thing? You don’t have to be an extreme wilderness adventurer or join an expensive expedition team to get the mental health and social benefits of being in nature. Invite a coworker to take a lunch break outside. Ask your study group if you can do your next session under a tree. Look for outdoor hangout spots for your next friend catch-up. Scope out your local library or county/state park for free workshops or classes. Join or volunteer at your local Camp Fire affiliate .???

“It doesn’t have to be a park or a hike or something that’s purposefully a Nature Experience,” said Sofia. “It can be going outside somewhere where it’s a little more peaceful, somewhere where you can take a deep breath and think, ‘I’m here right now. There’s a world around me.’”

Find an outdoor Camp Fire program near you.?

1. “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community ,” 2023. United Public Health Service. Accessed 13 July 2024.
2. “Connecting through nature: A systematic review of the effectiveness of nature-based social prescribing practices to combat loneliness ,” by Sachs et al. Landscape and Urban Planning. Vol 248, August 2024. Accessed 13 July 2024.