Caitlin's first class graduation journey despite devastating loss
Caitlin (23) who is from Greenock began studying at Heriot-Watt in 2019 just ahead of the pandemic which forced her and her student colleagues to transition to remote learning.
On Friday she attended graduation along with her proud mother, nana and boyfriend. After a summer trip to Australia Caitlin will return to Glasgow to being a new career with Jacobs, the engineering consultancy firm as a graduate Civil Engineer in Transportation.
Caitlin Cummings
During the summer break after her second year, Caitlin's father died suddenly. Caitlin said: ''I got a phone call saying my dad had suffered a heart attack and died. It was devastating. I had to rush home. It was during Covid, so planning the funeral and dealing with everything else was even harder.'
Despite the grief, Caitlin returned to university that September. But the emotional toll proved too much.
She said: 'I tried to keep up, but nothing was going in. My head was mush. I ended up taking a Temporary Suspension of Studies (TSS), which was the best decision. It gave me the space I needed to cope.'
Determined to continue, Caitlin resumed her studies the following year and applied for Heriot-Watt's Go Global programme, which allows students to study at the university's international campuses. She was accepted and spent the second academic semester at the Malaysia campus.
'Going to Malaysia was the best decision I ever made,' Caitlin recalled. 'It gave me the space I needed to heal. It was my best year at university. I felt confident again.'
Her father, John, who passed away aged 62, never had the opportunity to attend university himself. Caitlin said: 'University was something my dad was really proud of. Knowing that helped motivate me to keep going.
Double tragedy
But shortly after returning from Malaysia, tragedy struck again. While backpacking across Europe after finishing her coursework from her 4th year at university in the summer of 2024, Caitlin received another heartbreaking phone call. Her older brother, Scott, had died unexpectedly at just 24 years old.
'When I took the call, I was stuck on a boat and couldn't get off,' she said. 'That moment will stay with me forever.'
The loss of her brother, with whom she had shared the grief of their father's death, was crushing.
'My brother and I were very close and we leaned on each other after dad passed. Suddenly, it was just me and mum,' Caitlin said.
'She had just lost her son, and I wanted to support her. We had to deal with so much. It was a lot, and all while I was trying to finish my degree.'
She has shared her story in hope of helping someone else who might be in a similar situation, to allow them to feel a sense of hope and belief that they can get through it, and that they're not alone.
Reflecting on her achievement, Caitlin said: 'I'm trying not to think about it too much or I'll get emotional.
'University was always my choice. But having the support of my family and the university helped give me the drive to keep going. People are stronger than they think.
'Grief is not something that we ever get over, and unfortunately every day is different. There's not a timeline and there's definitely not an answer or how to, but if you're lucky, with the support of your family or friends you can get through it. I thought so many times about giving up, because it's difficult to keep going, but I was supported at every turn and encouraged to press on.'
The Edinburgh Reporter met Caitlin to talk about the Edinburgh South Sub project which she and her student colleagues used for their final year project.
Read more about that here.
Caitlin Cummings with her father and older brother
Like this:
Like
Related
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
17 hours ago
- Telegraph
Bemoaning a bit of summer travel chaos shows how quickly we've forgotten the Covid years
It may not be this weekend exactly, but at some point in the coming few weeks, you will probably find yourself caught up in one of the following (immensely irritating) situations: 1. Staring at an airport departures board as the listing for your flight – and it does seem to be your flight in particular – comes tagged with the word ' delayed ', in hard red capitals. No other information – what time the plane will be departing, why it is so late, what you are meant to do with three fractious toddlers in the meantime – is being offered. 2. Trying to quell the boiling ocean of rage within when a mumbled non-excuse does finally arrive, and your plane's tardiness is explained away as being due to 'unforeseen technical issues', 'a passenger incident', or, worst of all, 'the late arrival of this aircraft'. 3. Standing in a sweaty arrivals hall with a couple of hundred other people, gazing at a baggage carousel that has been whirling for 12 minutes, without producing a single bag. 4. Waiting in a queue while the one 'consultant' assigned to a major hire-car company's desk in a significant Mediterranean airport on a Saturday evening taps at a computer with all the motivation of a 14-year-old who has been assigned extra summer maths homework. The booking of the first person in the queue is 'not showing on the system'. There are 17 other people in said queue. At least two of them will be unable to find their driving licence, in spite of having 57 minutes in which to prepare for this crucial moment. 5. Hearing the 'news' that your flight home is also delayed, due to 'industrial action by air-traffic controllers in [insert name of relevant country, but it's probably France ]', 'unusual weather', 'an unexpected number of seagulls' or 'badgers next to the runway'. I could go on. For all that our summer getaways are meant to be a highlight of the year, they are too often dogged by inconvenience, and the endless issues which occur when millions of travellers are moving around the same popular destinations at the same time. But I will offer the following statement of consolation: However attritional your journey to the Costa or the Cote, and however ear-piercing the screams of the inconsolable teething child in the seat behind you, just remember: At least it isn't the summer of 2020. Maybe it is that our collective experience of Covid was so awful, but five years on, we seem to have pushed our memories of the pandemic to the vaults of our consciousnesses. And perhaps rightly. Who, after all, wants to dwell on lockdowns and loneliness, let alone death and despair? Even the travel troubles of the era, while hardly comparable in their graveness to the toll in human life and mental health, are echoes we would like to forget. But let me drag you back, at least in terms of sour memories, to what you were up to half a decade ago: You were trying to make sense of the 'traffic-light system' – which