Student Bloggers

I went on an amazing weekend trip to the Firbush Point Field Centre near Loch Tay. It was great to get away and to enjoy nature, while staying over in a rustic log cabin with breathtaking views of the Highland Mountains. This weekend trip was one of Arcadia's sponsored events, of which I met many fellow Arcadia students on this trip.

The first full day of the trip, we went for a hike in the Highlands, which had a considerable amount of snow at the top of the mountains. One of the reasons why I love hiking is that even though you’re hiking up another mountain, every experience is new and different. The views were incredible and I didn’t want to leave, but it was soon time to hike back down. That night, we had a traditional Burns supper and Ceilidh dance, where the men wore kilts and we all ate haggis. The room was full of laughter, combined with great dancing. On the last day of the trip, we had different options of activities to do and I chose to go canoeing! Although we had to bundle up, due to the chilly February weather, it was great to get out on the water. As we ventured out on the loch, we were amazed by the spectacular views of the mountains around us. Luckily, I didn’t fall in! After canoeing and a quick rest, we got the chance to bike into town. Overall, I had one of the best weekends, which included delicious food, combined with great hospitality.

The basketball team that I’m playing on had their last official game on March 9th and we won, which was a great way to finish off the season! It was also a great way to end my time here playing basketball with an amazing group of dedicated and kindhearted teammates. Hearing them chant my name, since it was my last game playing for the University of Stirling, was so nice of them to do. I will definitely miss trainings and playing with them! I still have trainings for a few more weeks, which is great, since it’s helping me stay active and continue to do what I love.

I have gone on a few field trips with my Environmental History class, one to an Abbey and the River Fourth and another to agriculture land, plus a nature reserve to observe how peat bogs transformed into agricultural land to meet the growing food demand. Also, I took some cooking classes with the Green and Blue Environmental Space, where our instructor emphasized making food with more local and sustainable products. Learning how to cook healthier meals was both fun and informative.

This last week was the Easter Ceilidh dance sponsored by the Christian Union here on campus and a group of my friends and I went and danced the night away! We also heard a few students give talks that dove into new and interesting perspectives on the meaning of Easter. I think I’m starting to get addicted to dancing these Ceilidh dances, since they are so easy to learn and engage an entire group of people to join in on the dance. Other explorations involved a visit with friends to the city of Dundee, Scotland where we ventured to a beach on the coast, and a visit to Stirling Castle. The architecture, landscape, and history of Scotland continue to amaze me. I’ve seen and done so much just here in Scotland and there is still so much more to see and do.

Thanks for reading,
Rachel :)