The "Connecting with Place" project explored how fostering relationships with place and engaging in gratitude-based reflection might enhance both the learning experience and well-being of students. This project, conducted at Thompson Rivers University, integrates experiential place-based pedagogies within an Introduction to Human Geography course. Through bi-weekly assignments, students selected a campus location and connected course material—ranging from cultural geography to ecological imperialism—to their chosen place. The reflective process included sensory observations, academic connections, and a unique prompt that asked students to grapple with the potential agency of the more-than-human world: "What might you do/think/feel to support your place feeling grateful for you?" Preliminary findings suggest this approach deepened students’ understanding of geographic concepts by grounding them in real-world contexts while encouraging introspection about their role in the environment. For many students, this task inspired a calming, meditative relationship with their place. The act of contemplating reciprocal gratitude proved transformative for many. This presentation will share insights from thematic analysis of students’ reflections, including examples of how gratitude practices fostered meaningful engagement with geographic thought and promoted well-being and transformational learning. Attendees are invited to discuss how similar practices might be adapted to, or are ongoing within their own geography courses, fostering dialogue on the role of place and reflection in higher education geographical pedagogy.