Which clothes to bring to uni? Which clothes to pack that will inevitably end up in a heap on the floor of your wardrobe once term properly starts and you can no longer be bothered to use hangers? When Shakespeare wrote “to be or not to be, that is the question”, I think what he really meant is “to wear or not wear, that is the question”. It may seem silly but I consider choosing which outfits to bring each term akin to choosing which child to love best.
Now I’m going to preface this reasoning with the admission that the top I’m using as my example was not actually bought by me, nor was it technically intended for me.
My lovely mother, my lovely, generous, mother bought it for…herself. However, upon reflection (otherwise known as me claiming it as soon as I saw it in her wardrobe and wearing it every night-out), it was kindly donated to me, and I think we can all agree it fell into the correct hands.
This top is special. It’s entirely glittery, with three stripes – orange, blue and pink (think a sort of disco neapolitan ice cream). It’s also from the nineties, it’s seen dance floors new and old. The insufferable cool points I awarded myself for wearing this top to a nineties night (“I’m so authentic!”) or the fact it fits just perfectly are not the reasons why I find this top so meaningful. This top is always the correct night-out choice. It looks good with jeans, skirts and shorts. But most of all, it makes me feel confident. It makes me want to dance and be free – it makes me feel cool, ok?! And to be soppy for a moment away from home at this (terrifying) university, it reminds me of my mam.
I think there is something truly unique about the feeling of putting on a piece of clothing and just feeling utterly, undeniably yourself. Clothes become synonymous with our identities – material extensions of our inner selves. Think of the people in your life and I bet you think of them in that one certain, purely them outfit. When I think of my mam, I think of green scarves and black Doc Martens; my friend Georgia reminds me of glamourous, business woman blazers and silky dresses. And for me, well, I like to think in their mind’s eye I’m wearing my beloved, sparkly top.
Clothes are not just comfortable in the physical sense of the word (and often they’re not at all – ‘suffer for fashion’ and all that nonsense), they’re a source of comfort because they’re a layer of our selfhood we can wear as a badge when we want to shout: ‘This is me!’. But they’re also something we can swaddle ourselves in when we’re in scary, new places. Dancing through the streets of Oxford in my ‘utterly me’ top, I feel unstoppable. And don’t we all want to feel like that?
“I take inspiration from the figure of Jesus.” Unlikely words to be coming out of the mouth of an atheist, but perhaps unsurprising, given that Alex O’Connor’s devotion to Christianity (or his lack thereof) means that he has meticulously studied the religion inside and out over the course of his career. Despite being catholic school raised, oftentimes a church go-er and a philosophy and theology graduate from Oxford, Alex does not believe in God.
Alex O’Connor, better known as YouTuber CosmicSkeptic, describes himself as “philosophy enthusiast, slash communicator turned vegan advocate,” – though, not fond of the label “philosopher” for the risk of sounding ridiculously pretentious. An advocate for quite the repertoire of causes over the years O’Connor has entertained his 460,000 YouTube subscribes with debates, podcasts and Ted Talks spanning veganism, atheism, free speech, and general philosophical arguments.
We are sat in the Queens Lane Coffee House, a place he describes as his “second home,” discussing the nuances of debate and controversy. After recommending Hitchens’ Letters to a Young Contrarian to me a few months ago, I ask O’Connor what he would advise a young contrarian, who battles with his opinion against today’s dynamic of cancel culture, something which he speaks openly against. Quoting Hitchens, as he so often does, he tells me “People must choose their regrets.”
His advice is to balance up which regrets you may withstand, and those which you may not.
He stresses the importance of determining whether social costs are worth supressing your true feelings and opinions. Slightly less inspirational than I’d anticipated, but pragmatism and a lack of romanticism is an admirable quality for a philosopher to possess.
He tells me: “It’s a painful experience, feeling like you have to suppress what you think and just awkwardly, cringe-ly smile along to people saying things that you just don’t think are true. This could be a terrible feeling. It’s like, maybe that’s actually more unliveable than dealing with people who dislike you quite a bit. So, you’ve kind of got to choose which is more useful to you.”
