Wednesday 21st January 2026

Lifestyle

In defence of the default order: The Alternative Tuck Shop

There is no place in Oxford that my muscle memory takes me to more reliably than the Alternative Tuck Shop. This happens regardless of my state – still half-asleep, perhaps slightly hungover, or already late for class.

Why you don’t need a “winter arc”

This winter, social media encourages us to embark on the journey of the "winter arc": a self-optimisation quest which leaves little room for hibernation.

The ick factor

Not all icks are created equal, and of course, they shouldn't be treated as such. Either way, they undeniably speak volumes about the person you're with.

Discovering neurodivergence: late diagnosis at Oxford

I always knew I was a bit of a peculiar child. But I was deeply surprised when a friend seeking a diagnosis herself suggested that I might be autistic.

Wine and Weather Forecasts

Back in my childhood bedroom, I am stuck in an unpleasant time-warp, sixteen again and agonizing over awful boys, listening to utterly miserable Smiths songs. It’s the deja-vu experience no one wants.

A Coronavirus Christmas: Missing Family and Traditions

I’ll miss the little things, most of all: the warm chaotic hubbub of too many people in one bungalow, fighting over who gets the sofa seat with the footrest, and maybe most of all, the smell of cooking wafting from the kitchen.

Not particularly fusced: reflections on a first term

Surely having that moment to celebrate and realise that “yes, I made it to f*cking Oxford during a worldwide crisis” seems quite affirming and in line with the Government’s message of being able to have a ‘proper University experience™’, whatever that means.

In Conversation with Bruce LaBruce

"'Horror movies and porn movies are structured in exactly the same way,' he begins, 'the narrative is structured as a pretext for a number of these explosive climaxes. One victim at a time, one sex scene at a time.'"

All I Want for Christmas is Food!

Dessert has the opportunity to hold such creativity and glee, and yet the dry, misshapen lumps turned out year after year hold nothing but an unbelievable amount of fruit. They also hold a considerable serving of history.

The dreaded ‘transitioning’

Transitioning. The word carries so much, it should be accompanied by spooky ghost sound effects every time someone dares to utter it. To those...

Doom and zoom: student work life in 2020

Like so many other current second year students, my Trinity term in 2020 was characterised by long, repetitive hours spent at a desk I...

Oxford Reopened: Temple Lounge

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Oxford students who wanted to catch infectious diseases had to venture into Cowley. Back in the ‘old normal’, Temple Lounge...

The perfect vegetarian Christmas

"The veggie haggis should indeed gain a position as a roasted staple around the British dinner table; cheap, healthy, easy to cook and universally delectable."

In Conversation with Colin Wilson

“Why do we care about this? Well, it's like a parallel earth. It's the same size as Earth, made of the same sort of materials formed around [...] the same amount of time ago. But it's evolved really differently with this huge greenhouse effect.”

Vibrant Winter Veg

Potatoes are a-plenty, but keep an eye out post-halloween for sweet-fleshed pumpkin, all kinds of leafy green veg, beautiful purple beetroots and the unassuming fennel, cabbage and cauliflower.

In Conversation with Tim Webber

Going from an Oxford Physics degree to winning an Oscar for your work on Gravity seems like, strangely, a fairly linear career path. For...

In Conversation with Rebecca Black

Hey this sucks, but you’re gonna’ be famous. While not the worst thing Rebecca Black would read about herself that year, these words would come...

Rome Alone Too

The main problem with travelling alone? You are travelling alone. I blame books and gap year students for its allure. Hemmingway’s expats all seem...

In Conversation with Grace Beverley

Grace Beverley is possibly one of the busiest people I’ve ever met. The day of our interview, she posted a photo of the day’s...

Autumn Goodness: Chickpea Minestrone

It may be flavour-packed but it only requires one pan, and shockingly few fresh ingredients, making it the ultimate student kitchen fare: cheap, delicious, simple, and nutritious!

Society Eats: Hungary

Hungarian cuisine is a prime example of excessive gluttony - that is exactly why it is worth trying

In Conversation with HONNE

When I met HONNE over Zoom, they’d been up late the night before working on a new music video for an acoustic version of...

In Conversation with Jihyun Park

CW: Mention of torture and abuse Within the past few months, rumours claiming the death of North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-Un, have circled our news...

Eating in Oxford : a freshers’ guide

Generally around £3.50, these wraps will put your soggy Tesco meal deal to shame.

Follow us