• TOG

Are you hovering?

Are you still on the fence? Are you still asking yourself 'Will Oxford be for me?' Is it that little niggle at the back of your mind saying 'I'll be different to everyone there' which is stopping you?

'I love socialising; I want to go out and party at Uni; I love getting dressed up, so surely Oxford isn't for me...'

This just isn't true! If it's the fear of a lack of social life preventing you from applying then let me stop you right there. The social scene at Oxford is honestly never-ending. From club nights every evening of the week, to bops (college fancy dress parties), formal dinners in hall, subject drinks, subject dinners, sports nights, clubs and societies, crew dates, black-tie balls, white-tie balls, cocktail evenings, summer garden parties, Christmas dinners, Christmas parties, halfway hall, guest nights, JCR events, pub crawls, parenting dinners...I could go on. Yes, there's the little problem of your work to fit in but Oxford will have chosen you for a reason; they believe you can cope with the workload, so once you arrive it will all lie in your organisation. You won't be the only one wanting to fit in a jam packed social life alongside your studies which means you'll make so many friends just like you!

'I love sport, I want to play it everyday, I'd be desperate to be a blue but surely I wouldn't fit this in around my studies...'

Again, my advice would be don't let this hold you back! Yes, Oxford is intense, the workload can feel stressful but if you're already playing sport at a high level and have managed to achieve the grades, then it's clear you can strike the balance. Whilst Oxford wouldn't want your sport to become detrimental to your studies, I know so many people who played for the blues and came out with brilliant degrees. If you're organised and use your time effectively, you can succeed at both.Oh and Oxford sport can be played at a really high level, with some students going onto professional sport and the Olympics, so don't be put off!

'I don't really enjoy nights out, the social life at Oxford seems daunting...'

The great thing about Oxford is that there really is something for everyone. Freshers' Week alone is a great example, if nights out aren't for you, then there's a whole host of other activities, from movie nights, to craft sessions, visits to the ice cream parlour and quizzes. The Oxford socials listed in example one are on offer but by no means compulsory, it's totally up to you what you get involved in! If it's curling up with a cup of tea and reading a book that's your ideal evening then you certainly won't be alone...tea meet ups in friends' rooms are a huge part of uni life!

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* Don't fall into the trap of feeling that you won't fit the 'Oxford Type' - there really isn't one!

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