What activities can you do outside of university time in the UK?

National parks

Visiting some of the UK’s incredible national parks is a great way to discover the amazing landscapes, greeneries, and wildlife the country has to offer. They can be relaxing or challenging- whichever you like! According to the National Parks website, there are over 1300 miles of different and exciting routes – a perfect activity to distract from coursework stress!

Fossil hunting

Ever thought of giving fossil hunting a go? You can try it at the Jurassic Coast which is famous for its distinctive geology. It starts at Exmouth, Devon and runs all the way to Studland Bay, Dorset where the rocks are about 185 million years old. One place that we know our Cheveners love is the natural limestone arch, Durdle Door.

Banksy quest

One of the most famous artists in the UK is Banksy. If you don’t know who Banksy is, don’t worry, no one does! Their identity has never been revealed, instead they secretly create meaningful street art and graffiti where you least expect it. Their work generally focuses on social activism and critiquing modern morality.

Volunteering

We know all our new scholars have done meaningful volunteering in the past, but we always recommend continuing that momentum when in the UK. Chevening runs volunteering events throughout the year so you’ll be able to spot one-off opportunities in the monthly scholar newsletter. In previous years, we have seen scholars building fences at donkey sanctuaries, doing Wikipedia ‘edit-a-thons’, planting trees, and much more!

It’s also a great opportunity to meet up with other Cheveners, and make a positive change to society.

Student Union (SU) Events

Get involved with student societies at your university! There will always be society events running year round – whether it be your country’s society (ie. Jamaican society), a sports society, or something completely different. You could even set up your own, if there isn’t already an existing one on a given topic.

Chevening Scholars’ network

You may have noticed a couple of photos in this blog saying ‘Red team was here’. This was a challenge we set for the 2021/2022 Chevening Scholars to compete in – racing round the country on a treasure hunt. If you are joining the 2022/2023 cohort, we’ll have a new challenge awaiting you! All these challenges are intended to give you opportunities to meet fellow Cheveners and create a network while in the UK! Find out more about the challenges here.

Afternoon tea

What’s better than afternoon tea? This UK staple comprises small portions of sandwiches, macarons, scones with clotted cream and jam, sweet pastries, cakes and of course, tea! Give it a try when you come to the UK, a lovely and relaxing activity to do with some friends.