Wednesday 3rd September 2025
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‘Aca-demic Weapons’ at the Fringe: Oxford Commas Review

Alexander Kwon
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‘Aca-demic Weapons’ at the Fringe: Oxford Commas Review

★★★★☆

A capella groups from Oxford have long been favourites at the Edinburgh Fringe, with Out of the Blue, Oxford Gargoyles and Oxford Belles often returning year-after-year to sold out performances and enthusiastic audiences. This year however marked a new act on the festival scene: The Oxford Commas. Self-described Aca-demic Weapons, and dripped out in their sub-fusc (commoners and scholars alike), they burst out into song with their opening number ‘Believer’ by Imagine Dragons.

With a confident and self-aware quirkiness, the entire ensemble delivered each number with passion. Spoken interludes from the group’s members included jokes about student life at Oxford covering everything from exam stress to college marriages,accompanied with gentle swaying chords from the Commas. The performance sustained  a delightful energy with every member of the 13-strong ensemble engaging and interacting with the audience. From a rendition of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ with numerous references to the movie Saltburn (including a graveyard scene featuring Slane’s iconic hymn melody ‘Lord of All Hopefulness’) to Måneskin’s ‘Beggin’’ which included a particularly vibrant tenor solo. 

Despite the high-octane atmosphere curated throughout, there were some extremely beautiful moments shared in the intimacy of quartets and slower chorale-like sections in songs, which showed off the close rapport and rich basso profundo sound many of the ensemble possessed. It was in some of these moments however, that minor intonation issues were exposed.

Some of the show’s highlights were a particularly humorous interaction with an audience member in Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking Out Loud’, and the choreography during the medley of ‘Do You Mind’ and ‘Poison’ which saw the ensemble dashing across the stage and singing to each other in a tightly coordinated frenzy. Comparatively, the choreography of many of the other numbers felt slightly stilted. The somewhat indulgent body-swaying that occasionally gripped the singers felt much weaker than the more engaging and active movements.

Overall, Aca-demic Weapons was a thrilling debut show that really showcased the passion and energy that the group bring to every song. Hopefully, this means a return to the Fringe in 2026.

Cherwell Mini Cryptic #2 – Rockers and Rollers

Zoë McGuire
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Made by Zoë McGuire using the online <a href="https://amuselabs.com/games/crossword/" target="_blank" style="color: #666666;text-decoration: underline">crossword puzzle maker</a> from Amuse Labs

Need a sweet treat? Last week’s mini cryptic has you covered.

Are Cryptics a bit ruff for you? Why not try this week’s mini crossword.

Follow the Cherwell Instagram for updates on our online puzzles.

For even more crosswords and other puzzles, pick up a Cherwell print issue from your JCR or porters’ lodge!

Cherwell Mini #19 – Barking Mad

Zoë McGuire
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Made by Zoë McGuire with the <a href="https://amuselabs.com/games/crossword/" target="_blank" style="color: #666666;text-decoration: underline">crossword creator</a> from Amuse Labs

Still thirsty for puzzles? Why not try the last mini:

Follow the Cherwell Instagram for updates on our online puzzles.

For even more crosswords and other puzzles, pick up a Cherwell print issue from your JCR or porters’ lodge!

Oxford Handball’s historic season: From promotion to British Champions

João Matos
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Oxford Handball’s historic season: From promotion to British Champions

The Oxford University Handball Club Men’s team, the Blues Team of the Year, has achieved what many thought impossible: winning the English Premier League and British SuperCup – the highest national tier of handball – all while balancing the academic demands of life at Oxford.

Handball, though under the radar in the UK, is one of the most-played sports in Europe. Fast-paced, physical, and high-scoring, it is often described as a mix of football, basketball, and rugby; some even label it as a dry version of water polo. Next season, you’ll be able to find Oxford University Handball Club (OUHaC) on the European stage, competing in the European Handball Federation (EHF) European Cup.

Just one year after earning promotion to the Premier League, Oxford’s team stormed through the competition to become national champions. In doing so, Oxford has gone toe-to-toe with university and non-university clubs, many with greater resources.

