Dear Fresher,
You’ve made it!
At least, you’ve made it this far. Forget school, personal statements, and any semblance of routine. Expect drunken debauchery, late night essay crises, and work you actually like to mark the next three years (at least) of your life. If you survive, you’ll graduate with the best friends you’ll ever have, a degree you can be proud of, and memories to last a lifetime.
Oxford, if we do say so ourselves, is an amazing place. In these hallowed halls you can experience everything from the regal elegance of college balls to the somewhat less classy bops. You can opt for inconceivably early outings on the river or just roll out of bed for a lazy afternoon punt. Nowhere else will you face both intense library sessions and the prospect of drinking with tutors in progressively less formal dinners.
Coming up for the first time is a whirlwind of new people and places, with demands from tutors, clubs and societies, and friends thrust upon you all at once. This guide aims to help you wade through the confusion and reveal the real Oxford underneath. We’re anti-establishment and unofficial. We don’t spout OUSU speak or toe the university line. And if you don’t know what OUSU is, we’ve got a dictionary of Oxford terms inside the Guide.
Good luck!
Nupur Takwale, Vicky Lim, Morgan Norris-Grey, Anthony Collins, Lizzie Greene and Iona Richards
Senior editiorial team
Check out our preview articles on clubbing and the Union, and take a sneak peek inside with our read online feature.
