Keep Off The Grass (by OSPL)

Dearest Freshers, You’re here! One gruelling year on from the start of the application process, and it’s finally become real.

You’ve probably heard enough congratulations by now, and it’s time to get ready for change. Ahead of you are all night essay crises, hungover tutorials and exams in summer heat whilst inexplicably dressed like a Harry Potter extra. But it’s not all bad - this year will probably be the best of your life so far.

Oxford is an amazing place which is absolutely full of possibilities, so your time here can be exactly what you make of it. Whether climbing out of bed at 5.30 to row or only just then returning from a wild night out, it’s completely up to you. You could raise thousands for charity, get to grips with about seven new sports or edit a spiffing student publication like the one you’re reading now.

This guide should, hopefully, provide you with a bit of insight into Oxford life. We’re unaffiliated to the University, independent and unofficial - so our only agenda lies in giving you the best introduction to Oxford life!

Your first year at University will be a life-changing experience, and we can only hope you’ll embrace your time at Oxford the same way we have.

Good luck!

Love, The Editors

Editors: Alice King, Isaac Goodwin Deputy Editors: Alex Stronell, Greta Keenan, Isabelle Gerretsen, Rhiannon Gibbs-Harris, Tom Calver Illustrator: Walter Goodwin

food & drink entertainment

Contents 2. freshers’ week 3. bops and crewdates 4. clubbing 6. balls 8. oxopoly 10. pubs and bars 12. where to eat 14. best of...

clubs & socs

16. map of oxford 18. clubs and societies 20. drama 21. music & charity 22. the union 24. student journalism 26. flowchart 27. work and play

wo rk

how to survive...

28. ...labs & tutes 29. ...lectures & reading lists 30. subject stereotypes 32. libraries

personal

34. college families & green spaces 35. LGBTQIA+ 36. the welfare system 37. mental health & sexual assault 38. international 39. relationships & fashion 40. Oxford dictionary

Freshers’ Week So it’s finally here... Freshers’ week.

Whether you’ve been looking forward to it for what feels like forever or have been dreading your first day, it is now upon you.

If you are one of the latter, don’t worry.

Even if everyone else looks confident, rest assured the majority of people will be at least a bit nervous and some will be terrified. I will try my best to convince you that there is no need to be, but I know you probably won’t believe me until you experience it for yourself, and then this time next year you’ll be in my shoes trying to convince others that Freshers’ week, and Oxford in general, is actually pretty great.

Find my friends!

When unpacking, prop your door open so that it is easy for you to meet neighbours.

There will be no shortage of opportunities to meet people this week, and be sure to make the most of them! Admittedly, having the same conversations over and over again can become tedious (okay, it definitely becomes tedious), but at least once you’ve had the classic ‘what’s your name and where do you come from?’ conversation with someone you don’t have to have it again. Unless you forget meeting of course... awkward! Freshers’ week friendships are highly entertaining. You might strike up a beautiful friendship that will last a lifetime or after a

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few months you may be having the ‘you’ll never guess who I was best friends with in Freshers’ week’ conversation with your new group of friends that suit you much better. As well as finding friends, you’ll also hopefully be finding college husbands and wives (or both if you’re feeling unconventional), either in freshers week itself or during the coming term. Some such marriages end beautifully with the ‘couple’ being the best of friends or perhaps striking up a romance that would make Shakespeare weep with joy. Sadly, this is not always the case: some married couples just aren’t friends, others, sadly, simply divorce. If you are reading this in horror, don’t worry at all - it’s all just fun and games.

Do people go out in Oxford?

Some of you party people may be worried that Oxford won’t fulfil your clubbing needs.

Fear not! You will soon see the charm of the Oxford clubbing scene. On your first night of freshers’ week you will probably resemble a herd of sheep in your matching college freshers’ t-shirts. These, along with occasional chanting of your college name, are very handy for keeping as a college unit, despite not being the most attractive items of clothing you’ll have worn out. With the copious amounts of alcohol in most people’s systems, there are plenty of friendships and marriages made and of course occasionally some cheeky behaviour thrown in too. You will probably also make your first of many trips to your college’s local kebab van

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(your college will be loyal to a certain kebab van as the older years will show you), and then get some much needed sleep before doing it all over again for the next five nights. One of these nights will probably involve a college bop (see Page 3).

And if you’re not a fan of drinking and clubbing, don’t worry! There’ll be plenty of movie nights, ice cream trips, quizzes and much more for you to enjoy.

Freshers’ Fair

Here you’ll get to see, and sign up to, all of the societies that Oxford has to offer. Signing up isn’t signing your life away so put your name down for anything you think you might be interested in. But be warned - you will get an excessive amount of emails. Maybe use an alternative email address so that you are not permanently harassed by a society which, upon reflection, you have no interest in being a member of. Keep your eyes peeled for the perks of the fair and capitalise - free pens and shot glasses are always in large supply, and the Oxford Tube £1 vouchers are a great catch.

Matriculation

Matriculation is the ceremony that makes you an official member of the University. You dress up in your subfusc and have photos taken. After the ceremony you get to spend the rest of the day in the pub while wearing your gowns and bow ties. Make the most of it, as the next time you’ll be wearing it is for exams in many months’ time. Feel like a celeb by posing for tourists in your outfit! Some colleges have a Matriculation Ball to celebrate the day, while others will celebrate with a night on the town.

Michaelmas!

With freshers’ week over, your first term begins in earnest. You’re probably already exhausted from the week’s funtivities and behind on your work but don’t worry - you’ll get through it! Have a great Michaelmas, you’re going to love it here.

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Bops Ah, college bops. Before joining Oxford, I had only ever heard the term ‘bop’ used in the old fashioned sense, that is, to mean ‘dance’. For my grandma (and indeed for all non-Oxonians) to have a ‘bop’ meant to dance along to some classic pop music.

Not anymore. Fast forward a year and the word ‘bop’ brings to mind raucous – not respectable – dancing, drinks cheaper than a Primark sale and a next day headache more splitting than any of those suffered from 3am essay crises. (NB these do happen: contrary to traditional belief, a large proportion of Oxford students are characteristically disorganised).

So what are ‘bops’ in Oxonian terms, I hear you ask? Bops are, quite simply, intercollege parties held every two to three weeks by the college, for the college, in the college. And to the shame of all those university fellows who would rather bops were eliminated from the face of the earth (let alone the face of Oxford) bops continue to be one of the highlights in an Oxford student’s calendar.

Don’t get me wrong, going clubbing is great but a) you have to pay an entry fee b) drinks can cost a bomb and c) at the end of the night you face the long walk home, which, if you’re a girl like me, is hardly fun in 5 inch heels (I learnt my lesson – never again). But with bops, none of these problems entails. Entry is free and drinks are cheap with many colleges offering alcoholic

Niluka Kavanagh Somerville English

drinks, known as ‘bop juice’ or ‘bop-tails’, for less than a pound. As for what shoes to wear, you could even go in UGGS if you wished! Well, if the theme was Antarctica that is…

Ah, did I not mention that bops are fancy dress? Yes, this is THE opportunity to let your imagination run wild and show off any creative flair you had previously kept hidden. With past themes ranging from ‘Fairytales’ (Christ Church) to ‘90’s’ (St Catz) to ‘Pokémon’ (Pembroke) bops allow you to forget the serious question of ‘what do I wear?’ and instead replace it with ‘what don’t I wear?’, for there really are no boundaries when it comes to bops. Although Oxford is home to a number of fancy dress shops, often a few bits and bobs from Poundland (we’re talking pritt stick, card and facepaint) will suffice. That said, if you happen to be a fancy dress enthusiast feel free to bring anything from home with you.

The fancy dress element also means that bops are a great way to make new friends, especially when united with the 300 or so people in college on the same desperate mission to find safety pins (an amusing venture to go on, even if typically unsuccessful). Alternatively, you could shun all effort and wack up in anything.

After all, with drinks so

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cheap, by 10pm no one really remembers what the theme is let alone who people have come dressed as.

The best thing, though, is the fact that you really can abide to the WILL.I.AM’s ‘you can go hard or you can go home’, for home - ie your college room - is less than a two minute stumble away. One can party on safe in the knowledge that when ‘hit me baby one more time’ plays for one more time, your bed awaits you. Mind you, with most bops finishing at around midnight, the general post-bop ritual is either to go out afterwards or, even better, to order pizza, standing bleary eyed in your college kitchen wandering what an earth just happened and dreading next day’s FB de-tagging session.

As broadcasting editor for Cherwell and the bop enthusiast that I am, last year I took the decision to report on one of my own college bops at Somerville. Asked why bops are so popular, my peers responded with the innocent ‘it’s just a great way to bring everyone together’ to the pain-stakingly honest ‘it’s easy to go back afterwards if you’re feeling particularly rough’. The theme of this particular bop was ‘Around the World’ and, with no alcohol in my system at all (somehow filming and vodka didn’t seem a good idea) I could truly appreciate all the effort gone into the outfits. You name it, from French market men to Chinese geishas, Hawaiian hula girls to Egyptian emperors, all were there partying hard on the dance floor. Drinks were flowing and booties were shaking - and then some. Laughter poured out from every corner and there were happy faces aplenty.

Then there was me. Stood outside, mic in hand, stone cold sober and dressed in a grey hoodie, I couldn’t have looked more boring if I tried. To say I was jealous would be an understatement.

Bops are indeed great - but only if you’re there, taking part in the madness, the cheesiness and the sheer fun that they entail. And to all you eager freshers, this’ll soon be you. #LONG LIVE BOPS

Clubbing

Emilia Belli Jesus English

The two main companies running nights are FOMO and Shuffle. Each company has a group of reps working for them in each college. To avoid queueing, you can find one of these to get tickets/ queue-jump wristbands. All the other nights are independently run, so watch out for alternative reps and tickets online, or buy on the door.

Standard Entry Price in Oxford: £4 before 10:30/11 Each college has certain haunts that they tend to frequent. Here’s a selection of pretty much all of the student clubs/nights...

Lola Lo’s

Lolas has lately come into its own as an alternative to Bridge.

If you head down with a rep there’s usually the opportunity of drinks deals: £1 Jägers are standard. It’s also one of the cheaper clubs for entry; £3 before 11. Lola Lo’s has seen the coining of a new phrase, ‘to Lolalash’. To be said strictly tongue in cheek, of course.

Babylove

Now installed on its new premises, Babylove is back in full swing. A stalwart for LGBTQ nights like Poptarts, there was an uproar when the old venue’s lease was refused renewal. For good reason. The eclectic weekly music schedule is compiled by those who claim to have some music taste, and often do. Favourites include Action Stations (a mess of “Reggae, Dancehall, Soul, Hip Hop and Rhythm and Blues”), Supermarket (specialising in 90s classics that got so uncool they’re now cool again) and the new Countdown (playing songs spanning over 50 years — hardly a new idea but pretty exciting for Oxford). Those in the LGBT community will also find it’s the place to be on a Tuesday night for PopTarts, perhaps the only club to offer a predominantly student LGBT night out.

Bridge/Anuba

Very popular. Usually playing reliable chart favourites. Take the insider’s advice and go to Anuba first for (very) cheap drinks (£1.50/£2 doubles), as once you’re inside Bridge itself it’s a bit more pricey although the drink offers before 11pm allow for fun at reasonable prices and there is an excellent smoking area in which there is occasionally a stand selling bacon sandwiches. Note also Monday Night Bridge (the Brookes night).

Park End

Never mind that it’s not actually called Park End anymore, the new name, ‘Lava Ignite’, isn’t likely to catch on. With 3 dance floors, for House, RnB and Cheese music, this is a staple of the Wednesday night clubbing scene. As the official sport society night, you can rely on a big turnout each week - attendance is much compulsory for those who play university sport and a large proportion of the revellers are survivors of Crew dates earlier in the night.

VKs are the drink of choice here, you’ll see many a Blues player stumbling around with one in each hand (complete with straws for the inevitable ‘strawpedo’), a sweaty shirt and tie wrapped around their dripping head. Head there early on a Wednesday to beat the queues and get FUBAR-ed (f***ed up beyond all recognition).

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Wit

The Varsity Club

Nice cocktails and recently refurbished. Good on Saturdays.

Wahoo

Friday night Wahoo is a ritual.

Marketing itself with the slogan “Let the good times roll”, the dress code is less of a priority than cheap drinks, and there’s usually a fairly mixed crowd in attendance. The upper floor starts with house and progresses through RnB to finish with some older classics, while downstairs plays more chart- orientated music. It is particularly popular with Worcester (understandable given the location) and New (not quite so easy to explain). Those we asked described it as “unpretentious”, “grimy but fun” and “somewhere you would only ever go if you’re running out of money because a double vodka Red Bull costs £2.50.” If you manage to safely negotiate the stairs there is a good chance you’ll have a fun night out there amongst these cheap and cheerful surroundings.

The Junction

Dirt. Cheap. Junction now runs its main nights on Saturday, where you can expect £3 entry before 11, making it good for post- black tie events. Itchy feet & Countdown are also here, blending the old & new.

The Plush Lounge

Plush holds gay club nights, Skintier Fridays being particularly popular. Open FridaySaturday.

Purple Turtle

Union-owned Purple Turtle is bright, brash, and brilliant for getting drunk without splashing out. There’s shots to represent each college, and even a mini floor for those enjoying happy- hour cocktail prices a bit too much. Free entry for Union members.

Cellar

Purple Turtle’s grimier sister. Cellar holds nights like RandFunk, and the AfroCaribbean Society nights are worth watching out for too. Conveniently close to Maccies.

Camera

Given its name by its distinctive shape, the round (Rad Cam-like) layout ensures you spend most of the night going round and round in circles, trying to find your friends. Camera is one of the few clubs where it’s acceptable to wear heels. Watch out for the spiral staircase though, it even has padding at the top for anyone taking a tumble. Host to themed Filth Tuesdays and FriCam. New deals at Camera include £1.50 shots, £2 Jägerbombs, & £5 jugs. With music that tends to come under the category of ‘pretty crap’ coupled with an exorbitantly priced VIP area for the university’s richest, and glorified tent in the middle of the road that acts as a smoking area, Camera has all the ingredients for an awful night out. But somehow, it works.

With thanks to Sam Collier and Tom Perrin

O2

Worth the journey. If Indie/Rock is your jam, they hold Propaganda on Saturdays. Check the website throughout term, as there are usually good acts playing here too. Switch nights are every Friday, and acts last term included MK and Eats Everything.

Carbon

Rumoured to have ‘the best sound system in Oxford’, 3-floor Carbon is the home of housethemed nights, including Cirque du Soul and TheseDays.

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Balls

Tom Calver Jesus English

Getting tickets:

Once you and your friends have picked which ball to go to, it’s time to grab some tickets. Tickets usually come online several months beforehand – you might get to buy them even earlier if it’s your own college’s ball. For popular balls you’ll have to be quick – tickets for Worcester’s tercentenary ball last term sold out within minutes, and only the most patient refreshers of the ticket page were rewarded with tickets.