How does O’Connor act on his own instruction, then, given that he has made a career out of debate, discussion, and advocacy? His videos, dealing with controversial topics, all come with the real prospect of dispute, so how does he manage to choose the “right” regret? He tells me that there have certainly been instances where opinions he have voiced have come at a personal cost, but overall, they were learning experiences.
He then goes on to give me a bit more advice about dealing with judgment: “I try to be a bit more friendly in conversations with people. I take inspiration from the figure of Jesus Christ.”
Whilst an atheist, O’Connor believes that Jesus is a great moral teacher, even among non-Christians, and echo’s his “love your enemies” teaching. Recounting the use of this “Jesus-inspired” philosophy in practice, he unlocks his phone to show me a recent experience over Instagram, in which a message from a follower reads: “Shut the f*ck up r*tard and mind your own business. Go eat grass.”
“I don’t know why he’s so upset,” O’Connor tells me, “I was just thinking to myself, what happens when someone’s actually confronted in the sense that, lets actually investigate why you think this.” He replies calmly, attempting to understand the anger, and within two messages the follower stops his aggression. After being seemingly upset with O’Connor’s choice to take his channel in a more vegan direction, the follower responds: “Don’t be sorry things have changed,” followed by a smiley face; “we all change for the better or the worse.”
O’Connor remarks about the peculiar nature of the encounter. After a couple of messages, this follower went from using slurs to adding smiley faces. What does this teach us about the art of contrarianism? Kindness and compassion will be better received than aggression.
Though many followers have criticised O’Connor’s turn to veganism, he remains dedicated his vegan direction. His interest in vegan advocacy began after reading Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation – struck by the extremity of the violence involved for factory farming and the trivial justifications for this violence, Alex feels bound to turn to vegan advocacy.
“Nobody wants to be vegan.” He pauses to take bite of his vegan breakfast. “Nobody wants to give up these wonderful tasting products.” He tells me how a couple of years ago, he made a video about veganism which he prefaced by saying: “Don’t worry – I’m not becoming some vegan advocacy channel.”
Now, being a vegan advocacy channel seems much of the point.
A comment under one of O’Connor’s posts questions why so much of his current content has changed – the comment asks O’Connor to comment on political issues, saying “your strength is in the politics.” This is something I have wondered for a while. Whenever asked a question, O’Connor answers are usually meticulously thought out. Why does he then choose to shy away from certain issues?
“Truth is, it’s about what I’m competent in. I’ve got nothing of interest to say here, I have no unique perspective to bring and even if I bring a unique perspective if I’m challenged on it, I won’t really have the competence to defend my views without doing more harm.”
As it turns out, O’Connor never makes claims he doesn’t feel able to adequately defend – he says it would be “self-defeating” to do so. It means he keeps his mouth shut on issues he doesn’t know much about. If everyone answered questions only when they felt competent in the topic, with the deliberate and calculated nature that CosmicSkeptic does, reasoned discussion would surely be much easier.
Yet, in a university where many people feel qualified to speak on most issues, competence isn’t enough. Undoubtedly, free speech matters as a principle. But we must consider the personal consequences of speaking. In asking us to choose our regrets, O’Connor has a rare lesson from a contrarian: sometimes, it isn’t worth it.
All students of St Benet’s Hall with one or more years of study remaining were told on 5th July where they had been reallocated, although the exact mechanics of the reallocation process remain unclear. Samuel Kenny, the Hall’s JCR Secretary, told Cherwell that the University essentially sent out an “SOS to all the colleges”, listing the number of students, their course and year of study.
Kenny criticised the University for failing to adequately communicate to students what was happening to them, claiming that “at one point emails weren’t being replied to” and labelling University communication “very limited … [and] very stressful” . Mikyle Ossman, a second year student who has been reallocated to Christ Church, told Cherwell he thought the reallocation process was “as fair as getting pooled”. But he echoed Kenny’s criticism of the University’s communication: “We weren’t really told anything. […] Anything we did find out was through back channels or hearsay.”