“This season has been about more than just results”, said Aaron Leu, team captain and OUHaC President for the 2024/25 season. “It’s the joy of playing together, the commitment from everyone involved, and the shared effort to grow both our club and the sport in the UK. Being successful on court is just the cherry on top of an already special journey.”

The Premier League campaign concluded in spectacular fashion at the English Final Four, held in London over the Early May Bank Holiday weekend. On Saturday 3rd May, Oxford beat Loughborough 32–24 in the semi-final. The following day, they faced reigning champions London GD in the final – the very team that had knocked them out of the English Cup earlier this year, in a hectic semi-final that went to overtime. This time, Oxford dominated, securing a stunning 36–25 win to lift the national title. A well-earned holiday on Monday helped with the recovery.

But the season was not over yet. Having qualified for the British SuperCup, Oxford had one final test: a showdown between the top two teams from England and Scotland, with a place in European competition at stake.

Just two weeks later, Oxford’s season reached even greater heights in Edinburgh, where the team clinched the British SuperCup title after a dramatic weekend. In the semi-final, they overcame Scottish league runners-up Kelvinside with a commanding performance (38-26). The final saw them face London GD once again, for the fifth time this season, after two wins and two losses. It was the ultimate challenge of the season.

And what a tightly contested final it was. With 17 goals by the back Soma Polonkai, and a heroic last-second penalty save by goalkeeper Joshua Sammet, Oxford forced overtime and ultimately triumphed 38-36, sealing yet another trophy to cap a remarkable year. 

“One of our biggest strengths is definitely the team spirit”, said Polonkai. “We have players of all age groups, different backgrounds and from all over the world but ultimately there is one thing that is common in all of us: we all love this sport. The English Premier League title was a true representation of our team spirit and the British SuperCup final just confirmed that if we fight together, we can achieve amazing things as a team.”

This season’s glory is not limited to league play. In February, Oxford claimed a tremendous victory over Cambridge in the annual Varsity Match, defeating their historic rivals by a record margin of 53–14. 

Later in March, the University team also secured the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Championship for the third consecutive year, cementing their dominance at British university level with a hard-fought final win over Loughborough.

OUHaC’s roster is a reflection of Europe’s handball tradition. Most players hail from across the world, many with years of top-level experience in their home countries.

“Its diversity has always been an important strength of our handball team”, said Jan Kropf, head coach and senior player in the team, who joined OUHaC ten years ago. “We have players with very different skill levels, allowing players new to the sport to develop their skills by learning from the experienced players…The importance of this could be seen in the British Supercup final, which we won in overtime, also because our key players were in great shape until the end of the match.”

Crucially, the team is not limited to Oxford University students. It also includes players from Oxford Brookes University, Oxford researchers, and members of the local community – a true collective effort that has helped the club succeed in both university-exclusive and open competitions.

Behind the scenes, success has required logistical wizardry. With no official-sized handball hall in the city of Oxford, training is held at Iffley Sports Centre – too small according to the rulebook – and all official matches require travel.

“We’ve had to treat every match as an away match,” explained Fernando Ramos Lopez, who juggles roles as coach, player, and fixture secretary. “We don’t have a properly sized court in Oxford. We manage to deal with that for training, but it makes it difficult to build home support during official matches, since we don’t actually play at home and people have to drive an hour to watch our games.”

Despite these challenges, the club has persevered, relying on member fees, university support, endowments, and a fair amount of improvisation. A GoFundMe campaign helped fund travel to the British SuperCup, with nearly £1,000 raised within a week. The club and committee are now working to secure funding in support of what they hope will be another successful season.

OUHaC is not only winning trophies – it is also investing in the sport’s future. Alongside the men’s and women’s university squads, the club fields a second men’s team in the regional league and runs youth coaching programmes in Oxfordshire schools.

These school partnerships are a requirement to compete at the highest national level, but for Oxford’s players, it’s about more than just ticking a box. Starting next year, the school teams will come together under the banner of the Oxford University Youth Handball Team. This new setup will welcome young players from across Oxfordshire who are eager to explore one of the most exciting and complete sports in the world. It’s a chance to grow, compete, and be part of a thriving handball community from an early age.

