Hello Hivers,

Today I wanna share my experience studying at Oxford with you guys. Those times are so nostalgic but I barely documented the journey back then. I was too focused on studying that I forgot to take as many photos as possible. I wanted to write this post to give everyone an overview of university life at Oxford. Although the academics were really stressful, the students were not nerds at all. We took part in a range of interesting activities that enrich our student life.

At the time I applied to Oxford, I was excited and nervous. I always love new challenges but I was also afraid I would not bear the pressure of academics. Thankfully, I finally graduated after all the hard work I put into my study.

Tutorials

This is a very unique teaching method at Oxford and Cambridge. Usually, university students only attend lectures or larger group classes. The tutorial system is based on conversations between two or three students and their tutor. This practice allows students to have in-depth discussions about the subject. The tutor takes a closer look at students’ work and gives more accurate and constructive feedback on individuals.

I’m an introvert so this teaching method is specifically appealed to me. I didn’t have to join large groups to study. I understood the subject more deeply when discussing closely with my tutor. I was more hesitant to ask questions in front of a large group. I was glad this method suited me so well I had no complaints. I also had a combination of lectures and seminars each week, but I enjoyed tutorials the most.

Academic dress

It's well-known that students at Oxford must wear academic robes when taking exams besides graduation ceremonies. This tradition can be traced back to medieval Europe when dress indicated the rank and profession of the wearer. The academic dress represents our university's nobility. It looks so fancy but it can be uncomfortable when taking exams since we don't wear gowns on daily basis. However, if you fancy going to formal hall for fine dinning every night then your gown would be your best friend 😆

The most astonishing thing I found out was Guest Nights and Formal Halls. We wore full gowns to enjoy a 3-course candlelit meal in the college hall. Different colleges have different dress codes though. Some don't require you to wear gowns, just a smart dress code is enough. The formal dinner takes place every day except Saturday. There is also a guest night every term, which is even more formal. We had to book formals in advance via the online meal booking system.

It made me feel like I was in a Harry Potter movie. The solemn atmosphere, the romantic candles, the delicious food all came together. It was such a completely new experience for me. Formal dinners were still one of my most favorite memories while studying at Oxford.

Extracurricular activities

People usually think students here are all nerds and what we do is just study. If you think so, you are completely mistaken.

There are 83 sports clubs, as well as countless college teams and recreational opportunities. We are also equipped with full facilities such as a swimming pool, gym, sports hall, racket sport courts and more. I wished I had more time to join all the clubs. I loved kayaking and fencing the most. Those sports activities are really effective to make a lot of friends and relieve stress after studying.

Professors prioritize work-life balance. They often take sabbatical leave to take a break from work and pursue their personal interests. It gives them a good chance to recover from work fatigue. I hope this kind of leave will be more popular in the future and employees have more chances to enjoy life besides work.

Now that I have left uni for so many years, I still feel something missing every now and then. The conversations between old souls who are so into the proof of God's existence, the Harry Potter society where people dress up like characters in that movie and use magic wands, the early morning at the gym to get in shape the upcoming rowing competition between colleges and with "the other uni", aka. Cambridge on the River Thames, the good old days doing punting when it was sunny.

One day, hopefully, I will come back there to visit my old friends and tutors with whom I spent a good chunk of my youth, or maybe to attend my kids' graduation ceremony at this fine school.😅

I hope my post gave you an overview of how Oxford student life looks like. I believe where you study is just a small factor, how you study plays a more important role in your future career. Also there are lots of other aspects of life than study and career. As long as we enjoy the ride, we're good.
Take care and have fun.
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