It’s cold outside — quite cold. But that doesn’t mean you should abandon the outside world.

If you live in Chicago, it can be hard to find a place to roam free of  concrete, steel and the congestion of urban life. But for DePaul students living in Lincoln Park or Lakeview, there’s a simple, and obvious, solution just a short walk from campus: Lincoln Park.

Last year, I moved into an apartment less than a block from Lincoln Park and I couldn’t be happier. The place itself is falling apart by the day, but its proximity to one of just a few open park-like spaces in the city offers a small refuge from unending stimulus of urban life. It’s an escape that we all need, for no other reason than to give our minds a break – a moment to soak in the (semi) natural world.

Lincoln Park offers more than just open spaces, too. Home to the Lincoln Park Zoo, Nature Conservatory and monuments to playwrights like Friedrich von Schiller and William Shakespeare, pedestrians can indulge their curiosities as they enjoy the open air.

There’s no reason to fear the cold either. A warm coat and adequate layering is all you need to circumvent the misery of Chicago’s chilling gusts and frigid temperatures. And just because it’s cold doesn’t make staying inside any more healthy.

With serene ponds, towering trees and open spaces, Lincoln Park is an underappreciated space that can make our lives just a little less tense — and just a little happier.