Cherwell spoke to a student who appealed their reallocation but had their appeal denied. They knew of a few other students who had tried to appeal but none who had succeeded. It was hard to lodge an appeal because it was not made clear on what grounds an appeal could be made: “[The University] didn’t really tell you how to appeal, that wasn’t something that was communicated until people asked. […] I don’t think a lot of people even knew about the fact that it was an option. […] They’ve been so unhelpful, it’s really disappointing.” A University spokesperson told Cherwell it had “worked hard to account for individual student’s welfare needs” and was “confident that all continuing students will continue to enjoy a high quality of education”.
Students can also apply for migration, which is a longstanding mechanism separate from the reallocation process which allows students at the University to apply to change colleges. Cherwell is aware of at least two reallocated students successfully applying for migration, both after being reallocated to Regent’s Park College. A significant proportion of students – 29 out of over 60 undergraduates – were reallocated to Regent’s, also a PPH.
Elizabeth Crawford, Interim Principal at Regent’s, told Cherwell: “Regent’s was approached because of the overlap of subjects taught in each College and pre-existing arrangements for collaboration. […] We were informed that there was a strong preference amongst St Benet’s students [to remain together]. […] There have been two recent [migrations], both of which meet the Collegiate rules … for a ‘compelling’ reason. […] We were surprised to hear that there was some prevailing misperception amongst some students at St Benet’s that Regent’s Park was as fragile an institution as St Benet’s. […] It is a matter of public record that Regent’s Park owns its own buildings … is completely debt-free, has an endowment of nearly £8 [million], and is currently running a surplus. […] Regent’s Park College is delighted to welcome our new students and is fully committed to giving them a good student experience.”
Both students who migrated from Regent’s were apparently Classics students. Kenny told Cherwell he was concerned for Classicists reallocated from St Benet’s to Regent’s as normally the latter only takes one or two Classics students whereas with the reallocated students there would now be between six to eight Classicists starting their second year at Regent’s. It is also alleged that Regent’s plan to phase out the course. A student studying Classics at Regent’s told Cherwell that this was “deeply disappointing”.
Housing was another key issue. Kenny had expected to live-in at St Benet’s this year but discovered after he was reallocated to Regent’s that they had no available college accommodation. The University wanted to put him in graduate accommodation for £713 per month on a ten month contract, quite different to the St Benet’s accommodation he had budgeted for which operated on a term-time contract. Kenny managed to arrange to live-out at the last minute, but said he finds it “utterly ludicrous” that the University reallocated students to colleges that could not house them. Another student in a similar situation was unable to arrange to live-out at such short notice. Initially the University offered them graduate accommodation that was “very much” out of their budget and gave them only a week to confirm. After several students emailed to complain about the price, the University adjusted their offer to match what students had expected to pay at St Benet’s.
While relieved that the prices had been adjusted, the student thought the University had paid little attention to how the accommodation arrangement would impact student welfare: “This has just added extra stress on top of changes to social and academic life going into final year which will not only affect my wellbeing but also academic performance.”
In what is often a stressful academic environment, nothing offers greater stress relief than cute animals. College pets are therefore, in my opinion, one of Oxford’s best features. Plenty of colleges have at least one, and many are famous enough to have their own Instagram accounts! Whether they be tortoise, dog, or feline, these pets are truly an iconic part of their respective college communities. This column will thus be dedicated to introducing you to the different pets living across Oxford’s colleges, and to show the true value of having them in the community for welfare, entertainment, and more!
There’s no better place to start with this by looking at the college pets within my own college community at Magdalen. Scrumpy has been our college dog, alongside his feline companion Spangle, since the current President Dinah Rose KC joined the college in 2020. Though the rules of the college had to be changed to allow the pets to join the college and the tapestry in the President’s Lodgings had to be cat-proofed, they’ve been welcomed to the community with open arms, plenty of dog walks, and endless affection.