“Handball gave us a home away from home, it brought us together and gave us a sense of belonging,” said Martí Català, player and coach. “Now, we want to leave a legacy behind — something that lasts. That means getting more Oxonians to discover the sport, fall in love with it, and keep it growing long after we’re gone.”

The club is open to players of all levels, from international stars to absolute beginners. One thing is guaranteed: you’ll get a warm welcome, a decent workout, and a post-victory pint with the team. You might even score a few goals, unless you’re too busy googling what handball is.

With growing support across the country and preparations already underway for next season, Oxford now turns its focus to European competition. Their next challenge is the second round of the EHF European Cup, set to take place in Luxembourg against HC Berchem in October; a new stage, but the same strong team spirit.

As goalkeeper Sammet recalled: “The only thought in my head before the penalty was: this season cannot end here”, and it did not. Sammet’s decisive save in the dying moments of regular time took the British SuperCup final into overtime, a turning point that exemplified the team’s resilience. “I am incredibly proud to be part of this team, and what we achieved this season: how we managed the challenges of injuries, exam stress, and missing players by playing as one team, fighting for each other. I am excited to see what next season brings!”

For more information or updates, contact us at [email protected] and follow @OxfordHandball on Instagram. Both the semifinal and final matches can be watched on YouTube, on the Scottish Handball Association channel.

Stop sneering at the staycation

Arun Lewis
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Stop sneering at the staycation

Amidst the cost-of-living crisis, the once-attractive Mediterranean getaway has lost some of its lustre. Whilst Benidorm and Magaluf will continue to be quasi-British colonies, travelling within the UK is an increasingly respectable option again. But why did the staycation ever go away?

After the 1970s, when prime ministers would regularly holiday in the Scilly Isles, Thatcherite deregulation of the airline industry brought about the rise of the affordable international holiday. To stay in the UK was backward, boring, and sneered at as a mark of working-classness in a country where middle-class aesthetics were increasingly dominant. Remaining this side of the English Channel when there were cheap options abroad, fuelled by new short-haul airlines, was a mark of social inferiority in post-Big Bang Britain. Package holidays offered the allure of international travel without the prestige it once held when foreign travel was a more exclusive pastime.

But in a post-COVID world, the staycation is making a triumphant return, with interest piquing in options closer to home. For many Oxford students resident in the UK, their first thought would be London – it is their stomping ground, just 40 minutes away on the train. They’ve got knowledge of its fashionable boroughs to challenge a black cab driver’s. But ask about anywhere else in the UK, and you’d be confronted by blank faces. To them, the country is limited to a short radius around the M25, curving around areas more complicated than Notting Hill.

If you dare to venture outside of London, however, you will find that the four nations in the UK are diverse and culturally rich, teeming in activity and history. I visited Wales recently to discover the places where my father grew up. In the small town of Laugharne, on the south coast of Carmarthenshire, I found views that rival any you could discover after an hours-long flight. Wandering through narrow coastal paths, I discovered Dylan Thomas’ old writing cabin, his nearby house, and the pub he frequented in town, as well as seeing the place my grandparents first met. This story can be repeated all over these islands, almost all reachable by car, train, or ferry. From small alcoves, sheltered from the hectic mania of modern life, to exciting gems of activity, the UK has more than enough to offer for a lifetime of adventures.

If so much is available within the UK, what justification is there for an Oxford student to travel across the world to ‘discover’ a thin fragment of a country, devoid of context or history? The pressure of tourism has reached breaking point in many countries, with public push-back and official intervention attempting to stem the tide of travellers. Curious British tourists now emulate swarms of mosquitos, tearing through lovingly-preserved cities and draining them of cultural depth and, more importantly, housing. In search of some divine revelation to justify the exorbitant costs of such experiences, too often we imagine that whatever spiritual discoveries arrived at are the product of that environment. You could come to just as profound judgements in Kirkcaldy as in Kinshasa – travelling to the former just involves less cost, financial and environmental.

