Day 2
The day started as usual with a busy morning of stimulating lessons. Some students experimented with DNA extraction on strawberries, whereas others were introduced to the ins and outs of journalism. The enthusiasm that the students already show is great to see, and many lecturers have noticed how they always seem to bring up things that they have learned independently!
Although some students were going to head over to the beautiful paddock at Downing College to play some sports, the weather had miserable designs – sadly a feature of England… Instead, lots of groups gathered in Corpus Christi for a cozy and fun gathering where we played an array of games. The students particularly liked pool and table football, both fostering fun competition and impressive teamwork between different groups! For some, this was the first time they had played some of these games, so that was lovely to see. Definite improvements were made and lots of fun was had all round.
Some students decided to join our tour of bookshops in Cambridge. This was a firm favourite of many of the students (and some of our supervisors – who had never fully explored all the wonderful, tucked away shops that Cambridge has to offer). Obviously well-known for its literary and intellectual might, Cambridge is fantastic for quirky, independent, antique and second-hand bookshops as well as the most up-to-date academic material. As well as serious, studious places, everyone was excited to head over to the eerie Haunted Bookshop with lots of wonderful illustrations – sadly, however, the bookkeeper told us we had just missed the ghost… typical! That always happens!
Some students also tried out the varied taster courses on offer: including creative writing, introduction to coding, economics and architecture. Everyone I spoke to said how interesting they had found these courses and how glad they were to participate in the entirely new opportunities on offer!
In the evening, there was a truly inspirational talk about leadership, overcoming challenges and working together by the adventurer Dr. Ed Coats. Incredibly well-qualified, Ed is a titan of mental and physical endurance and hardship, representing Great Britain as an athlete as well as racing 500 miles in -50 degrees to Antarctica! As well as expeditions for charity, Ed also promotes new ways to teach and engage with children. Later on, to wind down from a full, bustling day, there was a relaxed and informative Q+A about university life and what our students could expect. From current Cambridge students to lecturers, everyone left feeling eager and excited.
If you want to see some pictures/videos of all the activities and lessons everyone is getting up to, please head over to our Instagram and tiktok: @reachcambridge
