After a hearty breakfast in the old college halls, Monday morning saw lots of eager and excited students ready to get stuck in. All over the city in our characterful classrooms, the students had the opportunity to learn interesting and challenging new ideas and participate in stimulating discussions. All the teachers noted how engaged and lively the students were, asking questions that went above and beyond the topic set. We had a wide array of lessons with lots of different activities, and the STEM & Physics spaghetti challenge was a firm favourite.
Despite the typically temperamental English weather, it was so lovely to walk around the colleges and hear students talking about what they learnt about in the morning and that they were looking forward to learning more throughout the program. Everyone looks relaxed and happy, excited to make many friends and new experiences. During lunch, our students explored the beautiful city-centre after a busy morning of learning and many students, coming from different places all around the world, were really keen to try food that they hadn’t ever eaten before! The city is full of popular British chains, as well as independent cafes and diverse stalls in the Market Square, which offer a great insight into the variety in culture the city prides itself on. Having lived here in Cambridge for almost four years, it is so refreshing to see such enthusiasm and fresh perspectives from our students.
After a busy morning of lessons, all the students went around the city for the much-awaited Instravaganza! This was a fun treasure hunt and a chance to explore the city they will be living for the next two weeks. Students were given lots of clues about things to find all over the city and then take a picture at every location. Some spots were the famous Mathematical Bridge and the 900-year-old Round Church. You can check out these photos by searching #ReachCambridge2023 on Instagram, and the best ones will be entered in a competition for a fantastic prize!
After a long day, the students had a low-key evening lecture to ease them into a busy program full of learning. They watched an academic film called H is for Harry. After the film, the students got the chance to have a Q+A with the producers: everyone was so eager to ask questions that we overrun – the producers were so happy to see how keen and interested everyone was!
Then the students all headed back to their colleges to settle in and get to know the corridor with whom they will be living for these two weeks. Our supervisors organised lots of fun icebreakers, so everyone could get to know each other and feel more relaxed and at home. We’re really looking forward to getting to know everyone and seeing their friendships blossom!
Please head over to our Instagram/tiktok on @reachcambridge for any more pictures!!