Dinah and her husband Peter were kind enough to answer some questions for me about their beloved pets. Scrumpy, 12, and Spangle, 15, have both been with them since birth, alongside Spangle’s more reserved sister Kiki. Both have previously worked as therapy animals through the charity Pets as Therapy, with Scrumpy helping children learn to read at school and both helping out at a residential home for young people with eating disorders. Upon meeting them both, you’d be unsurprised to hear this given how kind and gentle-natured they are. I have fond memories from Trinity 2022 where, whilst we were rehearsing for the Magdalen garden play in the President’s Garden, both frequently took to being stage invaders or walking into circles of people looking for pets, though none of us were complaining. Spangle even appeared on stage during one of the performances!
Scrumpy, described in three words as ‘Not Oxford Material’, may not be the brightest dog, but is always happy to brighten up your day. He’s a beautiful cocker spaniel who sports a Magdalen collar around the grounds and who will always stop for a pet. He is available for Magdalen students to walk on weekdays, both a great way to get some fresh air and exercise, and important for welfare, especially for anyone who might be feeling homesick or missing a pet at home. Though I’ve sometimes found that he isn’t keen on a 9.30am walk and might try and go home halfway around Addison’s Walk, being able to take him for a stroll is something myself and others have nonetheless found great for escaping academic and other concerns for a little while.
Spangle, described as ‘God In Disguise’, is a fluffy black and white cat, available for students at the college to book in to stroke at certain times during the week. I remember how, at the very first meeting we had in subject groups with the President in my own freshers’ week, Spangle took to majestically walking along the whole table, allowing some of us to pet him during his promenade. Having a cat in the college, especially once we could book to stroke him again, was great for me personally, having cats at home that I missed dearly, and the sessions can be really relaxing. Whether he’s starring in plays, or simply being there to pet, Spangle is fantastic to have around the college.
Alongside Scrumpy and Spangle, it’s also great to have wildlife around whilst living in a city, especially if you come from near the countryside as I do. The deer at Magdalen are stunning and a key feature of the college, and there’s nothing quite like seeing the baby deer appear in Trinity. Though they’re not strictly college pets, they’re undoubtedly a huge part of the college community. Talk to any Magdalen student – they’ll always mention the deer park!
In my own experience, therefore, I can vouch for the benefits of having pets in colleges. Scrumpy and Spangle are great for welfare within Magdalen, as well as being simply adorable. Whether they’re college pets or not, animals help many of us greatly with academic stress. There are many more college pets across Oxford, and I hope in the coming weeks to introduce you to at least a few of them!
In a rapid sell-off of its assets, defunct Oxford community St. Benet’s Hall is to be purchased by Russian oligarch Dmitri Berinov for use as a summer retreat and money laundering scheme. “We regret the loss of our beautiful community due to financial misfortune, but we hope St. Benet’s will be a good home for Mr. Berinov,” said a St. Benet’s spokesperson.
The Hall, founded in 1897 as a monastic community will become a means by which Dmitiri Berinov can redistribute and hide the money he made when he took over the Russian mining giant Rusorok in a rigged penny auction in 1994. “I am very excited to add these historic grounds to my portfolio,” said Berinov who is already the shadow owner of several properties in the U.K. including one British football team, three shell companies, and five London flats.
Berinov, whose two daughters and one unacknowledged son attend Oxford, said that he is looking forward to having his money spend more time near his kids. “I like the location of the Hall right on St. Gile’s Street where my two or so children can walk up the road and see what a massive fortune and political impunity can get you,” said Berinov.
Former students of St. Benet’s Hall wrote a letter in protest saying, “we do not wish our beloved Hall to become a playground for a Russian billionaire.” Berinov responded defiantly in a statement reading, “The alumni of St. Benet’s Hall have nothing to worry about. My playground is really my yacht. This place will be more for storing priceless art and other unlisted assets.”