Yet, the staycation doesn’t need to involve travelling at all. There is plenty to do for most Oxford inmates over the long vac. Personally, I’d had a growing collection of books I intended to read, but failed to find time. This pile had grown so totteringly tall it had the structural integrity of the Titan submersible. I’ve been able to begin chipping away at this Babel-like tower of books while staying at home, which has given me the chance to nurture interests that I just wouldn’t have time for either at university or on a foreign holiday. Attempting to stuff all three stacks into a suitcase would’ve left me travelling dangerously light on clothes, and with a hefty excess baggage fine.

So, resist the allure of a foreign holiday. Organise something local instead, within the confines of a surprisingly full country. There is more in the UK than Heathrow and Gatwick can reasonably offer you on a two-week break, and for a lot less than the price of a flight to Malia. 

Gazan offer holders ‘relieved’ as government approves visas

Conor Walsh and Stanley Smith
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Gazan offer holders ‘relieved’ as government approves visas

Oxford University offer holders living in Gaza have told Cherwell that they feel “a deep sense of relief and hope” after the UK Government announced plans to approve visas for around 40 university-funded students living in the Gaza Strip.

These students include Gazans holding offers for the Chevening scheme, a predominantly government-funded programme for graduate students. Along with those on university-funded scholarships, they will receive assistance to leave the territory. The Home Secretary has also approved plans to assist around 30 students on privately-funded scholarships.

Despite the public announcement, Cherwell understands that the government is yet to contact Oxford offer holders in Gaza about the approval of their visas.

Loay, who holds an offer to study MSc Health Service Improvement and Evaluation at Oxford, told Cherwell: “After months of fear, uncertainty, and displacement, knowing that our academic futures may now be within reach is incredibly emotional. I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported and advocated for us.”

At least six students in Gaza and the West Bank hold offers to study at Oxford through the University’s Palestine Crisis Scholarship Scheme. These students, and other Gazans holding offers and scholarships to study in the UK, had been unable to provide biometrics necessary for obtaining a valid UK visa due to the closure of visa offices in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. 

Only those in receipt of offers and scholarships for full-time study will be impacted by the government’s plan. Consequently, Cherwell understands that at least one Oxford offer-holder with a scholarship under the Palestinian Crisis Scholarship Scheme will remain in Gaza.

The affected student, Salam, told Cherwell: “I want to express my disappointment at the decision not to grant visas to part time students. I truly thought there would be an understanding of the very special and extremely difficult circumstances students in Gaza are facing.”

Yesterday’s announcement confirmed that offer holders for full-time study will be taken to a third territory for visa biometric tests before being brought to the UK. However, a government spokesperson told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme that “the process is likely to be complicated and challenging” and will require Israel to agree that each student can leave the territory.

A spokesperson for Oxford University told Cherwell: “The University is part of sector-wide efforts to support the arrival of students from Gaza and are in contact with our offer-holders who are facing the greatest difficulty. We hope to welcome several students from Gaza on full scholarships this autumn.”

The plan to approve the visas follows a public call from the UK higher education sector to remove the barriers facing students from Gaza, including an open letter signed by members of the Oxford University Student Union (SU) earlier this month.

Speaking to Cherwell, an SU spokesperson said that the “SU welcomes the government’s announcement”, adding that “this outcome underlines the importance of collective action” following the SU’s open letter.
Cherwell approached the Home Office for comment but they declined to answer.

‘Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep?’ at the Fringe

Nicole Palka
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‘Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep?’ at the Fringe

★★★⯪☆

Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep? is a one-man, one-puppet musical journey through the apocalypse. After a ‘catastrophic’ magnitude 1-ish earthquake, the dead are reanimated, unleashing a zombie outbreak. John Butler takes us on this journey using original songs, accompanied by a backing track and live ukulele. The songs are performed against a backdrop of wonderful watercolour style animation projected onto a screen. Musical moments are interspersed with small scenes, often featuring a 2D-hanging puppet as Butler’s costar. 

