Thursday saw the ORA Yale campus kick back a little, after an intense start in the summer heat. The participants made the most of some additional free time, although a challenging excursion meant that they couldn’t switch their brains off entirely!

The morning timetable featured only one lesson, as the staff decided to work the participants a little easier given their incredibly fast start in the first few days of the programme. With their work ethic and the progress that they have already made, a little more downtime certainly won’t harm their studies.

The afternoon made sure that the day wasn’t too easy, as everyone headed off to tackle the fiendish escape rooms! The challenge was not only great for promoting teamwork among classmates, it also led to a little friendly competition as the groups raced to see who could escape in the fastest time.

The results were a series of impressive escapes, as the participants seemed to draw inspiration from the performances of their peers. The staff watched on supportively, although any attempts to decree which class had won were hampered by the fact that everyone claimed to have been fastest!

The evening was, again, a low-key affair. Everyone wanted to make the most of a lighter day, and spent time chatting and playing games. Some of the students did get a bit of homework done, but mostly people enjoyed the free time and recharged before a big weekend.