Hypothesis

The American College Health Association (ACHA) conducted a study showing 45% of college students suffer from sleeping issues: hard to fall asleep, lack of sleep, and waking up too early. Outdoor activities, especially the ones happening in natural environment, can help alleviating sleeping issues. If we can produce a more interactive map that promote outdoor activities around students, an increasing number of students will participate in outdoor activities more regularly.

• Why

University of Michigan Ann Arbor Campus has sufficient outdoor trails along Huron river, across Nichols Arboretum, and other natural scenic spots. However, without conducting a thorough online search for trail locations and information, students rarely get the chance to visit them. The main goal of this project is to share information about the school's natural resources with more students, encouraging them to spend more time outdoors. 

• How

By using social network, navigation maps, and up-to-date weather and campus activity information, this application will provide a more interactive  user interface for students to plan their outdoor activities.

• What

Natural light is a free resource that benefits most of us, but we always ignore its importance to our physical and mental health. The aim is to promote nearby outdoor resources to college students, increasing their time spent outdoor to help with their sleeping issues and enhance their overall wellness. By displaying seasonal appealing sceneries and making navigation to those places easier, this project will attract more students to enjoy campus outdoor resources.

• So What

With the increasing user group of Chasing Sunshine, more people will benefit from spending outdoor time intentionally and joyfully. It will help with students with sleeping issues and promote a healthier routine activity for them.