Now that my academic year at LSE has come to an end and a new group of students prepare to join, I wanted to take the time to reminisce upon one of my fond memories of my Study Abroad year—Cumberland Lodge. During this unique event, around fifty students are invited to spend a weekend on an academic retreat at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor. The tickets were sold out very quickly so you need to secure them quickly! Here are some details about the 2021 Cumberland Lodge retreat:
Getting There
About a week before the trip, everyone was required to attend a meeting to learn about the retreat’s program and policies and students could also pick roommates for the trip. The next week, we all gathered in front of the New Academic Building on Friday to leave for Cumberland Lodge and I packed light, just carrying my backpack with me from the class to the meeting point. Everyone joined the bus and began learning more about each other and it was a great chance to get to know fellow General Course students better, after meeting during the events during Welcome the week before. The journey to Cumberland Lodge, a beautiful mansion located right near Windsor Park, took about two hours. The mansion was absolutely stunning and my room faced the beautiful garden.
The Programme
The academic talks were scheduled on Friday evening and between lunch and tea breaks on Saturday. I felt very intellectually stimulated by all the talks from the lecturers, as well as the questions from other GC students. We were able to learn about the monopoly of media in Argentina and in the world, as well as hear about POC-owned news outlets. We also got to hear from the director of LSE’s Phelan U.S. Centre regarding the new direction of American foreign policy under President Biden. On Sunday, students learned more about the history of the Royal family from a historian who has appeared on BBC news many times. The discussion was very heated with questions related to the family’s ties to colonialism and the exit of African countries from the Commonwealth. In the evening, students had plenty of opportunities to bond with each other through mini-games and small competitions. I was on the winning “Team Meghan” and received free LSE merchandise!
Free Time
Since we arrived in the afternoon on Friday, we didn’t have very much free time before the program started. However, we had plenty of free time to explore on Saturday. Many students, like me, took a morning stroll through Windsor Park where we had the opportunity to enjoy the picturesque sights of the English countryside. In the afternoon, I wandered around Windsor to explore the small shops in the town. Unfortunately, it was pouring rain so we did not have a lot of opportunities to see the town. In the afternoon, we returned to Cumberland Lodge for an afternoon tea session and to tune in to another interesting talk. On Sunday morning, GC students spent time having breakfast and packing their belongings. Then everyone gathered for one final picture of the entire group before heading back to London.
The Cumberland Lodge retreat is one of the most memorable experiences for GC students, and one that I would recommend to everyone. I hope that you will make the most of this great opportunity!