The songs are lyrically entertaining and develop a pleasing story. Some include elements of humour and Butler has an enjoyable voice. They engineer a fun narrative, even if many of the songs sound similar. You may ask, how can one man perform a whole musical by himself? He doesn’t! There are plenty of moments of audience participation which certainly help to engage a Fringe audience. Audiences are informed of their fate at the very beginning and there is a certain tragic inevitability knowing that you are hurtling towards having to sing at the end of the show. 

Butler’s puppet is a fantastic element of the production. The puppet plays the role of Butler’s hero/saviour turned lover. It facilitates a wonderful story of two men finding love at the end of the universe. There is a great deal of comedy in the use of a (very-lifeless) puppet to play the living man while the supposedly dead zombies move freely around the screen. While a funny choice, this also poses the question of what actually makes the zombies so different from us? How can a cruel treatment be justified when they are more similar than expected?

These questions are explored through the plot which I found extremely promising. At first the show seems like a surface-level parody about the apocalypse. However, it quickly reveals itself as a well-structured, interesting story with subtle social commentary and sprinklings of political satire all while maintaining the silliness. You shouldn’t take the plot of Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep? overly seriously as it is certainly more silly than satire but it would be a mistake to dismiss the messages that are there.

So… do zombies dream of undead sheep?

I still don’t know. The zombies in this musical journey were certainly awake and ensuring that no audience members started counting dream sheep. This show is a great late night watch if you’re looking for a bit of fun. If you ever start contemplating the humanity of the undead, this show is the place for you.

My journey with British identity

Rupert Hill
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My journey with British identity

I was gently raised with the idea that Britain was fair and decent, a country that meant something good. This was likely shaped by growing up in Devon, somewhere green and small, where things felt familiar and a bit tucked away from the rest of the world. 

At the time of the Brexit referendum, despite being only twelve, I actually supported it. I remember feeling weirdly pleased when the Vote Leave campaign won, probably because my dad backed it and I wanted to be involved. It felt nice to have a political opinion. By the time I was 13 or 14, I had learnt more about the world. Within a year or two I was campaigning, going to protests, watching online debates – far too obsessed with Europe for a GCSE student. After all my passionate engagement, the 2019 general election crushed me, and I felt physically sick when the exit poll was announced. This was one of the first times I understood what it meant to be politically heartbroken.

In school, I was learning more about Britain’s past: empire, war, denial, and what hadn’t been discussed before. It didn’t feel right, then or now, that we were meant to be proud of something so full of harm. Spending time considering Britain’s legacy makes it hard to overlook how much damage it caused, and how present that damage still is, and I understand why many see Britain as something to push back against or renounce completely. But I’ve also never been able to fully abandon the idea that the UK could be something else. Not innocent or exceptional, but decent, welcoming, and internationally collaborative. The kind of place London probably felt like in 2012 when the Olympics allowed a modern form of Britishness to be publicised. I didn’t completely understand what was happening at the time, but I remember the feeling: that quiet sense we were doing something good. Looking back, that version of the UK felt positive and fun, and it shaped the way I grew up thinking about Britain.

Oxford has only confused that. In some ways, it’s the most English place I’ve ever lived. Not just in its history, but in its contradictions. I’ve found queer safety and possibility there. I’ve also felt silenced by the weight of tradition, and frustrated at the gaps in solidarity. Sometimes it feels like England distilled: beautiful and painful, magical and blinkered, stuck in its own story even when it knows better. Occasionally, I catch glimpses of the version of England I still believe in. Not in some perfect idyll, but in the messy, funny, unrepeatable energy of real life. A late-night walk through a city I love. A pub garden where accents clash and everyone’s a bit too loud. A countryside that’s gloomy and green and full of sudden joy. We have bad weather and plenty of flaws, but I love our music, our festival culture, our sense of humour – and our unique position in, and subsequent view of, the world. That version of England isn’t proud in a loud way. It just exists. And it’s better than the story nationalism tries to tell.