gave the countries of the world, including those you might have wished to visit, a rating of 'green', 'amber' or 'red' according to their reported levels of Covid infection. You were assessing whether a dash to an Andalusian beach would mean a fortnight of quarantine when you returned, in the event of Spain being added to the 'red list'. You were musing as to whether Spain would let you drop by in the first place, or if Britain's reputation as 'plague island' had rendered us utterly unwelcome in southern Europe. And you were shoving cotton buds up your nose, and down your throat, to comply with the Covid tests which, de rigeur that summer, revealed if you were healthy enough to go abroad – or, more troubling still, whether you were fit to jump onto an aircraft and come home again. So yes, your plane to Crete may be 'running behind schedule'. And Tiny Tim may be planning to kick your seat for every minute of the four-hour flight. But look on the bright side: No-one is going to ask you to spit a mouthful of saliva into a test-tube this summer. If they do, things really have gone wrong.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
'Our tours have expanded east due to The Barras Market'
A lot can change in the space of 15 years. As well as maintaining its status as the beating and banter-filled heart of Glasgow, The Barras has also become a must-visit destination for tourists visiting the city for its cultural significance and the truly unique Glasgow experience it provides. Travel bible National Geographic is among those to have gone big on The Barras trumpet blowing, describing it is 'a market reborn' and the best spot to 'shop like a local' and unearth a bargain or browse for antiques and vintage fashion. BAaD, the multi-use event space and venue located within the market, is also mentioned in glowing terms: 'With e-bike racks nearby, and a healthy presence of IPAs, street art, hipsters and all, it almost feels as though you could be in Brooklyn'. Meanwhile, Gothenburg-based ArrivalGuides, which claims to be the world's largest distributor of destination content, describes The Barras as a 'justly renowned vintage flea market' that is a 'great place to people-watch and pick up some words of the distinctive Glasgow patter'. The Barras Market (Image: Gordon Terris) Glasgow City Council has put the work in to promote the market as a tourist destination via improvement work such as more signage directing tourists and visitors to Glasgow to the market, improving the public realm and the area's connections to surrounding neighbourhoods to encourage more footfall from the centre centre and repairing the distinctive Barras arches. Key to the growth in popularity of The Barras as a 'must-see' destination for tourists visiting Glasgow has been the rise of localism - encouraging visitors to engage with and support local businesses and cultures - within the context of tourism revival in post-Covid pandemic. With the increasing presence of multinational corporations and global retail chains leading to a sense of homogeneity in cities across the globe, the concept of 'neighbourhood' tourism has soared as travellers seek a local sense of place and more experiences that are true to local culture. In tandem has been a rise in a more ethically conscious generation of travellers who seek to positively impact the destinations they visit and prioritize supporting local communities and businesses. A 2023 report by digital travel company found that 75% of surveyed travellers expressed a desire for "authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture". READ MORE: How The Barras stealthily became Glasgow's most exciting foodie destination 'You won't find Starbucks here!': Fourth generation trader on Barras evolution How lockdown brought pizza revolution to 'Glasgow's coolest food spot Chris Greenwood, Senior Research Fellow at The Moffat Centre for [[Travel]] and Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, the UK's largest university-based consultancy and research centre for tourism and travel market research and business development, believes both localism and 'intangible cultural heritage' are experiencing a real growth in popularity at the moment. He told The Herald: 'Visitors come to see and be immersed in the real destination. The heritage and history of The Barras provides all those levers for visitors who want the real Glasgow. 'It's also an attraction that supports a number of local businesses which is a major factor for supporting a sustainable visitor economy and the surrounding communities which also benefit." VisitScotland, the organization responsible for promoting the country as a travel destination, has also noticed a growth in the popularity of community-focused tourism, from independent producers and retailers and localism, in particular with its international markets. Examples include farming 'agritourism', where you can meet the animals and farm workers, to arts and crafts such as gin-making classes and of course trips to Scotch Whisky visitor centres, which have collectively risen to become the top visitor attraction in Scotland. A stallholder at The Barras VisitScotland's Regional Director Lynne Cooper told The Herald: 'Shopping is a popular choice for visitors to Glasgow and there's a great range of experiences, to suit all budgets and tastes. 'The Barras offers an authentic way visitors can support local traders and enjoy the famous storytelling and humour associated with the city. 'Working with our local partners we're encouraging visitors to discover unique experiences like this all over Glasgow. 'Tourism and events are among the city's most important industries and economic drivers. The visitor economy is helping to regenerate areas like the East End, by supporting jobs, businesses and encouraging investment.' While exact data on footfall is hard to track as a result of The Barras being a free attraction, sightseeing tour agency City Sightseeing Glasgow, which offers hop-on hop-off bus tours around the city, can testify to the market's growth in popularity among visitors to the city. Richy Graham, Operations Manager at City Sightseeing Glasgow, told The Herald: "At City Sightseeing Glasgow, we've witnessed first-hand how The Barras weekend market is becoming one of the city's vibrant and popular destinations. 'Our tours have expanded east due to the market and the areas rising popularity. Stops 4 (Red Route) and 9 (Yellow Route) cater specifically to Barras visitors, and we've noticed more customers requesting these stops. 'Whether you're exploring the stalls, enjoying the music, or immersing yourself in the atmosphere, The Barras continues to reflect the authentic, eclectic, and lively heart and soul of Glasgow. It perfectly showcases what makes our city so special and real."
