Twenty-one academic scholars from the Lower V and Lower VI attended the Thriving Minds conference in Oxford on Wednesday 11 March. Two students reflect on the trip below:

Gabrielle, Lower V: Going on the trip to the Thriving Minds talk was a wonderful experience. Even as we were walking to the Oxford Town Hall, I could tell that Oxford had a lovely, bustling atmosphere which the sunshine really helped with! Once we got to the hall itself, I was amazed by how beautifully decorated it was and by the amount of schools attending. The talks were engaging, informative and allowed me to think beyond the curriculum. I particularly enjoyed the debate at the end about whether humans are ruled by love or by fear. We were also given an opportunity to give a short point about our own views onstage, which many students did. All in all, I greatly enjoyed the day and found it useful for stretching my mind and learning new things that I didn’t know before.

Ivana, Lower V: The day had such a great start with the Thriving Minds conference bringing many different schools together from all over the area and even the country, held at the breathtaking Oxford Town Hall. The talks ranged from subjects such as Plato’s ideas like escaping the cave, to the science of music about how it affects us, to the great question of what courage actually is and more, with a debate at the end of whether human beings are being ruled more by fear or love. My favourite part was that the talks were very interactive, and when the speaker would ask the students questions and everyone actively participated and had a part in it. The topics of discussion really pushed us out of our comfort zones and encouraged us to think outside the box on subjects we normally wouldn’t cover in school. I felt that I hugely benefitted from this day as it opened my mind to think about new things, different perspectives and fascinating topics, and I would definitely do it again if I had the chance!