I Wanted to Scroll Less and Ended Up Digging Up Roman Glass

As a kid, I couldn't walk past a stone without stopping to look at it. I always wanted to know what it might turn out to be.

Archaeology had interested me for years, but I'd never had the chance to try it. Then, just before the new university term, Nibble put an invitation in front of me: a place on a real Roman excavation with DigVentures. It had been on my bucket list for a long time, so I took it.

*This story was created in partnership with Nibble. Archie is a real Nibble user who took part in the "Dig it up!" experience and shared his honest account. His direct quotes are his own; individual results vary.

• A music production student who has tried everything from drumming to photography joined a real Roman excavation with DigVentures, offered through Nibble.
• The work meant long mornings of brushing the same patch of ground, aching muscles, and a lot of patience. The payoff was a large shard of Roman glass, found while digging with a mattock.
• Two things came as a surprise: a genuine sense of community on site, and interviews with journalists.
• His main takeaway: the more you say yes to, the more life you're living.

The reality was tougher than I'd pictured. I spent long mornings carefully brushing the same patch of ground. My muscles ached, and the whole thing took more patience than I'd planned for.

Then, while I was digging with a mattock, a large shard of Roman glass came up.

"It's incredibly exciting to uncover a piece of the past yourself."

Beyond the finds, I came away with something I hadn't anticipated: a genuine sense of community.

I'd always thought of myself as someone who was less comfortable in the spotlight. On site, I found myself speaking to journalists and sharing the excitement of the excavation with a wider audience.

I love mysteries and storytelling, so archaeology felt like a natural fit for me.

"I'm curious about the past because I love storytelling, and with archaeology, people's stories are hidden under the ground." 

My first excavation is over, but I'm already thinking about what I'd like to uncover next. An ancient musical instrument would be ideal, since it would put my two passions in the same trench.

The biggest thing I took from the dig has little to do with archaeology:

"It's never too late to say yes. It's never too late to give something a try. The more you say yes to, the more life you're living."

I found Nibble while looking for a way to spend less time on social media. It's an all-around knowledge app that encourages curiosity and lifelong learning.

I wanted to be able to pick up my phone, learn something for a bit, and put it down, instead of just wasting time scrolling.

I'd already spent years trying different things, drumming and photography among them, so one more new experience fit right in. Then the invitation to the dig showed up in the app, and archaeology went from the bucket list to the calendar.

What would you say yes to today

Nibble turns a spare moment into something worth trying

Open Nibble

Nibble is an all-round knowledge app with short, bite-sized lessons across 37+ topics; you can learn by watching, listening, or playing. With 10M+ downloads, it's an easy swap for the minutes you'd otherwise spend scrolling.

Here's how to start:

• Replace one scrolling session a day with a short lesson.
• Write down the thing you've wanted to try for years.
• Pick the format that suits the moment: watch, listen, or play.
• Say yes the next time an invitation shows up.

Open Nibble, pick a topic, and swap your next scroll for a 5-minute lesson.