Berinov, who has faced criticism for his connections to the Kremlin, has claimed that he is not a close associate of President Putin, but photos of the two at a Black Sea yacht orgy in 1998 suggest a different story. “I blacked out that day so I didn’t even know he was there,” said Berinov of the event.
Despite concern from locals and alumni, Berinov has insisted that the historic façade of St. Benet’s will be preserved except for the installation of “three garages,” which will be used to store “a few unlisted luxury vehicles.”
In a display of good will Berinov has pledged to donate a portion of his fortune to the University of Oxford for the establishment of a Berinov School of Sustainability Science to be endowed in perpetuity.
Sometimes, things are as bad as they seem. A gale descends on the global economy. The energy and cost-of-living crisis will only get worse; the winter appears harsher than expected. After the escalations of the past week, nuclear exchanges are a real possibility. In the face of this, what can we begin to do?
Usually, Oxford is its very own form of escapism. Elsewhere, September means a return to reality. For us the opposite is true. The vacation ends, and we return to our bubble. Life here revolves around degree classifications, park end and tutorial essays. COVID gravely disrupted Oxford but did not shatter the illusion. Life here had changed. But it definitely, still, wasn’t like outside.
This Michaelmas is different. It is hard to escape the crisis gripping our surroundings. The cost-of-living crisis means student life is hard, with colleges raising rents above what many can afford. Some have already been forced to drop out. The energy crisis means that those living out this year will face a trade-off between habitability and other basic necessities. The world we graduate in will be poorer and less certain than the one we matriculated out of. For those following the Ukraine crisis, the increasing likelihood that Russia deploys nuclear weapons can become an obsession.
Willful ignorance is an easy response. Enjoying the bliss while it lasts can help cope. The bliss can even be extended; for those graduating this year, staying in higher education is more and more attractive. Extremely contracyclical, academia is stable as the rest of the world changes. Yet, this option can be hard to justify. Wilful ignorance is ignorance of the suffering in the communities around us, be it Iranian students worried about loved ones at home or faculty members struggling to make rent.
Neither should we sink into depressed apathy. Many problems don’t solve themselves, and others are entirely out of our control. Obsessing over armageddon as a student isn’t exactly helpful. Perhaps, there is a third way, one which is clear-eyed about the difficulties facing the world, without collapsing into paralysis. More mindful of those who are struggling, but focused on doing what we can. Reject both hedonism and cynicism, and make the best of the bubble bursting.
Leah Mitchell, Cherwell Editor-in-Chief:
Beginnings and endings have been on my mind a lot lately. Putting together the Cherwell freshers’ guide as I began the new academic year and my own Cherwell editorship, yet in the knowledge that I was embarking on the final year of my undergraduate degree, provoked in me a bittersweet mix of emotions. In some ways the start of every Michaelmas Term feels to me a little like being a fresher again; I arrive in Oxford after just long enough of an absence to see it once more with renewed, hopeful eyes, and envision the year ahead with a freshly galvanised optimism – this WILL be the year I nail a healthy work-life balance! There is after all nothing more beautifully innocent than meticulously planning a schedule. In addition, my moving back to Oxford this term coincided with Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year. Early autumn has long seemed to me more appropriate for the commencement of a new year than the middle of winter in any case – perhaps in large part owing to my many years in the education system, but I feel it also has something to do with the crisp promise that permeates the air from September through to October. As the leaves change, it seems natural that something inside us does too.
Every new chapter necessitates the closing of an old one. This is always a little sad, in the way that nostalgia is – the classicist in me feels compelled to note the etymological relationship to the Greek for “grief”. Additionally, what is ahead often seems daunting and unknown; but, crucially, it is also an open stretch of unspoilt possibility and promise.
