Growing Up Wild
My name is Paula, I am a second-year occupational therapy student from the University of Toronto. I am so excited to be spending the summer at Larchwood Farm with Alanna, her family, and two other OT students, for my final fieldwork placement.
Me (right) and my older sister (left) on a family camping trip somewhere in Ontario.
Growing up in Toronto, my parents emphasized the importance of nature and the outdoors through camping trips, gardening, and travelling. Every summer we would pack up our minivan to the brim and head out on a family road trip to a new provincial park somewhere in Ontario. We frequented Algonquin, Killbear, Bon Echo, and Killarney, and explored smaller parks like the Pinery, Charleston Lake, and Bonnechere. My sister and I would spend hours collecting cool things we found on the forest floor, pretending we were animals or explorers. In the evenings, my dad would take us out fishing or my mom would take us to a nature education show hosted by the park to learn about the park’s animals and plants.
These experiences instilled a love for the outdoors that will likely last my whole life. As I get older, I am finding new ways to engage with the natural world around me, like trail running and rock climbing, while staying grounded in the lessons and values I developed as a young child exploring nature.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, as everything in the city began to shut down and school moved to an online format, I realized how much I value being outdoors and outdoor spaces. Wracked with anxiety about the pandemic and tired of screen time, I would explore the parks around my home in Toronto, either trail running or walking my dog. I would devote weekends to rock climbing around Grey County, climbing with friends and exploring parts of the Bruce Trail. Spending time outdoors was my escape from the very scary reality of living through a pandemic, and gave me a sense of peace and tranquillity during uncertain times.
Me now, exploring one of the many hiking trails in Grey County.
When given the opportunity to have my final placement at Larchwood Farm, I jumped that the chance to combine my knowledge and skills as an occupational therapy student with my love for the outdoors and nature. I hope to instill the same love and appreciation for nature with the kids I work with, and hope they are able to find solace and freedom in spending time in the natural world.