I propose a new aesthetic - druidcore/druid academia.
I love dark academia as much as the next person, but it can be quite elitist and male-dominated. I propose the druid academia/druidcore aesthetic - a new aesthetic combining elements of dark and witchy academia with a Celtic and Arthurian mythology twist (as opposed to Roman/Greek mythology). This aesthetic is better for women as Celtic culture was matriarchal and the female figures are more developed and interesting than the love interests you typically find in dark academia. It could also promote the study of Celtic culture and languages, including languages that are under threat like Irish Gaelic.
But that’s enough background. Picture this:
Walking through the rain on your way to class, finding beauty in the way the mist falls across the road. Knowing which phase the moon is in at all times. Lying in forest clearings and on rooftops to gaze at the stars, finding constellations that correspond with Celtic mythology. Annotating The Poems of Ossian, revelling in the joy of reading something so beautiful and yet so controversial. Listening to poetry readings and harp music. Speaking softly to a lover in Gaelic. Continuing the living tradition of oral storytelling, feeling a thrill when you speak certain words that are not to be written. Arguing with Latin students about Boudicca because “she wasn’t a psycho, Julian,” and pointing out the shortcomings of Christianity both in the present and the past. Smashing the patriarchy with the power of art, going to peaceful protests and passionately advocating for social and environmental justice. Having tattoos. Spending time in nature, especially in forests and by the water’s edge. Listening to Hozier 24/7.