Oxford is what you make of it, as is really everything; this Michaelmas, let us all embrace the spirit of freshers again, swapping all-too-easy jaded cynicism for bright-eyed eagerness and wonder. Let us try to approach the world and each other with a little more curiosity and openness. Perhaps what some might term naivety is really at its core a beautiful expansiveness. This term, I want to reach into it with both arms.
Alyssa Carson is an Astrobiology major with a rocket license. She’s doing Astrophysics homework at the Florida Institute of Technology and visiting the launch drill of the NASA SLS Artemis I rocket next week (the official launch is set for November 12). She is in the process of filling out grad school applications and curating educational and engaging content for her over half a million Instagram followers of @nasablueberry. She is 21 and the face of the Mars Generation.
“I think of myself as Hannah Montana with the best of both worlds,” Alyssa tells Cherwell. She has one foot in and one foot out of this world. Like so many of us in our final year of undergraduate studies, Alyssa is busy building her resume – only the job application is directed to NASA’s next call for astronauts.
Alyssa smiles at the “Astronaut in Training” title commonly given to her on the internet and in the media. The term is not an official designation as it may appear but an indication of Alyssa’s groundbreaking work positioning her to be included in the crews of the first Mars missions. At only 12 years old, Alyssa sat on the NASA Mer (Mars Exploration Rover) 10 panel to discuss future missions to Mars in 2030. By nineteen, she was an aquanaut, skydiver, pilot, fluent in four languages (English, French, Spanish, and Mandarin), and the youngest person to graduate from the Advanced Space Academy located at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Last year, Alyssa received her certification in applied astronautics from Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere), a space and science research organization, that certifies her to do a suborbital research flight. In addition to her impressive flight and diving certifications, Alyssa is the author of two books, So You Want to be an Astronaut? (2018) and Ready for Liftoff: Becoming an Astronaut of the Mars Generation (2022), a partner of brands such as Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari, and Alpha Industries on space-inspired fashion, and a global speaker at TED conferences.
So how do you become an astronaut? It turns out that one of the best ways is studying what you love. Alyssa balances her professional obligations – “the NASA blueberry calendar” (a reference to her social media username) – with being a college student. She chose her major of Astrobiology because she enjoys that the course incorporates various scientific disciplines: “Planetary Formation” has Astrophysics components while “Origin of Life” deals mostly with Biology and “Core Components of Life” is heavily based in Chemistry. For Alyssa, course work isn’t isolated to classroom experience; she draws upon her mental toughness acquired from years of pushing herself past her physical limits to motivate her through all-nighters for tests too. Alyssa laughs, “The first time I jumped out by myself when I was getting my skydiving license, we had to completely go around the jumping off point because I was so scared. With big goals [from doing well on a microbiology assignment to becoming an astronaut], it helps to break things into smaller goals to tackle them.”
One of these goals is making STEM study and research a more inclusive space. While Alyssa enjoyed her courses and appreciated her professors’ insights, she noted the “inevitable drop-off” of women in STEM over the course of her studies. She is currently an advocate for increased representation of people of all backgrounds in STEM. When Alyssa started at Florida Tech, the class composition was approximately “70% male students to 30% female students. It was intimidating and silencing when I was a freshman starting out in Astrobiology and I was one of two girls in almost all my classes.”
Through her platforms on Instagram and TikTok, Alyssa is working to boost intellectual curiosity among people of all backgrounds from an early age. She keeps her followers updated on all things extraterrestrial – from interesting discoveries she’s made in an Astrobiology lab at university to fashion and educational partnerships that show the multifaceted ways people can participate in and get excited about space exploration. A more recent post alerted followers to her latest series with Varsity Tutors entitled “The Search for Alien Life” where Alyssa conducts an interactive class answering such questions as how to look for and where to find life forms in space.