Then I moved to Germany, where the distance made everything clearer and more confusing at once. From the outside, the UK looked smaller and sadder. My Irish friends in Bonn saw it through the lens of something much more painful and political. While I’ll never be able to fully understand it the way they do, their perspective is not difficult to empathise with. The spectrum of views lay somewhere between a more generational opposition to the UK and those emphasising compromise and the new era brought by the Good Friday Agreement. It’s not really my place to have a strong opinion, but I support them because it just makes sense to me. 

The more I sat with that, the more it shaped my thoughts on the state of the UK today. I’m quietly in favour of the different independence movements, but it’s strange, because it leaves England, and I don’t really know what England is, or what I want it to be. I’ve briefly wondered whether Britishness could still survive in some softer, post-union way, a bit like how European identity is formed out of shared history and common culture. But without its own devolved parliament or institutions, English identity feels oddly shapeless, and it’s difficult to escape the historical weight of imperial oppression. This summer, we saw the Lionesses bring home the Euros trophy for a second time. It’s hard not to feel proud of our team; the scenes of the recent victory parade were a rare display of English pride that felt warm rather than uncomfortable. This may herald a new kind of patriotism, but the question of national self-definition remains a problematic one.

Since it’s no longer straightforward to move or work abroad within Europe, I don’t see myself living anywhere else long-term, except, perhaps, from Wales. I have spent quite a bit of time there, and it feels geographically and emotionally closer to the version of Britain I still care about. Learning Welsh during lockdown gave me a deeper appreciation for the unique culture, although I have no personal claim upon it. Yet I feel many English people who move to Wales do so either without a desire to learn or respect this, or in a way that edges towards cultural re-writing as opposed to integration. This is especially true in Anglesey, where I’ve spent the bulk of my time in Wales, and seeing this in practice is upsetting, even if I might be complicit myself. My granny shares my perspective on this; she is as Cornish as Cornish gets, and has faced similar frustrations at how Cornwall has changed, with locals priced out of coastal towns, often with no sensitivity to that fact or the privilege behind it. The rest of my family, however, are just vaguely English, in a way that’s both ordinary and hard to define. Maybe that’s why I’ve always been drawn to the smaller nations within the UK, the ones that seem more sure of themselves. But this is something that should be protected, not re-written.

I want a version of Englishness that isn’t about nostalgia or control. Something plural, curious, and reflective – while not asking for innocence or forgiveness. I just want to believe that the things worth loving aren’t already gone. That it’s still possible to be from here, to acknowledge the harm, and to actively choose a better kind of belonging. That we can still make something of the present. And maybe the whole idea of national identity is more fragile than we think. Maybe it fades, or shifts, or comes back in different forms. But even if it doesn’t matter in the long run, I still feel it. I think there’s a lot in the UK worth protecting, if we’re brave enough to change what needs to change and careful enough to keep what matters. I want to have a heritage of which I can be proud. Not one that erases the harm, but one that tries to reckon with it honestly.

‘Timestamp’ at the Fringe: Existing in the ‘now’

Nicole Palka
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‘Timestamp’ at the Fringe: Existing in the ‘now’

★★★★☆

Timestamp is a part-theremin, part-dance exploration of womanhood, expectation, and time. Brought to the Edinburgh Fringe after a successful run in New York City by Emilee Lord and Karen Cecilia, it unpacks, in an hour, the ways in which the performers have dealt with being held to certain standards in their own lives, and asks us to reflect on how this pressure functions in ours.

The piece greets you with a rolling montage of women, including recorded interview extracts that discuss, among other themes, the pressures accompanying aging, and hypocritical standards of femininity. After this introduction, the performance begins properly with soft tones from the theremin, and choreography in a symbiotic relationship with the music. The choreography by Lord is wonderful to watch, her body seeming to flow with soft fluid lines, only to then contort into angular movements, evidencing a clear skill, control, and technique. Cecilia’s theremin somewhat responds to the ebbs and flows of Lord’s movement, and her intense gaze keeps the two performers in sync. I would have loved to see a more innovative use of the theremin, however, as I felt it was often more a tool for ambience than expression.

