Arriving at Selside the first thing i noticed was the abundance of sheep and lack of people and excessively bumpy roads (my car sickness did not approve), realising for the next few days i will be basically living with my fellow scholars but i had no idea how much fun i was about to have.

I may have been deprived of phone service but definitely not company. During the treacherous hikes of pen-y-ghent, squeezing through the cave crevices of the yorkshire dales and climbing the rocks of Carnforth, I have had the pleasure of being surrounded with such enthusiastic and driven individuals. During my time here I have developed great admiration not only for those individuals who conquered their fears but everyone who assisted them in doing so, understanding that different people have different limits that they push past. Some Limits may be reached when it comes to heights, others may be reached when it's wet and cold. Regardless of where that limit lies on the spectrum,  being able to support individuals to push past and accept discomfort allowed the embrace of their experience at Selside. Even in smaller activities such as rounders there was no pressure in knowing the rules or being able to bat or catch, just pure team spirit and encouragement. But we never settled the score! (1-1) which was funny to see how passionate both teams got and how many still demand a rematch to this day. This was a wholesome memory that stuck out for me.

Going into this I was comfortable with hiking and outdoor activities, that's where my confidence lies. However, what I was challenged by is becoming more vulnerable and open to people, but I realised that sharing experiences and feelings helped others when they were unsure or scared. Surprisingly a lot of people share the same feelings, and I think we forget that our human brains not only form these complex feelings but also have the ability to understand them. I have had so many enlightening conversations whether that was me listening or being listened to which allowed me to widen my knowledge on a variation of topics such as the LGBTIQA+ community and how it can impact the symptoms of neurological disorders and interact with mental health or different cultural traditions and cuisine. Followed by some less serious debates such as what is peoples spirit animal (i am an otter apparently) or more heated debates on whether brain cells exist (you would be surprised of the questions asked when google isn't there to answer.)

Overall I valued my time spent with so many people that I would now consider close friends and changed my perspective, realising that the consideration of others reduced struggle and taught me to be more patient. The Bonds and connections formed are the most rewarding things I got out of Selside. After a tough first year in university where I struggled to make any friends, I felt constantly isolated and reached a point where I was close to giving up. I feel like the laidlaw scholarship has given me a second chance to change the trajectory of my first year. I have met more phenomenal individuals and have made more friends than I have in the entirety of my first year. I am forever grateful to have been given this opportunity!

It has been Life changing, quite literally :)