Souvenir Stash: my favourite Whitley Bay treasure

This past Halloween, our university organised a special trip to Whitley Bay, and it quickly became one of my most memorable experiences at uni so far. The trip wasn’t just another sightseeing day, it had a spooky twist with Halloween decorations, themed activities, and evening walks along the beach that made the coastline feel almost magical. But what I ended up treasuring the most wasn’t a ticket or a photo, it was a small souvenir I picked up from a local gift shop: a hand-painted lighthouse figurine, white with bold red stripes, small enough to sit on my desk but big enough to catch the eye.

What makes this lighthouse my favourite souvenir isn’t just how cute it looks. Every time I glance at it, I’m transported back to that weekend, to the cold sea breeze brushing my face as I walked with friends along the promenade, the sound of waves crashing rhythmically against the rocks, and the laughter echoing from our group as we explored the Spanish City arcade. I remember standing in that little shop, debating between the lighthouse and a seashell ornament, and choosing the lighthouse because it felt like a tiny piece of Whitley Bay itself, a symbol of the trip, the seaside charm, and the Halloween energy all wrapped into one.

Beyond being a keepsake, the lighthouse reminds me why university trips are so special. They’re not just about seeing a new place; they’re about shared experiences, inside jokes, and moments that bond classmates in ways lectures and seminars rarely do. Every time I show it to friends, I can’t help but tell them about our Halloween night on the beach, the spooky decorations, and even the chilly wind that somehow made the ice cream taste better.

I’ve collected many other souvenirs over the years, but it is this little lighthouse that sits proudly on my shelf. It is more than just a decorative item - it is a memory frozen in miniature, a reminder of laughter, friendship and a weekend in Whitley Bay that I’ll never forget.