Forest & Back - Alex Abrahams, Class of 2028

Forest & Back is an activity that First Years experience after their induction. We organise a night away where they experience activities designed to push them out of their comfort zone and begin to develop team bonds. Read on for Alex’s experience.

The vibes in the coach on the way down were very good. We had music playing and enjoyed the scenic views through the windows as we wound our way into Wales.

Our first activity was abseiling. At first, I was reluctant to go down, but once I got over the edge I realised that it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be, and the whole process of going down went a lot faster and smoother than I thought it would. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and ended up abseiling several times.

After a break for lunch, we suited up in wetsuits and headed out for gorge walking. The overall experience for this was thrilling and exciting. We all travelled a good distance, going through ice-cold water gorges and climbing up small vertical cliffs.

At the end of the day, we headed off to our accommodation and spent more time together, playing various games and talking to each other.

Forest & Back was a great experience. All the vibes were good throughout the whole trip, I had a great time and have quickly got closer to the people I’m studying with than I could have imagined.