1) Hi Nada, can you tell us what you've been up to since graduating from THINK Global School in 2022? Since graduating in 2022, I've been pursuing a passion I found while at TGS, sustainability, and I am currently majoring in engineering in renewable energy systems at Al Akhawayn University, in Ifrane, Morocco. But there is way more than that! I've had a chance also to explore the world of...
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When you Google the health benefits of being in the outdoors, the results are almost endless. Article after article from the Guardian, Huffpost, the BBC and even the Daily Mail will fill your screen, informing you that the great outdoors is the answer to happiness, weight loss and even reduces days spent in hospital. It is of no surprise then that my favourite TGS memories, the times I felt the most balanced or the healthiest, were experiencing the vast array of outdoor landscapes around the world.
Recently, I returned from a canoeing expedition in the Yukon Territory, Canada. During the 10 days spent on the water, I didn’t see another human that wasn’t on our expedition team. This might sound unsurprising given we were in such isolation, on the river, surrounded by forest, hundreds of kilometres from the nearest town; however, in contrast to our normal, busy lives, this tranquil state of aloneness allowed for much introspection, and, without sounding too cliche, felt good for the soul.
The impact of escaping our modern, ever-connected way of life left such an impact on the team that we were inspired to share the transformative power of nature with others. Our team decided to organise a project that would help reconnect young people living busy, urban lives back to nature.
Entitled Leaf the House, we are a team of 21 young people who share a collective aim to raise awareness about the benefits of exploring the outdoors, conserving these areas, and spending more time in nature. With the support of the British Exploring Society, we are promoting Leaf The House Day on the 23rd of September– a day dedicated to spending some time in our outdoor spaces. We want to get as many people out running, cycling, hiking, or participating in anything outdoorsy to reap the benefits of being surrounded by nature. We are also holding physical events across the UK, in London, Manchester, Bristol, and Edinburgh on the same day.
As head of social media, my role in this project has largely been based around media outreach. We hope to build up a following on the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I couldn’t be managing a better team who have been busy creating content for our Leaf the House platforms, and who are equally as passionate about this meaningful cause. For our project to be a success, we have to reach as many people as possible and social media is the best way to do that.
I know there is no better community to reach out to than my TGS community. From one traveler to another, one adventurer to another, one humanitarian to another, I know you all care about the environment and your connection to it. Join the cause by supporting our social media campaigns by liking and sharing our pages and most importantly, get outside on the 23rd of September and enjoy yourself!
Also make sure to send in footage of what you get up to on the day to be featured in a follow short film!