Lord’s dance is sandwiched between spoken word, art, and video material: the experience is broken up into small segments, with each subtly structurally different to the previous. The steady pace this provides ensures the audience’s interest, particularly engaged when Cecilia recounts the emotions generated by their mother’s death just before the first run of Timestamp in New York City. 

This one moment of vulnerability encapsulates what I feel Cecilia and Lord aim to put across. The encounter between expectation and grief, where we ask what a lost relative desired for us, is one of the hardest and most insightful parts of their exploration. Asking whether the dead met their own aspirations for themselves reminds us of the fleeting nature of our own lives. Cecilia’s monologue becomes its own ‘timestamp’, a symbol drawn out to mark the specific moment of change, and feels incredibly brave.

In fact, the entire piece is connected by the notion of time and evolution. Projected camera footage displays digital timestamps of minutes and seconds onto the wall; a chalk drawing on the floor illustrates an unconventional clock where hours are replaced with ‘timestamps’ which aren’t always chronological. Unfortunately, the camera did not always capture the entire stage, and, if you weren’t sitting at the front, the artwork could be unclear from the footage alone. Nonetheless, we are left with an appreciation of the subjectivity of experience, and reminded of how personal the passage of time can be. 

The performers establish a new timestamp: the present – the ‘now’. Instead of leaving us with a vague, impending message that we could procrastinate indefinitely, the use of ‘now’ makes it clear that we are to reflect in the moment. It reminded me that you can change and reflect on yourself at any time – it doesn’t have to be at the ‘right’ point.

 
Timestamp is a rounded performance that is accessible to anyone, even those who don’t count themselves versed in performance art and feminism. It left an important message behind: to begin reflecting on my own choices, and claiming full ownership of them, right now.

The Oxford offer holders trapped in Gaza

Stanley Smith
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The Oxford offer holders trapped in Gaza

CW: Violence, Death, Injury

Buying gowns, completing reading lists, googling the meanings of obtuse college lingo: this is what the weeks before starting a degree at Oxford University are like for most students. The reality could not be more different for Samah*, a Palestinian student in Gaza who holds an offer to study Genomic Medicine (MSc) at Balliol College. 

“Life in Gaza is centred entirely around survival”, she tells me. “Each day brings deep uncertainty; where to find clean water, how to stay safe, and how to secure anything at all to eat. The idea of ‘food’ has become secondary at this point, we’re simply trying to find anything to sustain ourselves.”

Samah is squeezing in time to talk to me during a short break on her nightshift in the emergency unit of a hospital. She has just urgently transferred two units of blood to a patient undergoing an above-knee amputation. His injuries are critical and she thinks he may not survive until morning. “This is our reality: responding to mass casualties daily, trying to help however we can, while carrying our own personal trauma.”

“After such shifts, we return to ask ourselves the same questions: where can we rest, is there anything to eat, and is there anywhere less dangerous to go?”

For Loay*, who holds an offer to study Health Service Improvement and Evaluation (MSc) at St Hilda’s College, life is just as perilous. Israel’s ongoing military offensive and blockade of aid trucks have resulted in him and his family being displaced 18 times. 

“The impact of the war has been devastating”, he tells me once he finds a few bars of precious internet connection. “I have lost my uncle, my cousin, and four close friends. These are not just numbers. They were people I loved, studied, and grew up with. The psychological toll of witnessing so much loss, destruction, and suffering is immense.”

Samah and Loay are two of 38 students in Gaza with full scholarships to study at UK universities. After succeeding against the odds, they have found  that they are unable to make the journey to begin their courses this September. In order to obtain visas, the students must complete fingerprint and photo registration, but the only UK government authorised biometrics centre in Gaza closed in October 2023. After the closure of the Rafah border crossing in May 2024, a total of approximately 78 UK offer holders are stuck in Gaza. As well as Samah and Loay, Cherwell is aware of another Oxford offer, Salam*, who is unable to obtain a visa.

