Day one: Cards on the table, your body and your mind, and summer rain
There was a welcome dinner the night before, which I missed while still en route but by morning, I was ready for the proper show to begin.
After a warm welcome, we were thrown into the familiar tradition of introductions, starting with your name (of course), where you are from, and then “Tell me who you are”. But this time, you had to respond using a card drawn from a deck of Dixit, a storytelling board game.
Each of us picked a card with an image, which was random and unexpectedly personal and used it to share something about ourselves. No overthinking. Just talk. In five minutes, I knew things about people I wouldn’t have guessed in five weeks.
Afterward, an open session was held with the Aurora Student Council and we, the ambassadors, got to share our experiences so far. It was an exchange of thoughts, observations, and what it is like to carry the Aurora mission across campuses and countries.
From lunch, we headed to the University of Innsbruck’s Sports Institute for a pair of lecture sessions tied to the conference theme of health and well-being. The first one by Benedikt Hösl focused on the science-backed benefits of physical activity and its positive impact on mental health, and the second led by Stefanie Schöttl focused on changing bad habits such as smoking into good ones like exercise. Both sessions were engaging and reminded us that well-being is not abstract. It is in your body. It is in your everyday choices.
Niels Hexspoor gave a follow-up session, building on the open dialogue earlier in the day, grounding us once more in what Aurora stands for: collaboration, connection, and student-driven change across universities.
We closed the day at the university’s annual Summer Festival, an event set aside for staff and students to unwind. There was music, food, drinks and then, the evening ended the way some of the best ones do with music mixing with rain, and strangers slowly becoming friends.
Day two: Together we learn, together we rise: peer-eeer learning, beach volleyball, and burgers after
The second day kicked off with a change of pace, no cards this time, but something even more intimate: a peer-to-peer session arranged to spark reflection through simple prompts and rotating conversations. We moved in small groups, five themes, five rounds, five different kinds of connection.
We talked about what shaped us, our personal goals, and how we learn best. We played a language game, where everyone had to share a word in their native tongue that had no direct translation in English. And we ended by creating a collective playlist of songs to remember our time in Innsbruck.
That last session stayed with me. It was less of a game and more of a time capsule. I love music, and there’s something special about how one song can take you back in time.
After lunch came the moment I’d secretly been dreading: beach volleyball.
I’d never played properly before, but we were encouraged to try with the comforting claim that “it doesn’t hurt to try.” Spoiler: it hurts, but honestly? It was worth it. There was laughter, chaos, gentle competitiveness, and lots of “let’s go!” energy. Whether you were diving for the ball or dodging it entirely, you were part of the game. By the second game, I knew two things:
I am not built for this.
I should probably stick to Pilates.
We wrapped up the day with a burger party and a bit of bar hopping through Innsbruck’s cozy streets.
Finale: Wrap up, Tirol time travel, and goodbye for now
By day three, names stuck without name tags, and the inside jokes had started to form.
While others geared up for the volleyball finals, my partner from VU and I decided to follow a local suggestion and went out for brunch. From there, we stepped back in time with Experience Tirol’s VR activity, then wandered through the Hofkirche and museum walking through history, art, and silence.
After that, we made our way through the old city. I wandered past the Golden Roof, Swarovski showroom, caught glimpses of the Nordkette mountains, and filled our pockets with souvenirs.
Of course, in true tradition, I missed the official farewell. We ended the day with a casual hike (which i did not complete), a shared dinner and sobremesa (Spanish for relaxing/conversation after dinner)- I did learn something from the language game!
I arrived unsure of what to fully expect. I left with new stories, new friends, and a playlist that still makes me smile. Thank you Aurora, till the next event
By Ruth Femicit Dala