Dress: Oxford Balls are the most lavish nights of the year. They are probably the most “Oxford” of all Oxford events, with their delectable choice of expensive drinks, impeccably well-dressed participants, and unique surroundings. Balls are also understandably the most expensive nights of the year – depending on which ball you go to, tickets can range in price from around £45 for the Oxford Union Society ball, to well over £150 for white tie balls. That may seem like a phenomenal price to pay – but you do get unlimited food and drink, and a chance to enjoy all of the entertainment on offer from 8pm to 6am the following morning (think of it like a very civilised mini-festival if it makes you feel better).

Unsurprisingly, there are several different types of Oxford ball (and no ball is the same!). You’ve got winter balls, May balls, society balls, and the more expensive white tie commemoration balls to choose from.

College balls are nearly always open to all members of the University, so you don’t have to be a member to go. Don’t worry if the thought of choosing which ball to go to gives you a headache, though – most colleges only have balls once every two or three years, while commemoration balls occur much less frequently, which reduces your choice considerably. I’d recommend choosing a ball which has a good reputation – so ask around!

Boys – black tie or smarter. Most balls are black tie, but the most expensive ones require white tie – the difference for men is that you get to wear a jacket with tails, and a white waistcoat and bow tie. For girls, there’s a bit more leeway.

Music acts:

Plenty to choose from - there will usually be a main stage where headline acts will perform slots throughout the night, as well as a dancefloor that will usually stay busy until the morning. The acts are usually famous-ish in certain circles, and rumour has it that the Rolling Stones performed at a Magdalen ball in the ‘60s…

Food & Drink

The success or failure of a ball can often rest on the quantity and variety of food and drink available. The best balls will have a variety of food stalls serving cuisine from around the world, throughout the night. Be clever with your timing to avoid huge queues! A lot of drinks stalls will have cocktails pre-prepared on the side to reduce waiting time. Just remember to pace yourself – you don’t want to be passed out by midnight and carried home before you’veven enjoyed half your ticket’s worth.

And fear not vegetarians and teetotallers – balls cater for you too.

Activities

Most balls have a great selection of fun activities to choose from – think circus rides and swings, mazes, laserquest, coconut shy… The Jesus-Somerville Ball of 2013 very nearly had a shark in the middle of its maze (until the national press got wind of the plans). A lot of balls have some kind of firework display or light show at some point in the night, where you can see how a fair chunk of your ticket money was spent. And at the end of the night, be sure to get into the ball-survivors’ photo as proof of your stamina.

Balls coming up!

RAG Ball RAG is one of Oxford’s student charity fundraising organisations, and they hold a popular ball towards the end of Michaelmas – tickets go on sale nearly straight away at the start of term so watch out. It’s usually extremely popular, with tickets around the £50 mark – a great value-for-money first ball to go to, and for a good cause too.

May Balls May Balls are held around the Mayday bank holiday weekend Commemoration Balls Commemoration Balls are the most fancy ones you’ll go to. They are usually held in 9th week of Trinity Term, right at the end of the academic year, and are held by different colleges each academic year, usually following a three-year cycle.

Magdalen and Oriel colleges are due to host their triennial balls in 2015.

Crew Dates Joel Nelson Jesus History

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he largest jewel in the glittering crown of Oxford’s social scene must undoubtedly, irrefutably, unquestionably be the crewdate. First I should state definitively: these are so much fun! A crewdate is an unbeatable combination of delicious food, booze, unbeatable company, booze hilarious sconces, booze, legendary chat, booze, epic banter, booze and booze! Sorry if I’ve repeated a few but even writing about crewdates gets me so excited my thought process can get a bit jumpy!

The basics: a crewdate is when two “crews” decide to ‘date’ each other.

“Crews” can be comprised of sports teams, subject teams, or any other collection of people from the same college or society – for example, Pembroke men’s rowing team might date Jesus women’s footballers. They get together to go to one of Oxford’s famous eateries, such as At Thai, Arzoo’s, Chutney’s, and for fans of sausage and mash, The Big Bang. These places are all BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze), so come armed with a bottle of Tesco’s Finest. Some teams gain more of a reputation than others – watch out for the cryptically named JCPD, or the Regent’s Park Bunnies, legendary in certain circles.

bring your best flirty lines

There’s even an Oxford crewdating website where you can rate your most recent dates and review their performance

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DID YOU KNOW? Pennying is thought to have originated amongst students and dons at Oxford during the 13th or 14th centuries – although the rules have probably changed a bit since then! based on how much fun you’ve had. In some cases, a college from The Other Place may even be in town, so you’ll be able to see whether the boys or girls from Cambridge match up to the Oxford teams!

Sconces form an integral part of these nights. A sconce is a way of embarrassing a friend for a particularly questionable/depraved/hilarious act.

Someone will stand up and say ‘I sconce anyone who…’, then recount the story in question, and the person who has done the thing the sconcer has announced will then stand and drink to the cheers or boos of the crewdaters. Be careful about telling your friends about your antics in the Wahoo smoking area or you’ll be standing and drinking for it. An ancient Oxford tradition, “pennying” is also popular on the crewdate scene. Crewdaters will come armed with pennies and throw them into the drinks of other crewdaters, the further away the better. If you are “pennied”, you have to finish your drink. Be careful though – a friend of mine once swallowed his penny while drinking!

Crucially, these events are all about meeting new people. The collegiate system, while it has many advantages, does mean that often it can be difficult meeting people in other colleges. Many couples have met on crewdates – you will usually be sat next to or opposite a member of the other team of the opposite sex or, if on an LGTBQ one, the same. Bring your best flirty lines and friendly conversation, and who knows!

Crewdates are usually not the end of the night. Usually, you’ll head to a club or a college bar immediately afterwards. Good nights to go on crewdates are Wednesday or Thursday, as you can hit Park End or Bridge afterwards.

I hope you all have as much fun on crewdates as I have!

Tired of the Fresher’s nights and fancy a quiet evening in?

The Grass’ game of Oxopoly!

Play as your subject type and grab some friends, dice and houses to have your very own Oxford Monopoly experience!

Note: dice, houses and friends not included.

Cut out your subject counter and get going!

Pubs & Bars

For many students Freshers’ week will likely involve copious amounts of Sainsbury’s Basic Vodka, romances that you will come to regret in a few months (minutes) time, and cheesy nights out in the finest clubs Oxford has to offer - and long may it continue. However, as you make friends, your workload begins to amass, and the monotonous weekly routine of Camera, Park End, Bridge, Wahoo wears thin (however much you secretly enjoy them), you may find yourself looking for another way to let off steam: enter the Oxford Pub Scene.

Oxford’s classic pubs…

Many of Oxford’s pubs are older than the colleges that surround them, giving each its own distinct character and history.

These famous pubs tend to be popular with tourists as well as students, so don’t be surprised to find yourself paying above the odds for your pint and having to fight for a table.

The Turf Tavern has played host to many famous drinkers throughout history, from Inspector Morse to Prime ministers and Presidents (it was here that Clinton famously ‘did not inhale’ marijuana, whilst the former Australian PM Bob Hawke broke the world record for consuming a yard of ale in only 11 seconds). Despite offering the most hand pumps in town its limited indoor space means you may spend more time queuing rather than drinking.

The Bear is the true oldie of the Oxford pubs, and as a Fullers Pub it offers many classic beers, including London Pride and ESB. It’s often full of

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tourists, but is better than its neighbour, Chequers, in the ambiance stakes and of those Blue Boar Street pubs is really the best. It also offers a Pub Quiz held every Tuesday at 9 where a good time is had by all.

The King’s Arms’ claim to fame is that it boasts the highest IQ per square foot of anywhere in the world (according to local legend anyway), and as a Young’s pub it offers 7 cask Ales and a mean Pork Pie. Given its central location it can be busy, so be prepared to fight for your table. Rivalling the KA for bar snacks is The Crown, located just off Cornmarket Street (I’d recommend the nachos). Travel north to St Giles and you’ll find The Lamb and Flag, which may offer the perfect guilt free pint, as profits go towards a scholarship fund for Graduate Students. The Oxford Morris dancers also seem to congregate here so if in the mood for a classically English experience, head here. Opposite you’ll find The Eagle and Child, the famous meeting place of the historic literary group The Inklings (alumni include J. R R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis).

They do a great sharing platter and if you’re in the mood they often have pub quizzes going on. Unfortunately, its fame has made it a hotspot for tourists - a great place to take your parents, but perhaps not the best place for a quiet pint with friends.

A new entry to Oxford’s Classic pubs is the Hi-Lo Bar in Cowley, which PM David Cameron used to frequent. It is a Jamaican bar on Cowley Road and during his Oxford days, Cameron apparently used to babysit for the owner and live in one of the houses opposite. This bar isn’t particularly cheap, with a rum and coke costing

the better part of a fiver but the ambiance is great and if you want to avoid tourists/ your tutor/ frenemies this is a great place to come to.

Living on a shoestring

Out of Oxford’s two Wetherspoons The Four Candles on George Street is by far the most popular (the other is towards the castle). As with all Wetherspoons what it lacks in sophistication it more than makes up for in cheap prices, with a pint of Heineken coming in at only £2.99.

The award for the cheapest pint in town goes to The Three Goats Heads at only £2.50 for a bitter, and £2.84 for a Lager. As a Sam Smiths pub it has all sorts on offer, from wheat beers to stouts, and given its location it’s a great a place to numb your senses before a Union debate.

To be honest though, if you just want to drink cheaply, the best options are probably college bars. St. Hilda’s is usually the cheapest but things stay relatively tame and it’s a bit of a walk. Balliol’s Crazy Tuesdays is perhaps a little more lively and it’s relatively close to the clubs for some good pre-drinking. Also, if you aren’t going out afterwards, Keble bar is cheap ‘n’ cheerful and has booths so is fairly private and not too loud.

If you have no political objections, however, the cheapest drink is probably at OUCA (Oxford University Conservative Association) which has its infamous Port and Policy nights every week where they debate key issues that affect the modern world (Divine Right of Kings). Go for the Right wing trolling and the port. If you sign up at the freshers fair, you also don’t have to pay the membership fee, meaning free alcohol/ LOLs.

Non-Beer Bars

wine societies. The two major groups are Bacchus and the Oxford Wine Circle and as you would expect, their nights out cost a bit more than your average student night out but for the experience they are giving you they are incredibly good value as you are tasting some premium wines and learning a lot. Bacchus and OWC can be a little toff-y but, as with all societies, if you go with a friend, it’ll probably be a good time and it’s a really unusual experience which you couldn’t have anywhere else.

Beer Gardens

If you’re looking for a beer garden for those warm Trinity days (who cares about prelims anyway?) there are lots of options available, however I’d recommend The Turf Tavern, The Rose and Crown, The Cape of Good Hope, and The Head of the River.

The also lovely, albeit tiny, beer garden in the White Rabbit, which is next to the BT theatre and just off Gloucester Green, is also quite nice for a warm summer’s evening, even though it has a view of the carpark.

They have a great selection of local beers on tap, their pizza is the best in Oxford and the bartenders are really sweet and chatty.

Across the alleyway is the Red Lion which has a huge beer garden but is really more of a gastropub than a drinker’s pub. They are usually fairly full but if you make a booking you could have lovely summer evening meal with your parents here.

Out of Town

Where to catch the game Wahoo (during the day) and Eurobar are devoted sports bars offering cheap drinks and coverage of all major sporting events on wide screens and projectors. If you’re looking for somewhere slightly more genteel, Jude the Obscure in Jericho is always a good time, even if it is a bit of a trek and there are lots of old people. All three have Sky Sports and BT sports , and they may serve as a lifeline if your college bar is yet to make the move to BT Sport!

Being the upper middle class haven that it is, Little Clarendon Street offers many great cocktail bars including the Duke of Cambridge, Angels, which can sometimes have some creepy old guys, Browns, which actually offers 2 cocktails for £10 during offnights and Freud’s, which is full of grumpy grad students but very good cocktails and it’s in an old church so at least you can look at the décor.

LJ’s on Walton Street is good for a fun night as well with its warm, cozy atmosphere and large selection of interesting drinks but avoid Raoul’s next door at all costs because it is expensive, and has horrible drinks, is crowded and you will probably run into your lecturer here.

Realistically though, if you are really keen on cocktails, join the Oxford Cocktail Society which you can sign up for at the fresher’s fair. This is a really fun way to get out of college and get to know people who you might otherwise not meet. It’s also a great way to learn about different cocktails and have some good chat.

If you have the money, there are also

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You may not always find yourself smack bang in the city center, but don’t worry there are plenty of great bars and pubs a bit further out of town: Bar Aroma, Kazbar, and The Cowley Retreat to name but a few. Have a walk around and you’re sure to find something to your liking. The Trout is always an end-of term favourite so if you’re thinking of taking your parents there, book ahead. If it’s full the White Hart which is a two minute drive away makes better food, and usually has space for a table of four but doesn’t have a beautiful view like The Trout.

In all honesty, there are hundreds of pubs in Oxford, but finding somewhere which you like is really a matter of trial and error so my major advice would be to try everything and don’t be a snob because otherwise you will miss out on some interesting, fun, experiences which you can go on about at length to your grandkids.

Where to eat Apart from reading, drinking, and studying, most of your life in Oxford will be spent in one, or several eating establishments. Make sure they’re good ones! Here are the top five places to go to quench your thirst or stuff your face in any situation.

With the Family

Quod: This High Street brasserie is the most popular place to take your parents. After weeks of drab college food, nothing can beat Quod’s Steak with Bearnaise Sauce and metrelong pizzas. It is perfect for lunch, dinner or afternoon tea and, if your parents are staying at the hotel, don’t miss the delicious breakfast buffet.

Ashmolean Dining Room: The perfect place to take your grandparents or more cultured relatives, the Ashmolean Dining Room is at the top of the Museum and accessed on Beaumont Street.

Take a walk through the exhibitions on your way to lunch, then enjoy fantastic views of the city while you eat.

Bills: Bills may be a chain, but it is still worth taking your parents.

The menu caters for all tastes and occasions, and brunch is served until one – perfect if you’re still suffering a post-Wahoo hangover when your family visits for Saturday lunch!

Turl St Kitchen: This wood-panelled restaurant on the famous Turl Street is always worth a visit. The menu changes daily and there are always some delicious options available. Turl Street Kitchen is also a fun place to go for breakfast – the boiled eggs with DIY toast are sex on legs (or toast).

The Trout: Always full of students, The Trout is an extremely popular out-of-town destination. If you’re feeling energetic, you could walk or cycle across Port Meadow to build up an appetite before a spoiling Sunday lunch. This is also a great place to go for a birthday meal – register online in advance for a free bottle of champagne!

renovated church with long wooden tables, magazines and a lovely lunchtime vibe, this is the perfect place to meet friends for a quick bite.

Georgina’s: Tucked away in the Covered Market, this colourful café is a great spot for a girls’ lunch. Their quiches, bagels and quesadillas are always popular, and you can’t go wrong with the salad bowl if you want to be healthy.

Georgina’s is very small though, so be prepared to wait a bit if you’re in a big group.

For a Date

(in ascending order of £££) G ‘n’ Ds: If you’re hoping to keep things casual, head to G’n’ Ds for a ice cream date which is romantic but fairly low key.

With three different branches around Oxford, G ‘n’Ds is convenient for everyone; perfect for an inter-college romance.

Don’t miss out on the Daim bar ice cream.