This is only the latest roadblock in the students’ journey to Oxford. “Education in Gaza has always faced significant challenges, even before the war”, Samah explains. Shortages in resources, frequent electricity cuts, and restricted access to academic tools have always been a reality of her educational experience. But with the outbreak of war in October 2023, she says “the situation became catastrophic”. Israeli forces have damaged or destroyed more than 90% of schools and universities in Gaza, with many students forced to pause or abandon their studies altogether. Loay had just graduated medical school when war broke out. “I was due to start my role as a teaching assistant at the Faculty of Medicine”, he recalls, “but unfortunately, the university was completely destroyed.”

In Samah’s case, she struggled to complete her studies at the Islamic University of Gaza during the war whilst working in the laboratory and bloodbank unit of the Ahli Arab Hospital. “We operated around the clock, 24 hours a day. It’s difficult to describe how overwhelming this period was,  I often had no time to eat, sleep, study or even think. Every minute was spent trying to rescue injured patients.” She describes stealing what moments she could to sit on a bench in the microbiology department to study and complete assignments.

Image Credit: Samah for Cherwell

“Applying to Oxford during the war was incredibly challenging”, Loay explains when I ask him about the process. “Due to the severe damage to Gaza’s infrastructure, I had very limited access to the internet and often found myself completing applications from hospital corridors, where I could occasionally connect.” 

For both Samah and Loay, it was a desire to help others that drove them to undertake such a massive effort. “I’ve long been passionate about molecular and genetic medicine”, Samah tells me. “It encompasses vital areas like cancer therapy, IVF, and screening for congenital diseases, all of which are critically needed in my community.” Loay tells me that an MSc in Health Service aligns perfectly with his goal of strengthening healthcare delivery in crisis and low-resource settings such as Gaza. As for why this university in particular? “I want to study at Oxford because it’s Oxford! It offers world-class academic training, especially in health systems and policy.” 

When the news of her success came, Samah says it “felt like a light at the end of the tunnel”, giving her a renewed sense of purpose. But today, this joy is tainted by the uncertainty of her current situation. “Not being able to obtain the visa means everything is at risk for over 40 students from Gaza, our lives, dreams, and hopes can be lost in a matter of seconds.” 

Loay’s desperation is palpable. “I’ve worked hard for my place at Oxford, but the lack of a functioning biometric centre and the impossibility of safe travel from Gaza have left me stuck in a situation I cannot control.” He points to the fact that other nations such as the Republic of Ireland, France, and Italy have coordinated with Israel to evacuate students from Gaza. “The UK has the same ability to act. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for a safe and practical solution to access the opportunities we’ve earned.” 

Samah and Loay are not without hope. A campaign, headed by the activist group Gaza 40, has sprung up to publicise their cause. The organisation calls for the UK government to allow the students to defer the provision of biometric data until they have made safe passage out of Gaza. Over 70 MPs have signed a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling on the government “to coordinate an urgent evacuation route for this group of students”. They highlight that similar exceptions over biometric data were made previously for Ukrainian students. Recently, the government committed to evacuating nine students from Gaza whose scholarships are funded by the Foreign Office. Regarding the remaining scholars, the government has stated that it is “aware of these students and are considering how we can best support”.

As for Oxford University, both Samah and Loay say that they felt supported by the administration, who provided a letter of support and have reached out to the government about the issue. However, they also expressed their belief that the University could be doing more to raise awareness and place pressure on the government. A spokesperson for Oxford University told Cherwell: “The University is part of sector-wide efforts to support the arrival of students from Gaza and are in contact with our offer-holders who are facing the greatest difficulty. We hope to welcome several students from Gaza on full scholarships this autumn.” 

For Samah and Loay, whose lives are shaped by displacement, food insecurity, and the bombs of the Israeli military, everything is in a dangerous state of flux; nothing can be taken for granted. However, one thing is certain: the new academic year is fast approaching and with it the possibility of losing the opportunity of a lifetime. Samah is all too well aware of this: “Here in Gaza, we live with the reality that everything we work for can suddenly vanish. That’s why this means so much to all of us.”

“Securing a visa is not just about travel. It represents a light of hope, a chance to rebuild what has been destroyed.”

*The surnames of the students have been omitted at their request.

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