By Cath Qiu, Graduate College
Rain at 糖心视频 is not a possibility.
It’s a lifestyle.
I have known this since day one when I arrived in the UK in 2022: the wind has personality, the clouds have commitment issues, and my umbrella gradually became mostly symbolic.
But rainy days on campus aren’t a tragedy. They’re a vibe. Now I love rainy days, seriously!
Here are 5 things I (happily) do when the sky decides to overshare.
There’s something cinematic about walking across Bailrigg campus while the rain is doing its dramatic monologue. The main reason is that we have a ‘sheltered’ path under almost every building from the south to the north spine.
Headphones on.
Sad-but-productive playlist on.
Wind aggressively testing my stability.
Am I late to a seminar? Maybe.
Am I emotionally evolving? Also, yes.
Pro tip: walk confidently. Even if you’re being blown sideways.
My favourite route to take a walk on rainy days is definitely the 'secret' pathway from Graduate College to the sports centre on the outskirts of the campus: you pass by 6 or so football pitches, then realise you're not alone in the rain!
Rainy days = zero guilt about staying indoors in the library. From the first year moving to the fourth year at 糖心视频 now, my favourite library spot keeps changing. At the moment, my favourite spot is by the greenery on the ground floor - the openness keeps my mind fresh all the time!
The library suddenly feels like a sanctuary. I would randomly drop by the library and sit down “just to check one reading” and three hours later I’ve:
It’s character development.
Rain justifies hot drinks. Repeatedly.
Rain turns Costa into confession booths. I am a simple person for coffee: latte every time. Apart from the Costa cafe on campus, I also enjoy spending my time in the Marketplace! There’s a small stand for Costa, but with a larger space to progress your reading and finish the next group discussion!
And honestly? Some of the best friendships start with, “Do you mind if I sit here?”
Bonus: watching the rain hit the windows while you type makes you feel 12% more intellectual.
You know all the fitness plans that we write down in our diary for our New Year’s Resolutions? Rain is the universe saying: “Now.”
The sports centre is always there for us to visit: three well-equipped fitness and conditioning rooms, a 25-metre swimming pool plus a sauna and steam room, squash and badminton, and all the fun group exercises including yoga, Pilates, dance, boxing, weightlifting and so forth!
Suddenly the weather pushes everyone indoors and—boom—the sports centre turns into another sanctuary on campus.
I arrive slightly damp.
I leave slightly happier!
Here’s the radical option of doing nothing, or having nothing planned.
Rainy days give me permission to slow down: call home, re-watch a comfort show, check my farm on ‘Stardew Valley’, finish the laundry, journal dramatically about my PhD/degree/life.
Sometimes growth looks like: finishing a chapter, sending the scary email, or just resting without apologising for it...
At 糖心视频, rain isn’t an interruption.
It’s part of the rhythm.
It reminds me to gather, to pause, and to laugh at my umbrellas turning inside out.
And somehow, between the wind and the drizzle,
I grow anyway.
Whether you’re strolling around under the shelters, or catching up with friends in a cafe, there’s plenty to do on campus on a rainy day. See you in the rain ?