House: If you prefer to woo your admirers over cocktails rather than dinner, House is the place for you. Drinks aren’t cheap but the vibe is very cool – perfect if you’re hoping to impress someone new.

Kaz Bar: This sexy tapas bar is perfect for a date: its dark lighting, cosy booths and plentiful cocktail menu create the perfect romantic atmosphere. Share some Spanish dishes while locking eyes over a jug of sangria. And If you’re counting your pennies, don’t miss out on their 2 for 1 Happy Hour.

Pierre Victoire: Pierre Victoire is always a popular Valentine’s Day choice. The menu is stereotypically French, the food is delicious and the atmosphere is charming. Pretend you’re on a romantic trip to Paris, as you eat your moules marinères and escargots.

Gees: If you are celebrating something special, head to Gees

Cheap Lunch

Alpha Bar: This small shop in the Covered Market is perfect for a cheap, healthy lunch. For under £4 you can get a pretty sizeable salad box, which you can fill with various combinations of salads and toppings. Get there early though to avoid the massive queues that snake around the shop every lunchtime.

Alternative Tuck Shop: Another popular lunchtime haunt, the Alternative Tuck Shop is a great place to go for a baguette and a slice of traybake after your morning lectures. Again, watch out for the queues – it can get extremely busy, but is definitely worth the wait.

Taylors’: Dotted all over the city, the Taylors’ delis offer a huge range of sandwich fillings at extremely reasonable prices. They also have daily specials, such as warming hot-pots and soups, which are great in the winter months. Another tip – if you buy any hot drink after 2pm, you get a free cookie!

The Vaults: Conveniently located right next to the Rad Cam, the Vaults is a great choice when you need a break from the library. A

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Eliza Plowden Queens French & Spanish

for a romantic evening. This greenhoused brasserie is situated a little further out of town, and so is perfect for occasions when you don’t fancy bumping into friends.

Coffee & Cake

The Missing Bean: If you need a break from a long afternoon in the library, head to The Missing Bean for a catch up with friends over coffee and cake.

This cosy café is always rammed with students – the perfect place for a spot of people watching when you’re trying to put off going back to the Rad Cam. The Rose Café:This cute little café is lovely for a casual coffee date or a girls’ afternoon tea. They serve delicious breakfasts and lunches, but it is best to go for scones and jam and a pot of Earl Grey.

Randolph: Afternoon Tea at the Randolph lives up to its illustrious reputation. The perfect place to go if your parents want to treat you when they visit, this famous hotel serves delicious scones and cakes in their classic dining room.

Grand Café: Said to be the first coffee house in Britain, the Grand Café is an impressive place to go for High Tea, or even for delicious cocktails in the evening. Definitely worth visiting at some point in your Oxford career.

The Old Parsonage: Another restaurant in the same branch as Quod and Gees, the Old Parsonage has just had a huge re-vamp. This stylish brasserie offers various options for afternoon tea, ranging from the classic scones with jam to the celebratory ‘Very High Tea’. The outdoor seating area is lovely on a sunny day, while the restaurant is warmed by log fires when it’s cold outside.

Fast Food

Mission Burrito: This is a great place to go when you’re feeling hungover; the enormous burritos will soak up any leftover alcohol in your body. You choose your wrap, then select the fillings and toppings you fancy – the burritos are so big that you may even want to save half for dinner! For those of you with massive appetites, why not try the Mission Burrito Challenge and get a free t-shirt if you can conquer three whole burritos.

Atomic Burger: Situated on the Cowley Road, this burger joint is famous for the huge range of options. As at Mission Burrito, those who complete the Atomic Burger Challenge will be respected for life.

Wagamama: Wagamama will always be a fast food favourite. The restaurant is always buzzing, and is a great place to go for a catch up with friends at other colleges or to take a new admirer for a casual date. They even offer take-aways now, so you don’t even have to bother queuing for a table if you’re in a rush.

Itsu: The arrival of Itsu in January has revolutionised the Oxford fast food experience. This Cornmarket restaurant is always full of sushi lovers, although there are also various meat and noodle ‘potsus’ on offer if you fancy something more filling. Eat in or take away, Itsu is great for a healthy lunch or dinner when you don’t feel like college food.

Il Principe: It may serve Fast Food, but Il Principe remains a classy establishment. This tiny family-run deli on the Cowley road offers delicious, authentic Italian pizzas, and will even deliver to your college if you’re feeling lazy; much better than Pizza Express! It is also worth stocking up on some freshcheese and vegetables from the counters while you’re waiting.

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Best of...

Jericho J

ericho, home to the world-famous Oxford University Press, was the area of Oxford outside the city walls where travellers could find rest once the city gates had closed; today it is a vibrant bohemian hub, bustling with students and townsfolk alike, who come for some of the best pubs, bars, cafés and restaurants in Oxford. The area was named after The Jericho Tavern, originally the Jericho House, a place which in the Bible signified somewhere remote and distant, in this case, outside the Oxford city walls. Today, you can relax in the pub and beer garden which serves real ales and traditional pub food, with live music on Famous Blues Mondays. Jericho pubs in general are worth visiting; they all have welcoming yet distinctive atmospheres. The Old Bookbinders Ale House on Victor Street is cosy and comfortable, the spacious Jude the Obscure on Walton Street broadcasts all major sporting events, and the delicious hot meat or veggie pies at The Victoria just down the road deserve special mention. Try as many pubs as possible to

I

f you ever start to tire of the conventional college-dominated streets of central Oxford and yearn for somewhere more “hip” and “trendy” to explore, look no further than the Cowley Road.

decide your favourite.

If pubs aren’t really your style, then try one of the many cocktail bars in the area.

Angels on Little Clarendon Street offers Happy Hour prices 24/7 for students, serving up refreshingly delicious cocktails like Passionate Champagne and Large Hadron Colada. Further down the road is The Duke of Cambridge, offering the same menu as House bar in central Oxford as well as classic mixes and inventive combinations, such as the Big Mac (yes, it does resemble its burger namesake in flavour). Raoul’s on Walton Street is famed for its wacky 60s atmosphere and excellent mixology, with drinks that

Take the second exit at the Magdalen Roundabout at the bottom of the High Street and you’ll be transported into a multicultural mosaic, a world away from Formal Hall and Park End. The Cowley Road is chocabloc with independent restaurants offering food from around the world. For cheap Spanish tapas and flamboyant flamenco dancing head to Kazbar, near the roundabout; pay a visit to Le Kesh for delicious Lebanese falafel; the twin restaurants, Atomic Burger and Atomic Pizza, one at each end of the road, serve up huge portions in kitschy surrounds of popculture deco. And of course, if you want curry that you’d rather consume not on a crewdate, there’s endless choice: try Yeti, which offers

Emilia Carslaw Jesus Classics

Gayatri Gogoi Worcester Classics

burst with fresh fruit and quality liquors.

Foodie types will also love the restaurants cafes and delis Jericho has to offer. Pierre Victoire is a family-run French restaurant, serving up dishes such as crispy confit de canard, creamy moules Marinières and traditional steak frites. The Sunday lunch there is superb, perfect for when your parents visit at the weekend, and Lunch and Pre-Theatre Set menus, while more limited, mean you can enjoy the delicious food even on a student budget. For an Italian-inspired menu Branca offers a restaurant and deli where you can pick up well-prepared lunches, artisanal sandwiches and the occasional gourmet snack, such as goose rillettes and pancetta. Perhaps less refined but no less delicious, nearby Posh Fish offers the great British classic fish and chips in generous portions, to eat in or take away.

If it’s a casual treat you’re after, G and D’s on Little Clarendon Street is one of three of the beloved ice cream café chain in Oxford.

Indulge in delicious pizza bagels, ice cream waffle sundaes with hot chocolate fudge sauce and fresh coffee until midnight.

Jericho has more to offer than just food and drink though; Phoenix Picturehouse is a historic cinema, which screens movies from popular blockbusters to independent and foreign films.

Jericho has all this to offer and more so make sure after you recover from Fresher’s Week you make time to explore this fantastic area of Oxford.

Cowley

tasty Nepalese food at modest prices.

For hipster shopaholics, the Cowley Road boasts an enormous variety of charity and vintage shops: student favourites are Barnardo’s, where you’ll often find designer labels hidden away, and Reign, which has a superb sale room so you can find that perfect pair of paisley pantaloons.

You can experience an evening’s entertainment on Jeune Street at the Ultimate Picture Palace, which shows an eclectic mix of indie and foreign films. The buzzing 02 Arena hosts gigs for bands both upcoming and established, and is also home to the weekly Switch nights anchored by world-famous DJs and producers. If you don’t pass muster for David Cameron’s Bullingdon Club, you’ll find solace at the other Bullingdon, now known as Art Bar, frequented by bucket-hatted wavey garmwearers busting shapes in their Nike Air Max to big room techno house.

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0410

The experience stays with you

Jacob, Sarah, Harry and Helena at our Talent Academy in the Chiltern countryside

Talent academy Women in business Summer internship Undergraduate placement Graduate placement Voted employer of choice by students in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers survey for eleven years running.

Internship and work experience opportunities with the UK’s number one graduate employer Give us a little of your time and we’ll give you the opportunity to discover what a career with PwC is all about. See how our different business areas work together; network with our people – including senior partners – who’ll give you an incredible insight into our culture. Jacob, Sarah, Harry our talent academy.

Now they’re hoping to return next summer on an internship in one of our women in business programme, summer internship, undergraduate offer with us.

Join PwC – we’re focused on helping you reach your full potential.

Take the opportunity of a lifetime www.pwc.com/uk/careers www.facebook.com/PwCCareersUK © 2014 PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. All rights reserved.

041050_294x210_Oxford Uni.indd 1

Diverse people make us stronger

29/07/2014 14:12

Thomas Caton Harrison Hertford Geography

Sports

Tom Carver Trinity Philosophy and Theology

Diary Dates

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W

hen it comes to sport, Oxford has a breadth that is almost unparalleled in any British university – from korfball to octopush, we have pretty much every sport you’ve ever heard of, and a lot that you haven’t. And if we don’t have your sport,

from korfball to octopush, we have pretty much every sport you’ve ever heard of, and a lot that you haven’t.

you can set up a team yourself! If it’s got a name, the odds are someone here plays itso whatever your sporting preference, there is no excuse not to get out there and get involved. If you’re a world class athlete or perhaps a bit more relaxed about the whole sporting thing, there is a league level or a sport to fit you.

College sport falls loosely under the general term ‘cuppers’, which as you’ve probably been told is just a generic term for ‘any competitive event between colleges’.

While many colleges have long established teams (most colleges form rugby, football and netball teams among others), it is more

than easy to just get a group of your friends together and enter a college league. But be warned - whilst some leagues are quite informal and are a chance to get a good runabout with your pals, some top tier leagues are much more competitive, with the best teams nearing University standard. If you love your sport, but don’t want to put a huge time commitment into playing for Oxford, cuppers is ideal. Smaller colleges tend to team up to play in leagues, which is a great way to meet people from other colleges too.

University sport is another matter – 87 clubs represent the University in leagues up and down the country. Fixtures are usually played on a Wednesday, and the training schedules can be taxing when you’ve got two essays and a problem sheet each week.

The main event for any University team is the Varsity match – the annual fixture against bitter rivals Cambridge (The Tabs), where participants have a chance to earn themselves a Blue, the highest sporting recognition the University offers.

If you think the rivalry is all for show, or is just some tradition that’s hung around from the early 1800s, think again.

The larger sports draw crowds in the thousands, and the student athletes literally train for a whole year for one event – on and off pitch the atmosphere is one of a local derby, except this one has been going since 1827.

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here’s far too much going on to fit in one article, but here are some of the best and the most unique events that will be taking place during your Fresher year: Rugby Varsity (December) – known just as ‘The Varsity Match’, this match is played at Twickenham, drawing crowds of up to 30,000. The teams often include ex-professionals or internationals, and the event is a real showcase for the high level of rugby that is played at Oxford. This year the Dark Blues are led by Jacob Taylor – former Vice-Captain of the Australian 7’s team.

Lacrosse Cuppers (League – Michaelmas Term) - often thought of in the UK as strictly a girls’ sport, Oxford boasts one of the largest mixed lacrosse events in the world in the winter term. Commonly described as being ‘hockey at head height’, the league is a good chance to try out a new sport – if you enjoy yourself, they host a 1 day event in the summer as well.

The Boat Race (April) - former Olympians and stars of the rowing world compete on the Thames in the oldest amateur rowing fixture in the world. Your rowing mates will get all excited when Oxford goes above 42 strokes a minute, and the commentators give you facts and figures for a full 18 minutes (“every member of The Boat Race crews trains for approximately two hours for every stroke in The Race”), but it’s a great event and a must watch for any Oxford student.

Croquet Cuppers (Trinity Term) – regularly drawing over 2000 competitors a year, this is the largest sporting event in Oxford. With champagne and prize money if you win enough matches, this 9-round tournament is more serious than you might at first think, and also a great chance to live out a stereotype.

Summer VIIIs (Trinity Term – 5/6th Week) – the highlight of the rowing calendar in Oxford, arguably eclipsing the Boat Race just through mere participation size.

Hundreds of (mostly complete novice) rowers put themselves in boats and try to hit each other (yes, as in, actually try to crash their boats together), in a competition that lasts 5 days. Large crowds, Pimms, usually great weather, and some top class rowing (from the top divisions) make it unmissable.

Alternative Ice Hockey

Entrepreneurs Soc

A

LTS is Oxford University’s alternative ice hockey club. We play a mixed, noncontact form of ice hockey aimed at beginners to intermediates. Everyone is welcome - you don’t need any experience in hockey or skating as you’ll pick it up quicker than you think (the stick really helps for balance!).

We run sessions every Wednesday and Friday night during term time and they are the perfect opportunity to get away from your essays and have a great time meeting people from other colleges. Sessions start around midnight and we play an informal tournament with teams of six or seven that are formed at the start of each night, so you can either come with a group of friends and make your own team or just turn up separately and we’ll make sure you find one.

There is no need to wear padding- in fact you don’t need to bring anything at all. We provide the pucks and sticks as well as gloves and a helmet for when you’re in goal, and skates can be hired for a pound from the rink.

With all this fun squeezed into a no experience, equipment or commitment required package (though we’re sure you’ll be back), ALTS is a great alternative to a night at the clubs. Please do come along if you’d like to give something new a try - we promise you’ll have a fantastic time!

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re you innovative, curious, ambitious, spirited? Do you want to network with some of the world’s most successful business leaders? Are you looking to be inspired by top speakers such as Sir Alan Sugar, partake in motivating workshops and make connections with like-minded students? If you answered yes to any of these, Oxford Entrepreneurs welcomes you.

We are the largest student society promoting entrepreneurship in the world, not to mention the largest at Oxford University.

With over 7,000 members, our network is extensive and diverse. Joining the OE community allows you unparalleled access to this huge group of enterprising individuals. And if you already consider yourself an entrepreneur, you can expect an enormous web of support, advice and connections - all you need to develop your ideas and allow your project to flourish. Get connected, get inspired, get started. Join Oxford Entrepreneurs.

Comedy

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Quiddich

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et’s clear one thing up right now – no, we cannot fly.

But the sport is actually remarkably similar to the game from Harry Potter. Each team has seven players on the pitch, each carrying a broom between their legs: 3 chasers and a keeper (who play similar to rugby), 2 beaters (who play similar to dodgeball), and a seeker, who tries to catch the snitch.

Sounds silly? Well, the sport is very much fullcontact. It’s also impressively inclusive, open to anyone of any gender, including those who do not conform to the gender binary.

The rules also state that a maximum of four players of any one gender can be on-pitch for each team at any one time.

Quidditch is one of the most welcoming communities out there. I feel proud to be able to call my teammates some of my best friends and I guarantee that if you come along to a couple of practices yourself, you’ll be hooked too.

Oxford is at the top of the quidditch world, with the first team, the Radcliffe Chimeras, being the current British and Irish Champions as well as the current European Champions.

Our second team, the Quidlings, allows people to enjoy this incredible sport no matter what their level of ability or commitment.

We practice every Wednesday at 2pm and Saturday at 12pm in University Parks – newcomers are very much welcome.

Whatever your preconceptions are of the sport, come along and give it a go – nobody leaves disappointed.

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he history of British comedy since the war has witnessed hugely valuable contributions from former Oxford undergraduates, with luminaries ranging from Dudley Moore and Alan Bennett to Michael Palin and Terry Jones, from Stewart Lee and Richard Herring to Rowan Atkinson and Alan Murray and many others besides. Most of these comedians first found their comedy feet in ‘revue’-style college comedy, and this tradition continues in the form of The Oxford Revue, the established university-wide sketch comedy society which has successfully put on both one-off nights and week-long runs in Oxford, around the country and at the Edinburgh Festival for decades. The Revue’s comedy output is best found every other Tuesday night at the ‘Audrey’ comedy nights above The Wheatsheaf Pub, High Street.

Some of the most exciting comedian alumni have in fact entered the world of comedy via The Oxford Imps, now widely recognised not only as the UK’s best improvised comedy student troupe but in the professional sphere as well, with successful contemporary alumni including Ivo Graham, Rachel Parris, Joseph Morpurgo among others. If there’s one place in Oxford to find regular highcalibre, multi-dimensional and extremely funny comedy, it’s every term-time Monday night above The Wheatsheaf, where the Imps have held residency stretching back to 2004.

Although finding regular comedy every night of the week can be difficult in Oxford, when one does stumble into a standup, sketch or improvised evening, the quality is often extremely high.

Joe Cridge Keble Physics

Tallulah Le Merle Christ Church Geography

Jack Lennard Keble Arch & Anth

Alex Fox Keble History

Drama T

he drama scene can seem very imposing to new Oxonians. With up to five different productions happening each week during term, it is an incredibly exciting and fast-paced part of university life. Throughout the year students put on everything you can think of- it really is the perfect place to be creative. But starting out can be particularly daunting. My aim here is to write about the various roles in student theatre and film, and provide some email addresses of students experienced in each area. If you’d like to speak with me please do get in touch at james.lorenz@worc.ox.ac. uk.

Acting

Whether you’ve been acting since your preschool nativity play or you would like to start now, Oxford is the place for you.

Dozens of auditions take place every week for all kinds of shows, and every audition is open all undergraduates. You’ll find them advertised in the weekly Drama Newsletter (which is an essential email list subscription for anyone in Oxford drama). My advice would be to audition for everything you like the look of – especially if you think it will be a challenge; acting’s about getting out of your skin, so try and push yourself in every way. If you’re looking for some experienced advice about Oxford acting then Claire and Luke are great first points of call. You can reach them here claire.bowman@hertford. ox.ac.uk and here luke.rollason@mansfield. com

Directing

Directing is a wonderfully collaborative and creative job. In student drama it is often the director who comes up with an idea and then goes on to build a team and put on the show. It is a job which cannot be done in isolation. Every director has good ideas, and whilst it is a role requiring leadership and vision, a good director is someone who knows how to get the best out of their cast and crew so that they can make those ideas a reality. If you’d like to hear more about direction my experience is mostly there, but if you’re fed up of me by now,

James Lorenz Worcester Theology

Charlotte Fraser is contactable at charlotte. fraser@worc.ox.ac.uk

Producing

To newcomers producing can seem hard to define. What does a Producer actually do? The answer is quite a lot... Producers are masters of organisation. They’re the

audition for everything you like the look of – especially if you think it will be a challenge glue which keeps a crew together and the person who makes things happen for the show. Their most important relationship is probably with the Director, but they need to be very good at communicating with everybody from the theatre to the Stage Management team. If you want to get in to producing keep your eye out for opportunities advertised on that Drama Newsletter, and if you want some advice from someone doing a lot of producing already then get in touch with Jonathan at jonathan.oakman@merton.ox.ac.uk

Designing

Ever had an idea for a show which was built on the foundations of a really cool set?

Then you might be a born designer. Whilst directors will have a good idea of what they imagine their show looking like, the designer is the person who takes those ideas to the next level. Working closely with the PM (Production Manager) to make sure those ideas are a practical reality, Oxford’s designers have been responsible for some lavish scenery and spectacular sets.

Holly is going into her second year, and would be an excellent person to speak to about designing at holly.muir@worc. ox.ac.uk

Stage Management

Every production needs a great Stage Management team. It’s probably easiest to understand what everyone in stage management do by imagining what would happen if they didn’t exist... For starters, no props would ever be sourced, or turn up in the right place at the right time, no furniture would ever be found and no performance would ever be cued to start. The TAFF mailing list is the place where technical opportunities are advertised (lighting, sound, stage management) and is well worth a sign up. If you’re after some personal advice, both Helena and Verity are great people to speak to! Email them at helena.jackson@ oriel.ox.ac.uk and verity.hill@new.ox.ac.uk

Film

Oxford film is on the rise. About half the theatre productions going on have video trailers made for them, and that tends to be the first way to get involved in Oxford film.

Nonetheless, there are also a good number of short films being made every term, and the Oxford Film Fund (OFF) are a fantastic body for promoting them, organising film festivals throughout the year and advertising opportunities constantly.

Your best person to talk to about getting started in Oxford film is Alvin Yu, and you can email him at alvin.yu@lmh.ox.ac.uk

Everything Else

I was never going to be able to talk about everything in Oxford drama here, like Sound Design, Lighting Design, Musical Direction, Marketing and Production Managing, but if you’re interested in anything I’ve not covered email me and I’ll give you some pointers about how to get involved. If I was going to give you one overriding piece of advice it would be as simple as this; dive straight in and put yourself out of your comfort zone.

Music Illias Thoms Balliol History

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here is so much music at Oxford, from orchestras to rock bands via a cappella groups, but your first place to start will be your college.

Most colleges have a practise room, which you can book out so that you can practise without driving your neighbours insane. Lots of college also have their own musical groups including orchestras and bands; Hertford has an orchestra and a wind band! Most colleges also have choirs that sing regularly in the college chapel. Some of these are auditioning, others not, and they vary in intensity, style and commitment levels so it’s definitely worth finding out about a group before auditioning (this obviously goes for all musical groups). You can join musical groups and choirs from other colleges so even if you can’t find the right group for you in your own college, you can always audition for one elsewhere.

The Oxford University Music Society website, oums.org, will provide you with information on most of the musical groups in the university at both college level and university level.

Some of the big university groups include the OU Orchestra, OU Philharmonia and OU Jazz Orchestra. These are all auditioning but get to perform all over the place and even record CDs. In terms of singing outside of college, there’s a huge amount to pick from. The Oxford University Chorus is open to everyone and conducted by a student. If classical music isn’t your thing, then The Oxford Singers are a good place to start as are all the a cappella groups that now exist in Oxford. Oxford is pretty much the best university in the country for a cappella with groups including Out of the Blue (who were on Britain’s Got Talent a few years back and won the UK a cappella competition last year), The Oxford Gargoyles (who have reached the final of the Choir of the Year competition twice in the last three years), The Oxford Alternotives, In the Pink, The Oxford Belles and many more. All these groups are auditioning but it’s well worth putting in the effort to get in, with global tours, concerts, sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe show and CD recordings all part of the a cappella scene at Oxford.

The Jazz scene at Oxford is also vibrant with the Jazz Society regularly organising concerts and with jazz concerts taking place in venues all over the city.

Whilst there aren’t any large university level rock bands, there are plenty of opportunities to start your own band or join an existing one either through societies or just people you happen to meet in college. RockSoc, for example, offers members discounts to specialist club nights and gigs, and also has a directory of musicians in Oxford – so you can find what ever instrumentalist you’re after for your new group.

There is also the Oxford Indie Music Society, better known as IMSoc, which hosts a similar mix of live music and conversation as all the other music societies.

They’ve previously hosted Mumford & Sons and Noah and the Whale. Plus, they

organise the annual ‘Battle of the Bands’ competition.

A recent addition to the Oxford music scene has been Deep Cover. Started in May 2013, it has quickly become the most popular Hip-Hop/RnB/Garage underground club night organiser.

Hopefully this has showed you just how much music there as at Oxford to get stuck in to as well as how varied it all is. Whatever you want to do, at whatever level and intensity, chances are that Oxford has the group for you.

Charity O

xford has a history like no other in striving to decrease the amount of suffering in the world. There is little need to mention the great Oxfam. We might also look to growing organisations such as Giving What We Can which is changing global attitudes to giving, and which not only has a strong Oxford sect but was founded by one of our philosophers. There is much to be proud of, but also much to do.

You might not know your exact academic timetable just yet, but every student has time for some charity commitment. If organising fundraising isn’t your thing, huge numbers of charities are looking for boots-on-theground volunteers to make food, teach, or just talk to people, in addition to committee members. There is something to suits everyone.

The core of giving within the university is OUSU’s RAG (Raise and Give) campaign.

Charities are selected yearly by an online vote; you could champion an organisation for this or get involved with one of their huge variety of fund-raising events - from RAG Ball in Michaelmas to sky diving in Trinity. Their activities are supported by college JCR charities reps, elected yearly, who run fund-raising and awareness events in college. Your college rep will happily

21

Oli Davies Worcester Classics

answer your queries and elaborate on the role for anyone wanting to run for the position in the next election.

The second centre is the Oxford Hub, physically stationed above the Turl Street Kitchen, where volunteering opportunities are advertised. Within Oxford charities tackling homelessness such as Crisis Skylight or Oxford Homeless Pathways are always welcoming of an hour of your time. Other Oxford organisations include Schools Plus (teaching in disadvantaged schools) and Food Justice (does exactly what it says on the tin); every Oxford student should pay a visit to the Hub as soon as they possibly can to look at what is available and subscribe to the mailing list.

Charities that work outside of Oxford (such as Giving What We Can or Oxfam) tend to have a committee in the university, and these are often best located through at Freshers’ Fair or the Oxford Hub and can usually be found online and on facebook.

Finally, there are a growing number of Oxford organisations that work outside the city. Oxford Burma Alliance, for instance, provides a platform for our students to get involved with issues of human rights and welfare in Burma, and there is a wealth of other schemes, best found through the hub.

Union

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here are several useful ways to spend £213: you could buy half of your reading list, 1,065 Freddos or a Bridge VIP table for a night. Despite the value of these three expenditures it is much more worthwhile to join the Oxford Union. Yes, it is an expensive investment compared to other societies, but undoubtedly an excellent one.

In just one term you can hear Billy Joel perform an acoustic session, listen to Hamid Karzai discuss the future of Afghanistan, and ask Sepp Blatter the critical question ‘Messi or Ronaldo?’. At no other society is there the opportunity to hear stories from world-class athletes about their stellar careers during the afternoon and then quiz world leaders about international politics in the evening.

The Union is first and foremost a debating society, with the weekly debates remaining the highlight of each term. I clearly remember the first debate I went to in the first week of Michaelmas being the yearly debate ‘This House has No Confidence in his Majesty’s

Stuart Webber Somerville English

Government’, seeing current and former Secretaries of State as well as expert journalists heatedly debate key political policies in front of a packed chamber, before being quizzed on their arguments by students. After a year of being an Oxford student, I have found that the Union is able to offer unrivalled access to some of the world’s best debaters as they attempt to persuade a packed room of students while skilfully undermining the arguments of their opposition. As clichéd as it sounds, it is easy to see how some of the world’s greatest leaders have learnt their trade in the Union’s chamber, both from the debaters’ benches and the audience.

What makes the Union different to other societies is that it offers such a wide variety of events, and there will always be at least a few speakers that you are genuinely excited to see each term. On top of this, members have access to the cheap Union bar, fullsize snooker tables, reduced-price socials and free access to the student’s and local’s favourite nightclub Purple Turtle. The Union library has become an increasingly popular and regularly-used service by our members as the book selection is updated to meet the needs of modern Oxford students, and the building itself is widely held to be one of the most beautiful places to work. As the year goes on and the college and faculty libraries’ shelves become emptier, I found myself using the Union library more and more to save me from dreaded essay crises.

As with any society, there are of course downsides. The reputation of the Union’s elections precede any ‘hack’ that wants to run, but in my experience this is often unfair. Despite what the Daily Mail might

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There are several useful ways to spend £213: you could buy half of your reading list, 1065 Freddos or a Bridge VIP table for a night. Despite the value of these three expenditures, it is much more worthwhile to join the Oxford Union. say, not everyone who gets involved in the Union is desperate for a political career: I was just as excited to meet Jerry Springer as I was John Bercow.

There are a plenty of opportunities for members to get more involved with the running of the society. Elections are held every term for the elected committee, often proving to be very popular with a number of people always keen to run.

Being on committee is a hugely rewarding experience; a role that includes planning the debates, speaking events and socials for the following term. Aside from the elected committee, there are a number of termly positions appointed by the President to cover a wide variety of responsibilities, ranging from access projects to logistics.

Drinks events to meet famous speakers are popular with members, and the Union also has a strong debating team that competes internationally, holding regular workshops where people can perfect their public speaking skills with experienced competitors. In short, there are a host of opportunities to be taken advantage of.

The Union is definitely something that becomes whatever you make it. Whether you go to a couple of events a week, run for committee, or simply take advantage of the member’s discounts around Oxford, you are sure to make your money back sooner rather than later. And we all know that 20p for a Freddo is a rip off.

The world’s most famous speech & debating society

the OXFORD UNION Free DVD Rental and 10% membership discount if you join before Thursday 23rd October

Student Journa April Peake LMH English

Y

ou’ve received your acceptance letter and bought your gown, but now this is truly it: you’re starting life at your very own Hogwarts! Now I’m sure that Harry Potter fans didn’t daydream about being the Rita Skeeter of the bunch—but student journalism is a sure-fire way of getting a totally unique student experience. I’m really not exaggerating—three weeks into my time here I was interviewing Ian Hislop and Kristin Davis! Not only does student journalism look great on your CV but it’s also a way to meet people across the university. And whether you’re interested in writing for News, Opinion or reviews, broadcast or radio journalism, illustrating or photography, there’s a publication for you.

Cherwell is the university’s independent student newspaper; founded in 1920, it can boast the likes of W. H. Auden, Evelyn Waugh and Rupert Murdoch as its alumni. Generally, Cherwell is seen as the newspaper that takes itself the most seriously because of its strong investigative news team—but it still has popular lighthearted features like Fit College and Blind Date. Cherwell is definitely the most technically innovative publication; complementing its print issues is an award winning website, an established Broadcasting section, a number of online podcasts and even mobile apps for Android and iOs. So if you’re interested in up-andcoming digital journalism then this is the one for you.

The Oxford Student was founded in 1992 and is funded by OUSU; because of this their offices are crammed with MacBooks—courting the eternal envy of Cherwell. Hackdaqs, the OxStu’s gossip column, is well read by Oxford students and the publication also prides itself on hard-hitting news stories, profile interviews and continually out-sconcing Cherwell at the termly crew date. For all intents of purposes Cherwell and the OxStu are very similar—but if you don’t fancy tackling Adobe InDesign (which is basically Microsoft Publisher on steroids) then the OxStu is the better choice. Most Cherwellians help physically produce the paper, whereas the honour of using this frustrating little program is reserved for the OxStu Editors and Deputy Editors.

Of course, there’s also The Oxford Tab, an online-only student publication

that features more tabloidesque articles and national student stories. The Tab are probably best known for their shocking student investigations and Buzzfeedy features—but the publication also has a strong and growing News section. One thing’s for sure: The Tab know how to party; it’s rumoured that their annual summer party wracks up a four digit bar tab!

OSPL, the student-run publishing company behind Cherwell and this very freshers’ guide also produces a number of magazines that interest you depending on which stereotype you identify with: If you’re creative and oh so indie then you tick all the boxes for ISIS Magazine.

Established in 1892, ISIS is the longest running independent student run magazine; its alumni includes Nigella Lawson and Sylvia Plath. ISIS is well known for its club nights, speaker events and Spoken Word nights. The magazine and its website showcases fiction, poetry, photography and essays on wacky and wonderful or powerful political topics. So if you happen to be an expert on recreational drugs in the French Renaissance or know an exiled eastern princess then you could be their newest recruit.

If you’re fabulous and glamorous then Industry Fashion Magazine is the publication for you. Industry is comprised of Fashion articles, photo shoots and a broadcasting section. It has become renowned for its themed Speakeasy nights at Frevd’s in Jericho, which simply ooze sophistication from its themes to its cocktails.

Well... I guess you don’t have to be a mad scientist person to like Bang! Science

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Magazine—but if you’re a fan of science and can appreciate pretty graphics then this publication will be just your cup of tea.

Its themes range from Modern Medicine to Music and beyond, and offers a variety of opportunities for staff members— contributors can write articles or news stories, blog for the website, produce podcasts or illustrate the magazine.

Oxford sure has a host of journalistic opportunities—too many to fit onto one page! For instance there’s also The Oxymoron, a satirical newspaper with wonderful headlines such as ‘Miliband to “toughen up” image by just punching people’. Like ISIS, Vulture Magazine deals with poetry, art, short stories, photography and the like. Many societies also produce termly publications such as the International Relations Society’s global affairs zine, SIR, and the Labour Club’s pamphlet, Look Left. The list goes on...

student journalism is a sure-fire way of getting a totally unique student experience

nalism

alt ern a t i v e s

...So if none of the aforementioned publications pique your interest then don’t you worry! There are plenty of other avenues through which you can submit articles or take part in open discussion about issues affecting Oxford students.

Cuntry Living is a cut and stick zine produced termly in print and electronic formats. The magazine exists to discuss the problems women face in society, from socio-economic discrimination to sexual abuse. Anyone can write for the zine or help produce it regardless of gender, sexuality, race or class. In its Declaration it outlines that ‘To live as a cunt’ you must identify as a feminist, object to and speak against female oppression, accept that gender is a social construction and support the diversity of sexuality. Access it only at cuntrylivingmagazine.tumblr.com.

Cuntry Living regularly holds events in Oxford that you can keep up to date with through Facebook. If you don’t fancy writing an article for the magazine but want to get involved then keep your eyes peeled for the cut and stick sessions where you can help physically produce it. Other events include the launch picnics where students can pick up copies of the zine, films nights held in conjunction with the Magdalen Film Society, panel discussions, speaking voice events and club nights.

Profits from events are generally donated to good causes such as the Oxford Sexual Assault and Rape Crisis Centre.

There is also a Cuntry Living Facebook group that has just under 4,000 members.

The purpose of the page is to provide a safe space for the discussion of feminist issues that anyone can join and contribute to. The administrators of the group ensure that the group is not abused either by Internet trolls or those behaving insensitively.

Though the group is used as a forum to share personal stories of misogyny or to discuss events in the Oxford community, it is most commonly used to share Internet resources that engage with issues such as sexism, rape, consent and discrimination.

Posts often come with ‘trigger warnings’ to ensure that the space remains safe for those who may respond in a damaging way to the content that is being shared.

Whether you want to play an active role in feminist discussions or take a back seat and look on, Cuntry Living will be invaluable to you.

Likewise, NoHeterOx** exists as both a zine and a discussion forum on Facebook. In its manifesto it states that it embraces ‘the radical open-endedness of the dialogues, debates and interventions we hope to provoke’ and wishes to represent ‘the diversity of queer and trans* voices, in particular those who are erased in mainstream gay rights discourse’. Again, all are welcome to contribute to the zine

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To live as a ‘cunt’ you must identify as a feminist, object to and speak against female oppression, accept that gender is a social construction and support the diversity of sexuality or the discussions on Facebook regardless of sexuality or gender identity. The publication encourages submissions in a variety of media and formats ranging from art to poetry to articles and essays. Read the zine online at noheterox.tumblr.com.

Skin Deep is an online race forum and zine, created to provide a platform for ethnic voices that are underrepresented in the Oxford community. It is run in a similar way to Cuntry Living and NoHeterOx**— every member can share experiences on the group, or pose questions and share resources to promote the discussion of race, racial representation and racial identity. As such, its manifesto states that Skin Deep seeks ‘to cultivate a space where different experiences of race can be shared, retold and examined. Skin Deep zine recognises the value of heritage, tastes, styles, stories, traditions, imaginations and cultures that are not often given room in mainstream white spaces.’

Sufficient funds were raised in the Long Vac to produce a print edition of Skin Deep.

This publication is Oxford’s only current magazine about racial issues—so get in touch with the organisers if you want to contribute.

Oxford’s student journalism scene is broad, diverse and—as Skin Deep has demonstrated—ever-expanding. So if you haven’t found the right publication for you after reading this then you know what you should do: go out and create it yourself.

Which Oxford society should I join?

Do you desire power above all else?

Yes

Do you enjoy free food/booze

Y

N

Can you cope with public speaking?

N Do you wish to make the world a better place?

No

N

Can you cope with being hated?

Do you prefer chaos over order?

N

N

Y

Y

Y Do you enjoy a good curry?

N

Are you the creative type?

Y

Y Are you set upon a high flying career?

Y

Y

OUCA/OULC Labour or Tory, you stand up for what you bnelieve in, and that is to be commended. Or perhaps not. Maybe you just crave power for its own sake.

Expect a lot of time making speaches and bashing ‘the other lot’.

Is there a world outside college?

N

N

N

JCR Committee College equivalent of the ‘village green preservation society’. You’re a do-gooder who gets stuff done, be it sending cake to stressed finalists or putting on bi-termly bops.

Y

Are you more of a thinker than a doer?

Y

Y

Music Group String orchestra or jazz band, you’re a creative soul, whose interests lie not in the hurly-burly world of college sports or politics but rather in giving people a good time at a concert or college ball.

Are you more of a lover than a fighter?

N

N

College Sport Team You’d fight and die for your college, be it on the football field, tthe river or the croquet pitch. You like to relax over a curry and a few sconces in Arzoo.

Work/Play is everything. They will constantly complain about the unfair levels of work they are given, and yet spend all their time doing it. The important thing to remember is that you have a choice: if you don’t do one or two essays, it is not the end of the world.

I personally submitted late, rushed, and sub-standard work throughout my first year, missing several classes thanks to oversleeping and hangovers. It got to the point where I was reliant on the girl down the corridor knocking on my door to wake me up before tutorials.

The result of my general slacking and laziness in first year was that when it came to revise for Mods (which came for me halfway through second year, ravenous and snarling), I found that I was woefully behind. Thus a term-long project of boring, endless work was required to catch up. For some people, leaving all the work until the last minute sounds like a terrible idea. For me, it worked, and I got a 2.1.

I guess what I’m trying to say is: despite what your tutors will try and tell you, there is not a one-size-fits-all work plan. Some people will function much better by doing enough work every day that they stay with the pack; some people will be fine if they relax, let everyone else go on ahead and then catch up at their own pace; some people will even benefit most from starting at an all-out sprint and then continuing in that manner indefinitely.

What is important is to find the way that works for you.

University is a time for self-discovery, so go do that. Spend the first couple of weeks figuring out what it is that you enjoy doing the most in Oxford – trust me, there is no end of fun to be had if you are creative in where you look – then give the work thing a go. Write a few essays that you’re genuinely proud of. Read every book on one week’s reading list. If you treat your first (and possibly second) term as a time for experimentation, you can’t go wrong.

One specific thing I would suggest is to break the Oxford bubble. Once a week, or as often as you can, go somewhere that isn’t central Oxford (even if it’s just a stroll through Port Meadow). It can really help clear the air, cut through the bullshit, and relax your mind.

Ultimately, it is important to remember that your university work is just one part of your new life in Oxford. You are a resident of the town, not the university. Your gown does not define you, unless you want it to.

Luke Barratt Somerville Classics

W

elcome to Oxford University. In the next few weeks, you will doubtless be told a variety of repeated and tired platitudes, including the well-worn: “Socialize, sleep, study: you can only do two.”

It is easy for some students, especially in their first year, to find it hard figuring out the appropriate balance between work and play.

The longest summer of your lives has just finished, and you’re no longer at school, so realizing to where the goalposts have shifted is important.

Once that first piece of work hits your inbox like a freight train, the panic might start to set in. You head straight to the library and start frantically reading up on whatever subject you’re suddenly expected to understand, terrified that your tutor will realize from day one that you’re secretly a failure and not cut out for university life.

You could do this, or you could just take it easy; realize that you’re not expected to be Stephen Hawking already and give yourself a break. At this university, there are countless people for whom work

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27

Surviving Tutes

Alex Stronell Hertford History

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he most important thing to remember about tutorials is that the worst thing that can really happen is that you look like a bit of an idiot in front of your tutor - or worse, your tute partner.

Tutorials vary significantly in style across subjects, but the most important variable to bear in mind will always be the approach of the tutor, which can vary wildly. Some will simply talk at you; from these tutors you can expect the easiest tutorials, for all is required to pull through is a wide-eyed smile, and an enthusiastic nod. They probably won’t ask you questions, but they’re not all that good when it comes to your own academic development, either.

Most tutors will be blunt, but in a kind way. Thankfully, these are probably the most helpful type of tutor; they’ll set you on the right path, they’ll tell you what you’re doing wrong, and - bringing me on to my next point - they won’t leave you feeling downtrodden and demoralised.

A few tutors can be real tyrants; this variety insist upon tearing down your entire essay argument based on the most pedantic point possible, calling you out on

Labs Marianne Clemence Hertford Biology

D

ressed in a lab coat that smells like dissected squid, handling chemicals that trigger flashbacks to last night’s tequila, you have a finite number of hours to follow confusing instructions and somehow get results at the end - or get them from someone else because your purification inexplicably failed. Here are some tips to get through labs without losing your sanity.

The most important thing for survival is your lab partner. Avoid anyone who looks like they might break down at the mere thought of turning on a Bunsen burner.

Equally, don’t pair with someone too competent, to avoid feelings of inadequacy.

typos in your footnotes, and in general you can expect to leave their tutorials feeling intellectually demoralised. In some cases they might even ignite a very deep loathing of that topic.

My most important piece of advice to you, therefore, is to figure out into which category your tutor falls. If you have a ‘talk at you’ tutor, you’re probably in for an easy term. Head down to the bar now, and go and join every society that takes your fancy. If you have a ‘blunt’ tutor, you’ll have a pretty decent term, with plenty of time to socialise, but you’ll also find it intellectually stimulating. If you have a ‘tyrant’, well, I’m sorry; there’s very little that can be done for you. Just don’t give up completely, because you don’t want to be called out on a shabby end-of-term report in your Principal’s Collections.

Another important thing to prepare yourself for are the dreaded tute partners.

The thing about tute partners is that you can never win; they will either make you feel very stupid or very mean. That is, either you will find that your tute partner has somehow managed to get to grips with the intricacies of every author on the reading list, or you will find yourself feeling very guilty about the fact that your poorly-articulated point based upon your very meagre amount of last-minute reading is showing up your clearlyhungover fellow tutee.

Your best friend isn’t necessarily your best lab partner either. Like a marital feud, a beautiful relationship can descend into bitter hatred in the close confines of the lab bench, so consider switching if you frequently argue!

Mindlessly following instructions with no clue as to what you’re actually trying to achieve is a tried and tested strategy.

However, write-ups are less painful if you’ve read (and, bonus) understood the protocol beforehand. Scheduling hangovers around lab days is also advised. If you do have a problem, you’ll rapidly cease to care about asking demonstrators (PhD students) stupid questions. Like you, they’d prefer to still be in bed, and appreciate coherent questions rather than flustered babbling.

If several demonstrators give different answers, go with whoever looked least panic stricken during questioning…

There’s a lot of time pressure, but taking a break is more productive than staring

28

Most tutors will be blunt, but in a kind way. Thankfully, these are probably the most helpful type of tutor; they’ll set you on the right path, they’ll tell you what you’re doing wrong, but crucially they won’t leave you feeling downtrodden and demoralised. blankly at test tubes for several minutes.

It’s not a race. Rushing leads to mistakes, such as using the wrong pipette and adding ten times too much chloroplast solution.

This causes considerably more woe than knowing that your friend finished and went back to bed half an hour before you!

When it comes to write-ups, things you don’t write down because it’s fine, I’ll remember this later” are invariably forgotten, so it’s best to do them promptly.

Hint: a file is a much better organisation device than the ever increasing pile of papers on the floor.

Finally, don’t forget that practical experiments are what science is all about; you get to use fancy equipment and learn techniques that you might one day use to conduct research of your own. At the very least, just enjoy the sense of smug superiority over your arts friends.

Bonus tips: write in pencil, bring an eraser, and don’t forget your calculator.

Lectures Yunfei Yang Hertford Medicine Robert Walmsley Balliol History

L

ectures start bright and early in the morning (by Oxford standards anyway), often at 9am, or if you are lucky at 10 or 11am. Fortunately, provided you can get up in time, more often than not lectures are extremely useful. Not only do they hold core knowledge for your course, but the array of random knowledge you accumulate, as well as the opportunity it provides to get to know others on your course, makes it well worth attending them.

The first piece of advice we’d like to offer you is to eat breakfast before heading off to lectures; let’s face it, at some point you are going to find yourself hungover in lectures, and the only thing worse than being hungover in a lecture is being hungry and hungover in a lecture.

Also, make the most of short breaks; if you’re unlucky enough to have several lectures in a row, you might want to step out of the lecture theatre in the gap between changing lecturers to get a coffee or sustenance in general to tide you over the next few hours.

Lectures aren’t obligatory, but as some lecturers are slow to (or don’t) upload their lecture material afterwards, you are better off attending, at least until you are used to the routines of lecturers. Most humanities lecturers will give you a hand-

Reading Ellen O’Neill Hertford English

S

o, you’ve received all your compulsory bits of paper, you’ve got your plans to captain the Ultimate Frisbee team and free Palestine on lock, and at some point you apparently also have to do some kind of degree. If you do a humanities subject, the first thing to bear in mind is that you can probably get most of your primary texts second-hand online or in the second-hand bookshops of university towns - or in the libraries here; that is their purpose.

Over the summer it’s generally useful to get an overview of your subject, but don’t stress out too much because you won’t know your tute topics until you arrive.

The exception here is English, where it is

out, but this is far from certain. This can range from anything to statistics, primary sources or a reading list – sometimes even a combination of all three. It also varies significantly with science tutors; some will only give you a synopsis, while others will go into a lot more detail.

But learning to cater for the quirks of different lecturers extends well beyond handouts. Some lecturers like to pick on brightly clothed individuals for questions - meaning there will be a term where the lecture theatre seems to turn grey specifically for that lecturer. Our message: adapt and survive.

You should always be prepared for lectures to overrun. Remember, the person in front of you has dedicated their life to the subject they are lecturing on, and so they are likely to get a bit carried away.

This can be both a good and bad thing, depending upon the lecturer. Technically, lectures are meant to last fifty minutes, but in practice they are closer to an hour.

Every humanities student should savour their lectures, because you won’t have many. For example, historians have only two lectures per week. For you, unlike science students, the number of lectures you have will be quite manageable. You may as well get used to the amount of animosity that your scientist friends will grow to bear towards you for your lack of contact hours.

In theory, lectures should knit well with material covered in labs and tutorials. For sciences, seminars and labs are designed to highlight key ideas emphasised by lectures, so the course is naturally designed to help you make the most of things.

For humanities, however, things are not so simple. You may often find yourself sitting through lectures that seem far from

relevant to the topic that you are currently covering in your tutorials.

It’s also worth remembering what your lectures are ultimately for, aside from broadening your knowledge. Prelims can feel a long way away in Michaelmas, but having well-written lecture notes on hand when it comes to revising in Trinity can be immensely helpful. Keeping your lecture handouts in one place will also help when you’re looking to go over them.

In lectures themselves, you’ll hear a lot of information quite fast – names, facts, dates – it can be difficult to keep up sometimes, but it is worth trying to get as much down as possible. Some people find it useful to make notes on their laptops, as any you make by hand will likely prove illegible, given the pace that you’ll have information thrown at you. Another approach to lectures is just going there to listen, which can seem useful at the time - although you may struggle to remember anything several weeks later.

If you choose to write your notes by hand, shortly after the lecture it is worth at the very least looking through your lecture notes again, to fill in any nonsensical sentences you’ve written in the rush to follow the lecture, or to make a note of any slides where the use of luminous text, or ambitious slide animation has not translated coherently on paper.

Furthermore, if you find yourself landed with a two-page reading list at the end of a lecture, it’s worth bearing in mind that the idea is to chase up a few that interest you, rather than to spend your life chasing up all of the references.

Finally, remember that your lecturers are also ordinary tutors, so are just as approachable as they are. Feel free to ask them questions or email them afterwards.

advisable to have a think about the books you might want to write on, work out which are the longest, start with them, and keep going.

Once actually at Oxford, humanities students will have to accept that there is no upper limit to the amount of reading you could be doing, although you can take comfort in the fact that your science friends will never sleep past 8am.

The most important piece of advice would be to try and maintain a sense of perspective. Your weekly essays are never going to be perfect; your tutor might have a personal grudge against the main source of your argument, or someone may be deliberately hoarding all the books you need out of spite.

In some glorious parallel universe where you have enough time for proper secondary reading, and aren’t trying to base an essay on the Brontes on a fondness

for Kate Bush, it’s generally beneficial to start making notes and annotating only the second time you read a text. I find it useful to bookmark the most important pages and write a summary of the argument being made in each paragraph next to the text for emergency skimming.

I find that if what you’re reading becomes totally incomprehensible, a last-ditch option is to try reading it aloud.

Whether you want to try this in public is your choice; perhaps people will think you are so remarkably clever that you are capable of spontaneous critical assessment, although be warned: this might generate contempt amongst your similarly-flustered classmates.

Science students: the manner in which you spend your days is a mystery to me but I have been reliably informed that it helps to re-read your own notes a couple of hours after you’ve taken them to help them stick.

29

Stereotypes Tess Colley Worcester Modern & Medieval Languages

Philip the Physicist

Frankie Shama Brasenose English

about ‘the individual’? Why was she even considering it for God’s sake; Maddie had common sense and that was precisely why she was training to be the medic and not Eva. As a matter of act, Eva had wanted to be a medic. Well, ‘wanted’ was the wrong word; she had been convinced it was her calling by her seventy year old maternal Jewish grandmother who couldn’t shun the dream of having a doctor in the family after her three brothers had failed to meet expectations. A university taster day later convinced her otherwise. It was upon writhing in her seat whilst her lumpy digits fumbled with a needle in desperate attempts to stitch together a gaping wound in the skin of a Satsuma, that she realised reconsidering her options would be best. Maddie would pour over the most obscene diagrams for hours. Whilst Eva was suffocating under the weight of Bleak House, Maddie would be sitting hunched over in a corner of the library, eyes wide and devouring annotated diagrams of foetuses and microscopic renderings of lung tissue.

She would often come pelting up to Eva in the lunch queue, post-dissection, claiming how famished she was (the chemicals used to preserve the bodies roused intense hunger, apparently), and raving about the moment she inserted her latex-gloved index finger all the way up the aorta of a pig’s heart so far she could actually feel the muscular organ’s septum all the way to the apex.

Eva stared out across the lawn. Her desk loomed into focus, dowsing her visual cortex were the cumbersome Tennyson volumes calling her with guilty pangs. She effaced the mere thought of tomorrow’s deadline, shunning her desk to a dark recess of thought. The vestiges of light just about

Kaleidoscope hey considered one another across manicured pastures. The Michaelmas evening draped an ever thinning treacleglaze of light across the quad; Brasenose was retreating in stagnated rhythms seats. under the cover of darkness. New Quad 9am – Lecture on gravity and stuff. appeared breathless and placid, yet it 10am – Lecture on electromagnets and always was; in fact Eva didn’t believe stuff. it had changed in hundreds of years. It 11am – Lecture on dark matter and stuff. had been sedated since her first visit; the 12am thick air sagging under its attempts to sustain a façade of balanced stasis, and the lab for an experiment involving lasers and clusters of ivy, numb to their own artistry stuff. as they hung listless and suspenseful in an 4pm aggregate mass upon the limestone. The a problem sheet due in at 5pm. quad needed no overture; it was aware 5pm of its suspended state of equilibrium 5.30pm – Also a member of the Light Enand enjoyed informing visitors of its tertainment Society, Philip heads out for a centuries of rehearsed majesty. Eva would sometimes observe the effect of the quad he feels it’s instrumental to the cohesiveupon passers-by. This anaesthetized ness of the plot. cavity of land encouraged introspection.

7.30pm Individuals would forget their physical presences, and wander in auto-drive 8.30pm – About to settle in for the night around the unblemished square of grass at its centre. They would… by trying to explain to an arts student that Oh, she was doing it again. physics is not just about ‘forces and stuff’.

Maybe it was just her.

Was this what it was like in every English student’s head? No wonder they were a pitied species. Perhaps others e; go. ffe co ; really didn’t slip entirely from reality er ow sh e; ets up; coffe and into the vast abyss of psychological f.

8.30-8.50am – G uf st d an e body th on e, nt ur re ct insight. She really should get this seen le ffe t di rs a t 9am – Fi the body again, bu on e, ur to. Eva took a seat and considered. ct le d on 10am – Sec Blast! There… she was doing it again; s bit. oes over statistic G always considering. Well, anyway, she h. nc lu r fo ge lle considered because she 11.30 – Back to co ad M . al couldn’t help it, and she tic ac pr n problem sheet. tio rtment for dissec pa de . couldn’t help it because or to k m tu ac n B ai – a br 1pm oris, she died of D she wouldn’t have it d lle ca ite is qu r is ve th he finds die’s cada S . is or D d any other way. All lle 9.30am – Alarm goes off ca other is Maddie’s grandm this considering was 9.40am – Decides he doesn’t actually need ge. to go the good for the blood. At strange. ads back to colle he e di ad 10am M lecture, he went to one last week, goes back d, he is ith fin w al t ic ou ct least, she convinced ab ra to 4pm – P ecides to piss sleep. ginning essay. D herself. Although, be es at pl m te on C 11am – Actually gets up.

Maddie would e friends instead. to Wahoo later sh go somewhat disagree. to g 12p in m – Takes an hour to make a sandwich. go s e’ sh 6pm – Realises if There! Why y.

1pm sa – Picks up that book on the unification of es damn Italy and ts free couldn’t she be a bit an w e needs to start the sh d, ea st in open s to the relevant chapter. Nah. Puts it back meeting R JC to more like Maddie; s down oe G – 7pm again. stop worrying e di ad M pizza. e essay, but 2pm – Goes for a rugby kick about with the about the ‘state ng the fan with th tti hi lads. is t hi S to make a – es m go 8p ly al su of the individual’ ca 3pm so – Remembers he’s doing a degree, and has Medic, a s e’ sh , a tutorial ed as ph and actually isn’t in half an hour. . tie as do something cheese to e-drinking.

8.30am – Alarm goes off 8.40am – Gets up, eats a banana.

8.55am – Arrives at Physics department

Maddie the Me

T

dic

Henry the Historian

say, as well as pr out now.

9pm – Begins es done. She can go rs te ar qu e re th Standard.

12pm – Essay is . Finishes essay. ub cl m fro ns ur et 3am – R

30

3.30pm – Rocks up to tutorial. It goes fine , somehow.

6pm – Henry’s got so much free time he feels at a bit of a loss, so organizes a pub trip for later. Only other historians are free.

nd

rial

fa i-

eer Emma the Engin Falls back in, dazed.

9am – Crawls out of bed. make the 10am lecture.

9.30am – Actually stands up. She will finds seat at the back. tre, thea re 10.15am – Stumbles into lectu instead heads for the RSL 12.30pm – Doesn’t sign in for her lab, the week must be done in library. Her three problem sheets for four hours. She’ll be fine, totally fine. actually is fine! Goes to 2pm – One problem sheet done! She grab coffee. a wall. Why did she take 3pm – Second problem sheet, she hits bridges, why are the half an hour to get that coffee, ah god, ges. brid s hate sheets always about bridges, she all the bridge back s Take out. lem 3.20pm – Works the prob hate. She actually really likes bridges. ’re going to be. Hands 4.30pm – Well they’re as good as they them in. ible plans for the night, 6pm – Dinner in hall. Discusses poss up in Park End. though she knows she’s going to end for pre-drinks.

8pm – Goes over to a friend’s kitchen way too early. Goes king 10pm – Realises she started pre-drin for a cheeky nap. .

11.30pm – Re-emerges fully refreshed .

End Park to out ds Hea 12.30pm –

betrayed a shape sitting shrouded in gloom, and huddled upon a bench directly opposite her. She squinted, distracting herself by trying to make out Emma’s tall, beefy stature through the faint residue of fog which refracted the light from a dying, fluorescent wall lamp. Emma was an unpleasant character when you first met her. Tight lipped and seemingly uncharismatic, her stale, vegetative glare performed a perpetual vivisection of the space between her and whoever she conversed with. One always felt the space was occupied by a monotone lethargy, a desire to be abstracted not in complex psychological analysis, but a methodical data stream; an algorithmic and logarithmic statistical hive of activity which one could not fathom the complexity of. All Engineers were like that, Eva thought. Sometimes Emma’s lips would gyrate and buzz as she rehearsed algebraic formulae under her breath. She would turn every change of wind speed into a formula for the likelihood of any object in her immediate vicinity collapsing upon her.

But such reduction of everything to bare sense seemed paradise compared to the ever burdensome state of emotional saturation Eva sometimes yearned to lobotomise from herself. Perhaps it was just scientists? Phillip loomed into focus, sat down, took a thin volume out and started reading underneath the chapel. Phillip was a Physicist and much the same. He was unanchored and distant, but always considering the world in terms she didn’t pretend to understand. A native Etonian, Phillip was unselfconscious and performed the Oxford stereotype with ease. Tourists flocked to Oxford to catch his jilted duck walk and the mere glimpse of his tail coat swishing around the corner into Brasenose Lane. Whilst he occupied his own space, his aloofness was a mere symptom that

his mind was paying Brasenose’s weekly yoga club), Leonard homage to the week’s bore a tenderness Eva detected, but did problem sheet while not desire to confront. That was the thing; he took dinner. One he resisted confrontation by his very aura. could sense the He deserved to be noticed more, but had distance as he gazed neither the confidence nor the melodrama off into his meal, only ridden complexion to draw the attention to dash off without a of the masses. He hung on the peripheries word upon suddenly of photographs, dimpled cheeks flushing finding the solution to crimson and tortoise-shell spectacles taking something which had up most of his slightly plump, rotund face. bothered him all week Leonard occupied spaces which somehow somewhere deep appeared emptier under his presence. He within the bolognaise. would awkwardly efface himself in silence, She was an English and hand over the right of discourse to student for a reason, characters who wandered about the college she supposed. The in more charismatic hues. He thought desire to descend in French, Eva was convinced of it. She into cavernous pits of liked to think France was where Leonard introspection came belonged. She considered him a romantic like the desire to flâneur, sauntering unnoticed through breathe; necessary Parisian streets, and serenely observing and inexorable. the crowds which thronged around him.

And here we go She imagined him, taking his coffee and again. Damn. Henry was rainbow platter of macaroons in a patisserie sauntering across the quad towards her. Eva overlooking the Champs-Élysées, and became intensely aware of her body, heart pulling out his copy of Madame Bovary, thumping and cheeks flushing crimson pretending to read whilst mutely watching as she adjusted her hair and attempted to the variability of the scene shaping and reappear placid. Henry understood her, she shaping itself below him. was convinced of it. He loved her meditative He nodded and scuttled off down the stare and felt for humanity like she did. He staircase. was a Historian with an intense fascination Eva stood biting her lip and with sixteenth century France having spent contemplating her short time at Brasenose, his gap year there and was just about the before continuing her ascent towards only guy to make French history that tiny bit her bedroom, and the dreaded wasteland sexy. A virulent socialist, formal hall became of her desk. The vast kaleidoscope of a meeting ground for vitriolic fencing individuals more varied and complex that matches between him and the PPEists she could comprehend—fractured and as both sashayed their knowledge over immeasurable—lingered for a moment countless glasses of sickly port, thrusting upon her thoughts like breath on a economic statistics from just about every mirror, and slowly began to fade. It’s what Chinese dynasty and democratic state made this Oxford. Each individual was imaginable. He’d spew dates and random somehow caught up in their own little names and events and she hadn’t really world of aspirations and considerations, been listening to a word of it but whatever yet somehow connected nonetheless. All so because…wait. Did he just blank her? He did. mad, and hopeless, and a tiny bit ridiculous, He just blanked her. Well, there we go, bang and yet, she really wouldn’t have it any goes the eighth romance this other way. week. Did he even see her?