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow is struggling but best days could be yet to come
But it's not all bleak, far from it. There are promising signs that Glasgow is starting to rediscover its stride. City centre footfall figures have been steadily improving, a clear indication that people are returning, whether for work, shopping, hospitality or cultural experiences. This isn't just anecdotal. The data shows a gradual yet encouraging return of vibrancy to our streets. For the first five months of this year footfall is up by 9% on last year with some months almost matching the pre-Covid performance. Recent events such as the Glasgow Mela, TRNSMT, Pride, and quite frankly a summer of warm weather, have all encouraged people back into the city to rediscover all that it has to offer. The City Council has taken a lot of criticism for the city's appearance, but it would be wrong to suggest that they have not been responding. Returning visitors will find a considerable amount of work is being done to freshen up our city centre through The Avenues programme, a major £120m infrastructure investment initiative which is designed and driven by Glasgow City Council. Funded chiefly by the UK and Scottish Governments through the Glasgow's City Deal, the Avenues Programme aims to make the city centre more attractive, especially for pedestrians, and it will set a standard for the quality of the public realm we would like to see rolled out across the city centre. Read more: George Square is perhaps the most visible project now under way, but the City Council has also published plans for streets in the retail heart including Argyle Street, Queen Street, Ingram Street and George Street. A good example of what the finished product could look like is on Holland Street and Pitt Street around the Moda Living housing development on the site of the former police station. The broken and patched up pavements are gone and have been replaced with good quality stone, more pedestrian space and fresh green landscaping. Rethinking the access for buses along Argyle Street is also helpful as it will take pressure off surrounding streets. These works will only succeed in the longer term if they are well maintained. If after a few months paving stones are broken, or street furniture is left unrepaired, the decay will quickly set in. It was therefore encouraging that the City Council budget for this year allocated an additional £20m for the upkeep of roads, pavements and parks alongside funds for increasing the staff devoted to cleansing. Admittedly these new resources are for use across the entire city, but the message from citizens is getting through, more needs to be done to get our city centre back into shape. However, city recovery cannot depend solely on the City Council. Local authorities and public agencies play a pivotal role but so must the local business community. The current process to put a city centre Business Improvement District (BID) to a vote reflects a shared ambition among many businesses to contribute proactively. A successful BID would mean businesses contributing could direct funds to deliver improvements. Depending on their choices there could be a higher standard of cleanliness, greater security and better maintenance of street furniture, more than the City Council can currently afford to deliver on its own. More importantly is the role of the private sector in funding the repurposing of empty offices and redundant shop units. The public sector doesn't have the funding needed, but the public sector can make decisions and set policies that make investment attractive to the private sector. Even as we make progress locally, decisions from the [[Scottish Government]] can disrupt or delay that momentum. The recent calling-in of planning approval for the ABC site, a critical site for the regeneration of Sauchiehall Street, is one such example. The site next to the Mackintosh building is sensitive and high profile. Seven years have passed since the fire that left it destroyed, and it is a blight on [[Sauchiehall Street]]'s recovery. Local decision-making, grounded in local understanding and expertise, must be respected if we're to make real strides. Over £70m of private funding is now on hold as we await the Scottish Government's review. If the decision is over-turned or even if the review process is drawn out, that investment will be lost and the site left derelict for many more years ahead. If substantial public money was made available different options could be explored but no offer has ever been made. Similarly, the Housing Bill's impact on investor confidence has been a serious concern. At a time when Glasgow is grappling with vacant properties that could be repurposed into much-needed homes or mixed-use spaces, policies that deter investment are undoubtedly stalling regeneration. It's frustrating to see opportunities slip away when the city is otherwise ready to act. We know anecdotally that investors who were previously keen to invest in Glasgow have turned their attention to other cities because of the uncertainty that the Housing Bill has created. Ultimately, the story of Glasgow today is one of cautious optimism. The challenges are real (and visible) but so too is the energy to address them. Local leadership, business engagement, and targeted investment are starting to make a difference. What we need now is alignment of local ambition matched by national support. If we get that right, Glasgow's best days needn't be behind it – they're still to come. Stuart Patrick is chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce
