I have just returned from a 4-day hike in the magnificent Pondoland (between Port Edward and Port St John’s) and with every fibre of my being I desire to savour the relaxation and revitalization we returned with.
But what exactly makes the Pondoland hike, or any other hike for that matter, so special and memorable? Is it possible to retain the sensory reset now that we have returned to our year-end frantic lives? And can we impart this calm-alert optimal arousal state to our exam writing students?
As a sensory integration specialist it is very clear to me that we, and students going into year-end exams, truly need more of the simplest of sensory neuroscience presented to us on a hike:
1) Go tech-free for as long as possible
2) Move
3) Spend time in nature
4) Swim in cold water
5) Connect with good people
Students, instead of screentime study breaks – leave your phone, take a walk/run outside, enjoy a cold shower or swim, and share a family meal. See what it does for your marks!
And a final bit of Pondoland wisdom for the upcoming exams; sometimes in life we all need to do something incredibly hard, to prove that we can indeed conquer what needs to be conquered.