Maybe he did, but was just Leonard the Linguist acting cool. Something like 12 pm – Wakes up natur that. ‘Sometimes the heart ally (alarms aren’t for Leonard, would Baudelaire ha sees what’s invisible to the ve set an alarm? No .)

12.30pm – Checks ov eye’, Tennyson said. Ah, er essay he sent in to his tutor at 4am the previous nig Alfred Lord Tennyson ht, on Baudelaire.

1pm-2pm – Considers Oh, shut up Eva. Which ennui. reminded her. Tennyson.

2.30 – Tutorial in co llege Essay. Tomorrow. Crap.

3.30 – Leaves tutorial.

Goes to the library She rose to meet her to pay the library fines he’s rac ke d up – just couldn’t ba destiny. But ascending the re to part with his Baudelaire bo oks any sooner. stairs, intent on finally 4.30pm – Contemplat es ennui some more. sitting down to begin Leonard loves ennui. writing, Eva passed 6p m – Realises that ala Leonard, a second year s, one cannot susta in oneself on ennui, and throw linguist. A demure chap s some fish fingers in the oven.

Sh abby Chic. with an admirable 7p m – Despite still expe love for reflection and riencing the intermina ble pain of ennui, Leonard accepts meditative thought (and an invite to a jazz ev regular attendee of the ent at the cocktail bar, Fre

31

ud. His friend’s band is playing there, naturally.

11pm – Gets back to college. Ennui.

Libraries I

n case you hadn’t realised by now, at some point over the course of your degree, you’re very probably going to have to do some work, which very probably means that you’re going to have to visit a library.

Likewise, college libraries vary significantly in size and style, but however well-stocked yours might be, you are most likely going to have to look beyond its walls for materials.

But the good news is that you couldn’t really have come to a better place. Oxford’s libraries are as well-stocked as they are plentiful in number - and in many cases, some of the most beautiful buildings in Oxford. There is a library here for almost any academic discipline you can think of, and on this page we bring you a sample of the most important ones you’ll need to know for your time here in Oxford.

Before you even think about heading out in search of your favourite desk to work, it’s important that you familiarise yourself with SOLO - Oxford’s online library catalogue.

This will be your lifeline throughout your degree; not only does it record the locations of more or less every book in the university library system, but it’s also your gateway to a plethora of online materials, including digitsed books.

Bodleian Library

Atmosphere 3c332 Stock 3c333 Location 3c333 ‘The Bod’ is the king of all libraries; situated in the very centre of the city, it is a copyright library, and so holds a copy of more or less everything published in the UK. You can’t borrow books from here, but the upside of this is that it can prove to be of invaluable use if you’ve left your essay until the last minute and everyone else on your course has emptied the college and faculty libraries of the books you need.

If you’re into the ‘Harry Potter-y’ side of Oxford life, then it’s also worth a trip to the Duke Humphy’s Library, inside the Bod.

Alex Stronell Hertford History

History Faculty Library

Social Sciences Library

English Faculty Library

Radcliffe Science Library

Atmosphere 3c333 Stock 3c332 Location 3c333 History students have the privilege of working and studying in one of Oxford’s most beautiful buildings, the Radcliffe Camera, world famous in film and literature; JRR Tolkien said that the inside resembled Saurons temple to Morgoth in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.

The upper floor is magnificent, every bit as stunning as the outside, a beautiful example of English Palladian style with while the lower library (the Gladstone Link) is dusty, cramped and difficult to navigate.

Nick Mutch, History Atmosphere 3c222 Stock 3c322 Location 3c222 Unsightly to many, out of the way for most, and infested with tiny red mites, the English Faculty Library is nonetheless an underrated place to work, mainly due to its wonderfully large windows that help to assuage the resentment at being inside on a sunny day, as well as the upstairs ‘no laptops’ balcony for the sensitive of hearing.

Ellen O’Neill, English

Taylorian Library

Atmosphere 3c222 Stock 3c222 Location 3c322 If you’re coming to Oxford to study languages, then you will get to know the Taylorian well - though how well you get to know it will depend on your work ethic - because it has everything you are going to need for your degree. It even has a vending machine.

Lectures also happen here, at least some of which you will attend, so look forward to gracing its grand staircases.

Tess Colley, Languages

Sackler Library

Atmosphere 3c222 Stock 3cc22 Location 33322 Hidden away behind the Ashmolean Museum, the Sackler Library generally serves serves Classics, Art History, and Arch & Anth students, although historians tend to find themselves sheepishly slinking through the doors of the Sackler if they’ve left their essays until the last minute, and the only remaining copies of the books they need are kept there.

The interior atmosphere is not unpleasant, although it conspicuously lacks any subtatntial natural light. In general, however, the library is a good place to work if you don’t want any distractions.

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Atmosphere 3c322 Stock 3c322 Location 32222 Located just next to St Catz, the SSL may seem a comparatively long walk out of town, but it has a distinctly different feel to most Oxford libraries. It is modern - only being completed in 2004 - and resembles an archive more than it does what you would traditionally think of as a library.

The SSL is well air-conditioned, perhaps to a fault, and has a Scandinavian feel. Although normally only PPE-ists will have to work here, it also has a good stock of books for historians and other humanities.

Robert Walmsley, History Atmosphere 3c332 Stock 3c332 Location 33322 The science student’s home away from home, the RSL is located tactically a few minutes away from all science lecture theatres, and just a couple of minutes walk from Uni Parks. Despite an interesting floor layout (where the basement is level two) it is kitted with a plethora of science journals, books and computing facilities. This, coupled with many group study spaces, copious water machines throughout and corner of food vending machines (the “Abbot’s Kitchen”), makes it an ideal place for scientists to pass the day studying.

Yunfei Yang, Medicine

EDITORS’ PICK: Vere Harmsworth

Atmosphere 3c333 Stock 3c322 Location 33322 A hidden gem, tucked away between the Chemistry Department and Mansfield College, you could pass your whole Oxford life without ever knowing that this place even exists - unless you cover American history, that is.

The library of the Rothemere American Institute, the VHL is a sleek, modern building - but don’t let that put you off. Well airconditioned, most of its seats overlook the gardens of Mansfield College, making it a quiet, yet thoroughly pleasant environment in which to work.

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College Families Alex Stronell Hertford History

M

y introduction to college families was amongst the more peculiar instances of my life. Sat across the table from me at our first family meal, this slightly confused toddler was informed by mummy and daddy that they couldn’t stand the sight of each other. “Surely you must like each other a little?”, I mumbled in my dewy-eyed innocence. “Nope, not at all”, my mother replied without hesitation.

“You should never marry someone you want to be more than college-married to”, my father explained. “It can make things that little bit more awkward when your own bundles of joy arrive”.

Isaac Mundy LMH Maths

S

ometimes, you just have too much of libraries and lecture theatres and need to get outside. Oxford is lucky to have a number of green spaces, varying from pristine gardens to unkempt meadows. I have not written about the best known parks, University Parks, Christ Church Meadow and the Botanical Gardens, as you are sure to be introduced to them in your own time.

Instead, this should introduce you to a few lesser-known spots around the city that might be slightly off a fresher’s radar.

Such are the strange rules that govern Oxford’s college family system, seemingly antithetic to real-life matrimony, but nevertheless carrying a bizarre but sound logic. The system itself is designed to help new students to fit in, as well as to give them someone experienced in their subject to go to for advice, and a leg up for making friends in the upper years.

Of course, the system can and has been manipulated; I hear that Brasenose JCR hijacked the system in a ploy to get free drinks in Freshers’ week, voting to make it obligatory to ask permission of parents before making a proposal. Similarly, in my own year the anxiousness to ensure that nobody was left out meant that marriages cropped up in all shapes and sizes – I even seem to even recall one four-person marriage (go figure). I lured my own wife

Port Meadow

To the north west of the city centre, beyond the fringes of Jericho, there are cows roaming freely around a massive puddle independent of rainfall or in fact physics of any nature. A popular site for the nineties’ finest ravers, free festivals abounded and although that particular movement has long since moved on, during Trinity term you can find bonfires and

The best advice I can offer for family life is to be prepared for over-parenting or none at all. I have experienced both; my father being my most steadfast parent, to the extent that it has got to the point now that he calls me ‘son’, I call him ‘Dad’ in everyday conversation. My father’s diligence, however, is well compensated for in a stunning display of parental neglect on the maternal side, my mother apparently having forgotten who I was by the end of Freshers’ week. I still don’t think she knows who that over-enthusiastic person always waving at her in hall is.

The old adage that you can pick your friends but not your family certainly rings true with regards to life as a college parent. At family meals this is more apparent than ever. At some point you are going to find yourself sitting between your offspring - one of whom is a football ‘lad’, the other a reclusive genius who taught herself Finnish at the age of twelve - trying to fill in the awkward silences.

Green Spaces barbecues dotted amongst the buttercups, keeping the outdoor spirit alive.

The Meadow never feels uncomfortably exposed but its size can catch you out - don’t get caught in the rain at the wrong end.

That said, to the north the village of Wolvercote epitomises ‘English country village’ and the Trout Inn, right on the Thames, is worth a visit if you’ve made it that far.

South Parks

Just past the bottom of Magdalen Bridge, the open slopes of South Parks are the antithesis to Uni parks’ neat horticulture.

The lack of paths through the windswept grass and wild flowers means that South Parks have an air of wilderness unusual in the city centre, and the postcardgracing views over the many spires of the High Street from the top end of the park are worth seeing for oneself.

Funfairs and firework displays also grace the parks throughout the year.

out of a marital threesome #homewrecker.

Port Meadow

Wytham Woods

Further afield, over the A34 from Port Meadow and up a sharp hill, Wytham Woods are a university-owned area for biological and environmental research. This means that while the ancient woodland is managed, it retains an attractively wild air that suits a wooded excursion, with a mix of habitats present from the ancient woodland to calcareous grasslands and a ‘weed patch’. Walking permits are available to all who wish to apply (www.wytham.ox.ac.uk) though I will

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admit, I’ve been there numerous times and I have yet to submit an application myself. You didn’t read it here.

Shotover Country Park Again further out, you can transverse through Headington and find yourself climbing incessantly. The 1930s terraces quickly give way to hedgerows and a single track road winds skyward in its suburban escape attempt. The sufficiently determined walker will be rewarded with a panoramic view over Cowley & Iffley little seen by students.

Bridleways run through to the villages of Littleworth & Wheatley, if you fancy getting right out of the city, and from there it’s a good cycle down to the Chilterns if you really want to see the beautiful county from which we are hiding in libraries.

It’s a little further than the others I mention here but, if you have a bike and an hour or so’s cycling in you, it can transform your perspective of Oxford.

Wytham woods

LGBTQIA+ Otamere Guobadia Univ Law

O

xford is an undeniably wonderful place to be queer.

While my own experience of Oxford’s LGBTQ scene is arguably coloured by too much wine, too many crop tops, and too little restraint, Oxford LGBTQ life caters broadly to varied tastes, with queer-lefty-radicals as much provided for as anyone more familiar with club scene than queer theory.

Each college has an LGBTQ representative, who can deal immediately with any concerns you might have. The role of the LGBTQ rep is to liaise with OUSU and other representatives and to help you enjoy LGBTQ life at Oxford, while you’re still finding your feet. In conjunction with the other reps, they organise social events such as pizza evenings and crewdates allowing you to meet people from different colleges and establish ties to the community.

We have a thriving and active LGBTQ society. The incredibly friendly and accessible committee organises a variety of social and welfare events, including the Fresher’s Week Brunch, which provides a gentle introduction to your fellow freshers and the queer community at Oxford.

Tuesday night drinks are an institution.

Introductory drinks in First Week are notoriously well attended, and provide an ideal opportunity to meet people in a nonpressured environment. Women’s Drinks

Our propensity for partying however, does not exclude our desires for liberation

and Trans Resistance take place at regular intervals, and there are number of Bi/Pan Teas, and other welfare events to cater to the diversity of our community.

Between No HeterOx**, Oxford’s Queer and Trans Student Zine, and the OUSU LGBTQ Campaign, Oxford

Oxford LGBTQ life caters broadly to varied tastes, with queerlefty-radicals as much provided for as anyone more familiar with club scene than queer theory

is the perfect place to live your politics.

The zine is published termly providing a platform for the discussing of queer and trans viewpoints, and the LGBTQ campaign has weekly campaign meetings at the OUSU headquarters. In recent years the campaign team have accomplished a great deal for LGBTQ students at Oxford.

Among their achievements include the successful lobbying of the university authorities to make sub-fusc non-gender specific, and more recently the streamlining of the process for transitioning students.

The nightlife lovers need fear not. The demise of Baby Love (Grindr manifest), a club that became one of the very few meeting places for Oxford queers, was an immeasurable loss. It might have been a cramped sweatbox on which we descended every Tuesday night, but it was ours.

The legendary ‘Poptarts’ LGBTQ night has been reborn at the Castle Tavern, now sentimentally referred to as New Baby Love. Make sure you come down for the 90’s playlists, essential divaworship, and of course Oxford’s premier pole.

Plush is Oxford’s only official LGBTQ club, catering to both town and gown, who adore its unabashedly cheap, decadent, and tacky thrills. Pop down for ludicrously cheap ‘Skintier Fridays’ or on a Saturday as the post-crewdate destination of choice.

Last but not least we have the annual Queerfest held at Wadham, queer anarcho-

35

communist heaven.

Often hailed as one of the biggest parties of the academic year, Queerfest is a riotous, decadent night of drag queens, ABBA Tribute acts, and ‘Paris is Burning’ style opulence in the Wadham Gardens, complete with luxuriously ridiculous fancy dress (Our slutty santa-claus and his bondage reindeer harem was a particular hit).

Our propensity for partying however, does not exclude our desires for liberation.

For individuals who are inevitably not as flamboyant or extrovert as some of us, coming out as LGTBQ can be an incredibly daunting prospect. Clichés of ‘being true to yourself’ and tropes of ‘reinvention’ have more truth in them than they’d have you believe. At Oxford one is given the opportunity for honesty and self-exploration; to be whoever, and love whoever, you want to. In this bastion of progression there is a realisation of everything gloriously queer that you’ve ever dreamed of being. The Oxford LGBTQ community is vibrant, varied, and ultimately incredibly fun and welcoming, so come join us. You won’t regret it.

If you have any concerns or questions about coming out or any other concerns about life here, feel free to send any of the committee members emails, details of which are available at The Oxford University LGBTQsoc Website (oulgbtsoc.org.uk), or leave us a question on our Oxford University LGBTQsoc Tumblr (oulgbtq.tumblr. com). We will try and respond quickly.

Welfare W

elcome Fresh Ones. I hope you have enjoyed all the articles about the Tiddlywinks’ Society and the step by step guide to taking over the Oxford Union. But now it is time for some wise words. What happens if you’ve lost your gown? Who should you turn to when Wahoo just doesn’t live up to your expectations? Why did you go on a crew date instead of writing your essay on metabolism?

Whatever problem you face whilst you are here at Oxford, you do not have to face it by yourself

Unfortunately, whilst at Oxford, many people experience problems other than an inability to manage time. Stress, home issues, relationship breakdowns and mental health problems are common; but luckily people who want to help you are not. Please (please, please) never think ‘no one cares’, ‘I should be able to handle this’ or ‘everyone else is coping’.

