Beyond the Workshops: The Experiences That Defined the First SEED 2026 Urban Camp Organized by the “Virtute et Sapientia” Foundation of the University of Bucharest

The final days of the SEED 2026 urban camp, organized by the “Virtute et Sapientia” Foundation of the University of Bucharest, together with the University of Bucharest, with the support of Kaufland Romania, continued the series of educational, cultural, and social experiences dedicated to the 16 participating students.

After the first days, during which they got to know Bucharest, university life, and their own group, the young participants had the opportunity to take part in new self-discovery and teamwork workshops, explore faculties and spaces of the University of Bucharest, come into contact with the professional environment, and discover some of the capital’s cultural and leisure landmarks.

Superheroes, Self-Discovery, and Teamwork with the University of Bucharest Learning Center

On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, the day began alongside the team from the University of Bucharest Learning Center, coordinated by Associate Professor Laura Ciolan, PhD, and five volunteers from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Bucharest. Starting from the world of Marvel superheroes, the activities aimed to help the students get to know themselves better, talk about the things that define them, and discover how important communication, creativity, and collaboration are within a group.

In the first challenge, each participant created their own “superhero card,” in which, alongside some personal information, they had to imagine the superpower they would like to have, talk about the things that bring them joy, and draw an element that represents them. Another exercise brought friendship into focus. The students identified the qualities they considered essential in an authentic relationship, and these were incorporated into an interactive story created during the workshop itself. The activity was followed by team challenges in which resourcefulness, analytical skills, and creativity became the participants’ main “superpowers.” Divided into four teams, the students had to decipher messages in foreign languages, identify chemical elements based on numerical codes, and find solutions to concrete situations, which they then presented to their peers. Beyond the playful component, the exercises emphasized the ability to work together, listen to others’ ideas, and argue for their own choices.

At the end of the workshops, the young participants were challenged to answer two broader questions: what problem in society would they solve if they could invent a “magic potion,” and what could a teacher do to become better? The meeting ended with a symbolic gesture from the Learning Center team, with each student receiving a letter of appreciation and encouragement for their effort and involvement.

A Journey into the Natural World: Exotic Butterflies at the “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History in Bucharest

The afternoon continued at the “Grigore Antipa” National Museum of Natural History in Bucharest, where the participants visited both the permanent exhibition and “Cocoon,” the temporary exhibition of live exotic butterflies.

The latter quickly became one of the favorite moments of the day. Direct interaction with the butterflies, which sometimes landed right on the visitors’ hands or heads, offered the students not only a unique experience, but also some of the most spectacular photographs of the camp.

The day ended with a walk and dinner in the Promenada area, before the group returned to the dormitory for a well-deserved break after the intensive schedule.

What Is Student Life Like at the Faculty of Law?

On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the participants began the day at the Faculty of Law of the University of Bucharest, where they were welcomed by two third-year students, Maria and Alexandra, members of the Law Students’ Association, with Alexandra also serving as vice president of the organization.

The students discovered the faculty’s representative spaces, including the “Constantin Stoicescu” Amphitheatre, the Conference Room, and the Aula Magna, and learned more about the tradition of legal education in Bucharest.

Beyond the tour of the building, the meeting gave the young participants the opportunity to hear directly from students what university life is like and what studying Law actually involves. The discussion also addressed some of the myths associated with the faculty. Although the amount of information is significant, the hosts explained that studying becomes all the more interesting as legal concepts begin to be understood and applied to real-life situations. Time management, consistency, and a genuine interest in the field are essential for a balanced university journey.

The students also learned about the international opportunities available to them, from collaboration with the Franco-Romanian College of European Studies to Erasmus mobility programs, as well as about the role of extracurricular activities, internships, conferences, and volunteering in professional development.

Perhaps the most important idea conveyed by the hosts, however, was that university years mean much more than lectures and exams: they are also years in which experiences, relationships, and friendships are built, and these can remain part of a student’s life for a long time.

Decisions Under Pressure and First Encounters with the Corporate Environment

In the second part of the day, the participants were introduced to another type of professional environment during a visit to Hilti, at AFI Tech Park.

Here, the young participants were challenged to work as a team in a scenario inspired by real-life management and organizational situations. Divided into four groups, they were given the task of preparing the opening of a hospital in just 48 hours, with an extensive list of human and logistical resources at their disposal, from which they could select only eight.

The exercise first required them to make individual decisions, then reach a consensus as a team and justify their choices. Afterwards, the scenario became even more complicated with the introduction of unexpected crisis situations, which forced them to reassess their priorities and quickly identify solutions.

In this way, the participants discovered, in a practical context, how difficult the decision-making process can be under time pressure, how important transparent communication is when problems arise, and, above all, why safety must remain a priority regardless of a project’s constraints.

The evening brought a well-deserved moment of relaxation at Orășelul Copiilor, where the students tried out the park’s attractions and enjoyed the last evenings they would spend together in Bucharest.

The Botanical Garden and Preparations for Saying Goodbye

On Friday, August 7, 2026, the program began at the “Dimitrie Brandza” Botanical Garden of the University of Bucharest, where the students took part in a guided tour of the greenhouses and museum.

After several days packed with activities and evenings spent together, the pace of the day was adapted to the group’s energy levels, and the participants returned earlier to the “Mihail Kogălniceanu” Student Complex to prepare for the camp’s closing party.

Music, board games, snacks, balloons, and stories from the previous days turned the farewell gathering into one of the most emotional moments of the week.

The judging of the photography competition launched on the first day of the camp also took place at that time, with the Foxy mascot accompanying the students around Bucharest. The photographs taken throughout the week were evaluated anonymously, and the most highly rated ones were awarded a book for teenagers, a puzzle, and a portable speaker. A special prize went to the Foxy mascot itself, which had by then become an inseparable character in the camp’s story.

The evening continued with a walk through the Old Town of the capital, giving the participants one last opportunity to discover Bucharest together before heading home.

A Week That Turned Online Meetings into Real Friendships

On Saturday, August 8, 2026, by noon, the organizers accompanied the 16 students to the train stations and bus stations from which each of them would begin their journey home.

For the participants who had come from different regions of the country, however, the SEED urban camp experience meant more than a week spent in Bucharest.

For some of them, the camp was also the moment when people they had previously known through online meetings as part of the SEED program became friends they could finally meet face to face. The self-discovery workshops, discussions about university and the future, visits to Cotroceni Palace, the Antipa Museum, the Faculty of Law, and the Botanical Garden, the challenges in the professional environment, and, perhaps above all, the evenings spent together gradually transformed the group into a community.

“I came to Bucharest feeling nervous and not knowing exactly what to expect, and now I’m leaving with so many memories and with people I hope to keep close. I liked that we didn’t come just to visit places, but that we had the opportunity to talk about ourselves, about what we want to do next, and to discover what our lives as students might look like. I think that after this week, I look to the future with more confidence,” concluded one of the participating students.