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Swaleha exploring the Scottish Highlands

Scottish Highlands

Highland cows

Swaleha dipping her face in the River Sligachan

Like Canada, Scotland is the land of lochs. But unlike Canada, it is the dream destination of fantasy readers and folklore lovers alike. For Swaleha Ahmad, a law student in her final year at the �鶹��Ƶ, this was her last chance to visit Scotland while she was still in university. 

In the fall of 2024, Swaleha embarked on an exchange to the in Dundee, Scotland. Ready to glean from real life what she had vicariously experienced through fantasy novels, Swaleha arrived in Dundee not quite expecting it to be as small as it was. 

Despite being a big-city person, Dundee grew on her, with its charming shops, cafes where the beverage of choice is not coffee, but hot chocolate, and candy stores that locals endearingly call “sweetie shops.”

Since Scotland offers an undergraduate degree in law, Swaleha’s classmates were much younger than her, which made her feel a little out of place. Luckily, she found companionship with fellow exchange students. 

With the imagery of misty glens, lush pastures and mystic forests in mind, she set out on a three-day tour in the Scottish Highlands. The landscape more than lived up to her expectations, inspiring her to be adventurous. 

Somewhere between hiking trails and languidly enjoying scenic views, Swaleha not-so-spontaneously stumbled upon an old bridge and the River Sligachan that flows beneath it, which, according to locals, is the stuff of legends. She was told that if she dunked her face in the water for seven seconds — and not a second longer — she would be blessed with humanity’s most sought-after traits: wisdom and beauty. 

Her interest in folklore is ultimately what led her to Scotland, so of course she had to partake in the superstitious tradition. Swaleha took full advantage of her free time in Scotland, exploring the verdant highlands, getting drenched by the rain while hiking, and taking a tour of the famous Loch Ness.

The renowned urban legend hasn’t lost its reverence. As Swaleha recalls, amused, “A tour guide was giving us a whole spiel, saying, ‘When you’re old, and your grandkids ask you if you swam with Nessie when you visited Loch Ness and you say you didn't, the light is going to leave their eyes.’”

Swaleha had no shortage of excitement during her exchange. On a short trip to London, Swaleha visited the Royal Courts of Justice. While she was admiring the mesmerising architecture of a spiral staircase, Swaleha was interrupted by a court usher, who offered to let her sit in on a sentencing hearing. 

“It’s very cool as a law student to just be in the courthouse anyway. But to actually sit in on a hearing was mind blowing.”

Swaleha’s time in Scotland reiterated not just the importance of a work-life balance, but also her decision to go into law. 

“I really, really loved Scotland. I want to practice law. Even though different countries practice law differently, at their core, they're still exactly the same.”