A good place to start in your quest for wisdom is the college welfare reps; these wonderful people have been voted in by your JCR to love and to care for you.

You might find them at a welfare tea, in their rooms or

via email and text. Whether your problems are big (considering rustication or serious illness) or small (feeling tired or got a cold) they want to know. If they cannot help you directly, they will know someone who will.

The welfare team will run welfare weeks throughout the year. These help people to unwind in the midst of term. These might include informal sports tournaments, relaxation sessions and plenty of free food.

Take advantage! Welfare reps also play a key role in facilitating all of your safe and consenting sex: dispensing condoms, lube, dental dams and pregnancy tests. Drop in on them, have a tea and chat, collect some condoms if you feel so inclined, and marvel at their omniscience.

You might also pop in and see a peer supporter. These people have perfected the art of listening and so are perfect to talk to.

They may be a year or two older than you, or might be a post doc with many years of advice tucked away in their huge brains.

Their phone numbers or drop in times will be found in your college freshers’ guide or on the welfare notice boards.

If you would rather chat with a professional, the University Counselling Service is easy to access and free. It offers both individual counselling and group workshops, willing to support students through the wide range of problems people might face whilst here.

People higher up in college will also be on hand to help: the college nurse, doctors (if your college holds a clinic), your personal tutor and the head of welfare.

Your college nurse should be available to visit every weekday, and invaluable in dispensing advice, care and medicine.

They may also run free STI screening, particularly for chlamydia.

Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs in the country and people aged 18 to 25 are most likely to be

Emma Andrews LMH Biochemistry

infected. It’s a good thing to do if you’re sexually active and it’s definitely not as embarrassing as people think. Your college will also hold doctors surgeries once or twice a week to spare you the trip all the way to the doctor’s surgery. Your personal tutor also takes an interest in your welfare and knows a scary amount about the Oxford education system; if you find a personal issue affecting your academics they’re one of the best people to talk to.

Finally, if you need someone to talk about in the middle of the night, no matter what about, Nightline is there to help. Run by students for students, Nightline operates from one week before term starts (0th week) to one week after term ends (9th week), from 8pm to 8am. You can ring them, visit their offices in Wellington Square or even Skype them.

Whatever problem you face whilst you are here at Oxford you do not have to face it by yourself. Know that there will always be someone who can help. The worst they can do is give you free food.

Who To Contact Nightline 01865 (2)70270 8pm-8am 0th-9th week Skype: oxfordnightline www.nightline.ac.uk Samaritans 08457 909090 www.samaritans.org

24h

NHS Emergency and Urgent Care 111 24h www.nhs.org.uk Rape Crisis (women only) 0808 802 9999 www.rapecrisis.org.uk

24h

Survivors UK (male victims of sexual abuse) 0845 122 1201 Mon-Tues 7-9.30pm, Thurs 12-2.30pm www.survivorsuk.org The Beaumont Society (transgender info) 01582 412220 24h www.beaumontsociety.org.uk The Lesbian and Gay Foundation (includes bisexual support) 0845 3303030 10am-10pm www.lgf.org.uk

Sexual Assault Alice King LMH German and Spanish

S

exual violence is a crime, regardless of how and where it happens- and you should never be afraid to get help.

Thankfully, there has been a lot of positive discourse on the topic in Oxford recently, helping to remove the stigma that survivors can feel after an incident.

Consent workshops are becoming a part of the compulsory Fresher’s week programme at an increasing number of colleges. Two thirds of the time, sexual assault is committed by someone who knows the victim in some way- so addressing the issue of consent within communities such as colleges is a very proactive move. If your college doesn’t feature these workshops, you may want to talk to your Welfare Rep about implementing them at a later date.

Within college you may also have a Tutor for Women or a Harassment Officer, who

you can approach if you would like to talk to college about something but would rather not start directly with your personal tutor. These tutors will be prepared to help students in many situations, and the same goes for welfare reps, peer supporters and the rest of the welfare system.

The Solace Fund is a new resource and is accessed by a growing number of colleges in Oxford- your Welfare rep will know if your college is included. It will pay for a taxi to the nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Slough- all you need to do is go to the lodge and say you would like to access the fund. No questions will be asked and a taxi will be called for you. The centre offers support for survivors of sexual violence of all genders and ages. It also provides forensic examinations, if you choose to have one, which can be performed by a male or a female doctor. More locally, the Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre provides phone and email support as well as running a support group, however these services are only available to women over 18.

After getting to a place where you feel safe, the next thing to do after an assault is to seek medical attention. It is also recommended to receive a forensic examination in order to build a strong case against the attacker, though you will not be forced to do this. Before the examination, it is advised to not wash, go to the toilet, eat or drink, change your clothes, brush your hair, clean the scene of the assault or touch any objects the offender may have touched. You can set this process in motion by reporting the incident to the police or contacting a SARC such as the one in Slough.

Hopefully, you will have no need of the services that this article discusses- but in the case that yourself or someone close to you should be in need of help, it’s worth learning what’s available. Survivors of sexual violence need acceptance and support- so if a friend opens up to you about their experience, believe them and do not be judgemental. Among the contact numbers on the opposite page are some hotlines which may be of use.

Worcester street. Free individual sessions are normally allocated in a course of three within a term, with scope for more if needed. Group sessions are unlimited, and the schedule for these can be found on the Oxford counselling website along with details on how to reserve a place.

The website also has useful self-help information and provides guidance for those who find themselves the friend of someone who needs help. It’s worth remembering that students in this position are sometimes as vulnerable as those they are attempting to support, as the strong feeling of responsibility for another person can lead to stress or anxiety.

In addition to University based services, your college should help you register with a local GP upon your arrival in Oxford.

The doctors, either at the surgery or even at college clinics in some cases, will be well trained in helping people with their mental health. Don’t hesitate to book an appointment if you have any concerns about your mental health- the doctors have no interest in writing you off as “crazy” or institutionalising you, but every interest in working towards your general wellbeing.

Ultimately, it is important not to feel stigmatised when finding it difficult to cope- and the Mind your Head campaign has recognised this. A student-run initiative, it aims to generate open conversations about mental health and thus eliminate its taboo status. Working with various charities and publicity platforms Mind your Head has already made an impressive difference in addressing attitudes surrounding mental health, this article itself being proof of the increased recognition such issues are receiving.

Oxford is an amazing place, employing and teaching some of the greatest minds in the world- but with that status comes the pressure of operating in an establishment with such meticulous standards.

One in four experience a form of mental health issue during their life - don’t suffer in silence.

Mental Health Amy Lineham Oriel History

S

tudying at Oxford may strike you as daunting. You may consider it your pinnacle achievement to date or alternatively you may view it simply as a stepping stone in your career. Whatever your opinion on arrival, one thing is for sure- it will constantly surprise you.

This article is not designed to frighten or sensationalise the struggles Oxford often poses. As multiple other pieces in this guide emphasise, the University can, and will, be an enormous amount of fun. However, it is exceptionally important not to belittle your struggles and worries when they do arise.

The basics of the welfare system have been outlined in another article, but the University counselling service is specifically designed to provide support with regards to mental health.

Appointments can be made individually by phone and email, or a member of your college welfare network can make one for you. The offices are conveniently located fairly centrally, towards the train station on

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International Lucy Diver English Magdalen

H

ey you, the jet-lagged, even-morenervous-than-everyone-else, milesaway-from-home one! IT’S GOING TO BE FINE. You’re at one of the best universities in the world – one that’s been taking international students for nearly a millennium. The first international student to come to Oxford was Emo of Friesland in 1190. If he can do it, then so can you.

England is not Skins, and Oxford is not Brideshead Revisited. You can decide how you feel about that. English culture shouldn’t be too hard to get used to. Just expect obsessions with tea, queuing, the weather, not showing any emotion, and the occasional outburst of love for the Royal Family. There are also the delights of afternoon tea, strawberries and cream, Pimms, punting and friendliness. It’s sad, but the clichés are sort of true.

If you fear the infamous drinking culture, I urge you not to. You may feel pressured to drink more than you’re used to. Just

The first international student to come to Oxford was Emo of Friesland in 1190. If he can do it, then so can you.

remember that you CAN have a soft drink instead, and the people worth caring about won’t respect you any less. Once term’s started properly, it’s easy to find friends who are interested in whatever you are: a crazy night at a club, or a late night movie and ice cream, or a glass of wine and a poetry reading.

Colleges LOVE international students, and they’ll normally bend over backwards to help you: extensions on paying your battels, storing your stuff over the holidays, priority for vacation residence. Some have brunches and festivals and hold all sorts of events -

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ask your JCR’s international student rep.

There’s also plenty of university provision – check out the Freshers Fair, national societies, and noticeboards around town.

As for academic work, you’re bound to have a different approach than a bogstandard-British kid, and your tutors will love you for it. You’re totally entitled to be a little bit lost at first – a weekly essay is pretty daunting, but your tutors are all really understanding and there’s plenty of help available. Everyone’s normally really impressed that you’ve come so far to study, especially if you’re doing it in a language that’s not your own!

The last and perhaps most important thing: put yourself out there! It’s all too easy to get trapped in a little international bubble, especially if your accommodation is apart from the UK students, or English isn’t your first language. I really suggest making an effort to integrate yourself in the life of your college and your department – you’ll be surprised how quickly people will forget you’re an international student. Whether it be in academia, sports, societies or social life – immerse yourself in British life and you’ll have a much richer experience. After all – this is why you chose Oxford!

Relationships Erin Goldfinch Hertford History

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ith its dreaming spires and winding rivers, Oxford is considered one of the UK’s most romantic cities. Before I headed off to Oxford I was frequently met with the jokey suggestion that I would find myself a husband there; the truth is several of us will meet our future spouse at university. Whether you’re looking for your happily-ever-after or just a companion to

keep your bed warm between essay-crises, here’s a brief guide to the minefield of Oxford romance.

First of all, don’t buy into the myth that absolutely everyone is hooking up in Freshers’ Week – the few people who do are always the first and loudest to brag about it. By the end of Michaelmas you may notice that a fair number of budding college romances have emerged, forged through the shared survival of excessive drinking and essays.

The Oxford college romance is perhaps one of the most intense there is – the

Fashion Fred Shan History Trinity

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s a cosmopolitan city with a rich history and an abundance of talent, Oxford provides the perfect setting for a fashion community to flourish. This piece offers some insight into the world of fashion journalism and events in Oxford.

As far as publications go, the Oxford Tab mixes fashion with irony, poking fun at people while throwing around words like ‘chic’. The section is known for its ‘Best and Worst Dressed’ compilations, where journalists shamelessly scour through Facebook photos to showcase clubber style.

Join if you trust your sense of humour and are interested a future career in Buzzfeed.

Cherwell fashion is notorious for its top lists in colourful boxes featuring ‘What to wear’ or ‘What’s hot’. It’s great for a five minute flip-through and not too intense.

Join if you’re the trend-setting type who’s able to come up with weekly ‘hotlists’.

The Oxford Student has the most extensive newspaper fashion section. As well as

producing high quality photo shoots, its past commentary pieces have included topics like nepotism in fashion and sexism.

Join if you want to

write longer pieces about the impact and problems of fashion.

OSPL’s Industry magazine is the epitome of fashion journalism in Oxford.

The triennial magazine places heavy emphasis on analysing fashion as a cultural phenomenon and providing insights into the aesthetic industry. The magazine attracts those who are not just interested in fashion and aesthetics, but are willing to discuss them at length.

Oxford also plays host to fashion events. Oxford Fashion Week is an annual independent fashion week that exhibits the best of up-and-coming designers. Since its foundation in 2009 by two Oxford alumni, the show has featured local designers such as Clement and Church and international young designers like Anoosh. The show plans to return this winter.

Also upcoming is Oxford Fashion Relief, the flagship of a nationwide charity that aims to use the resources and benefits of fashion to tackle important social issues.

Fashion Relief will host a fashion show later this term in one of Oxford’s most glamorous venues.

Oxford fashion can come with many perks such as being published or receiving press invitations to events.

Whether you are a budding writer, stylist, photographer, or just an events-goer, Oxford fashion has something to offer. All you have to do is ask.

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claustrophobic nature of college life means that you and your partner spend an unhealthy amount of time together during term, to such an extent that you know their timetable better than your own.

Very quickly all your possessions will be divided between your rooms, resulting in many awkward moments when your books are locked in their room and they’re inconveniently stuck in labs all morning.

If one of you has a better room, you’ll essentially be living together by the end of term.

One significant downside of the college romance is the intense scrutiny of college gossip. From the first hook-up to the unfortunate quarrel in the quad, everyone seems to have an opinion on your relationship. Students in the surrounding rooms will soon know the intimate details of your relationship and eventually you will awkwardly introduce your college kids to their new ‘stepmother/father’. When it comes to a break-up the small college community is a nightmare. People will gleefully discuss any awkward exchanges witnessed – which are plentiful since your college ex is everywhere: in hall, in the library and bar; kind of like a nasty bout of Freshers’ flu you can’t quite shake off.

Once you’ve dipped your toe into the waters of college dating and decided it’s really not for you – too limited and borderline incestuous - it’s time to discover the thrills of dating someone from another college. As well as escaping the incessant college gossip mill, you will also secure yourself an invite to formal.

How to find your inter-collegiate paramour? Your subject might bring you into contact with like-minded people from other colleges; your eyes might meet during a lecture on the Napoleonic wars, between the bookshelves of the Social Sciences Library or over the sheep’s brain you’re about to dissect. However, if the last thing you want to talk about after a day in the library is your course, then it’s a good idea to date outside your subject! Alternatively, you might forge a romantic bond over a shared love of musical theatre or sport.

A slightly less romantic approach is to hit the student club scene, although Oxford’s drunken revellers are often more interested in casual fun than a lasting relationship don’t be surprised if your only contact is a facebook friend request or an awkward meeting in the Rad Cam. That’s not to say that relationships haven’t originated from a drunken fumble on the Park End Cheese Floor – you might just want to change the story you end up telling your grandchildren.

OxfOrd University english dictiOnary

0th Week

noun

Formal Hall

Bodleian

noun

noun Gown

Bod Card

noun

noun Hack

Bop

noun

noun verb Hilary

Bullingdon Club

noun

noun Prelims

Hustings Camera

noun Isis

Crew Date

noun or verb

Cherwell

Collections

Cornmarket

Entz

noun

JCR

OSPL

noun

noun

noun

noun

noun JCR formals

Finalists

noun

JR

noun

Lodge

noun

Matriculation

noun Finals

May Day

noun

noun

Radcliffe Camera MCR

noun

Bodleian

noun Rower

noun

JCR

Michaelmas

Isis

noun Scholar

noun Mods

Mods

noun

Scout OUCA

noun

noun

SCR OUDS

noun

noun Sub Fusc

OULC

OUSU

noun

noun

noun

Summer Eights

Tab

OSPL

noun

noun

noun Cherwell

Isis

Tourist

Other Place, The

noun

noun

Oxford Union Society

Oxmas

noun

PPH

noun

noun

Town

Trash

noun

verb

Trinity

Prelims

Purple Turtle, The

noun

noun

Tute

noun

Vac

noun

Mods

noun

Oxford Union Society