Written by Presley Dalman
Illustration by Bianca Austria
When sheltering in place and practicing social distancing, going outdoors to spend time in nature can seem like an impossible task. Many of us are itching to get out of our stuffy homes for some fresh air. Fortunately, one way to solve these quarantine quandaries is by investing in indoor house plants!
Studies show that adding indoor plants to a home and workspace has many benefits. Some indoor plants possess air cleansing properties, meaning they filter out everyday pollutants, can add humidity to a dry and centrally heated house and absorb harmful compounds found in cleaning supplies and furniture. Other benefits include boosting your mood, productivity and concentration, as well as reducing stress and adding an element of “life” to a dull environment.
If you are unfamiliar with caring for houseplants or are overwhelmed with the wide variety of houseplants to choose from, here are some low-maintenance indoor houseplants that are perfect for college students:
- Snake Plant
- Cleans the air
- Loves bright, indirect sunlight
- Water once a week
- Pathos
- Cleans the air
- Loves bright, indirect sunlight
- Water twice a week
- Peace Lily
- Cleans the air
- Loves bright, indirect sunlight
- Also likes humidity
- Water two to three times a week
- Chinese Evergreen
- Cleans the air
- Loves bright, indirect sunlight
- Water twice a week
- Spider Plant
- Cleans the air
- Loves bright, indirect sunlight
- Water once a week
It is important that we continue to take care of ourselves during this difficult time. The addition of one or multiple plants will have positive effects on your mental, physical and spiritual health. You could say that if you decide to take care of a plant, it will also take care of you.