“STEM needs more attention. There are big words, it can get complicated very fast. You can study Astrophysics but then it’s like – okay, what does that mean? What does Astrophysics look like as a career? The next step is to show kids what these jobs look like: Are you working in a lab? Are you working on a laptop studying data? When people of all backgrounds can envision themselves passionate about the work, they may seek avenues at a young age to get involved in the work.” Like the rest of her student cohort in the Mars Generation (a group of teenagers gathered at NASA’s space camp determined to have their boots be the first on the red planet), Alyssa knows the mission to Mars hinges on public interest as the moon landing did in the 1960s. Alyssa’s social media accounts make abstruse scientific subjects more accessible. The information she shares appeals to youth who might not necessarily follow the latest breakthroughs in extraterrestrial discoveries, and her compelling content also increase enthusiasm for space adventure.
“I’ve never had an interest in being a content creator or influencer. I was essentially just posting cool things I did and hoped people would find them interesting, too. It’s just to show people that you can do anything you set your mind to at a young age – essentially, that space is an attainable goal.” When Alyssa shares the launch drill of Artemis I, she gives her followers an inside look at NASA’s first test of deep space explorations systems with the Orion Spacecraft. The new space travel vehicle is designed to go farther than humans have ever traveled, with the ultimate goal of putting humans in Mars.
Alyssa says that she wrote her books because unlike pre-professional paths such as becoming a lawyer or a doctor, there is no Astronaut School graduate option. “I like to think of [becoming an astronaut] as more of a destination – somewhere that you can perform a job. You have to go to school and study some form of profession to be able to become an astronaut. And there’s no right or wrong way to do it.” But Alyssa gravitates towards real life experience in both academic and extracurricular activities. Not only did Project PoSSUM allow her to get experience with the mental and physical toughness of space exploration at a young age, but she loves her current Astrophysics professor because he gives “very real-world experience.” Even though Astrophysics is not Alyssa’s main area of interest, learning about stellar evolution and looking at high resolution photos of star nurseries is one more step to placing a person on Mars.
Since beginning her studies at Florida Tech, Alyssa has witnessed an uptick of female students in her classes. A recent study by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) found that in 2020 women represented 45% of students majoring in STEM fields, up from 40% in 2010 and 34% in 1994. And the trend is increasing. For her own part, Alyssa received the Florida Institute of Technology’s Student Catalyst Award celebrating her work to increase women’s participation and development in the school community this past academic year. She says that there is clearly more work that needs to be done, but she is proud of the improvements at her university.
To the Oxford students who are looking ahead and trying to figure out what to do with their lives, Alyssa tells us not to be afraid of our dreams that seem out of reach – or out of this world. “When I was a kid, saying I wanted to go to Mars, sounded very unrealistic. The more I’ve worked toward it, the more it’s becoming a reality.”
Staring unflinchingly into galaxies far away, Alyssa looks forward to the commercialization of space because it presents positive competition to the national space exploration projects. “After the Space Shuttle Program ended [in 2011], many saw space as kind of closed. It’s been exciting over the past couple years to see the commercialization of space.” This is particularly relevant considering Russia’s recent withdrawal from the International Space Station. In addition, China’s announcement of its three moon-mining missions raises questions as to whether the moon may be the next geopolitical frontier. Russia and China both have yet to sign the Artemis Accords, a NASA-sponsored bilateral agreement between the United States and the governments of 21 other countries to support the American-led effort of putting humans on the moon in 2025, with the ultimate goal of expanding space exploration to Mars. Given the increased politicization of space and NASA’s plan to deorbit the International Space Station by 2030, Alyssa believes it is up to the next generation of astronauts to view putting humans on Mars – whether through a company or governmental organization – as humanity’s accomplishment.
For Alyssa, reaching for the stars – no matter what your profession – is a no brainer. “We just have to push to make it happen.”
Dodgems, towering marquees, a sea of prosecco glasses, and Boney M. Being confronted by these four things whilst scrolling through Instagram Stories at the end of Trinity term could only mean one thing – Commemoration Ball season.
Commemoration Balls are larger and fancier than your average Oxford Ball, often with famous headliners and beautiful scenery, with tickets selling for over two hundred pounds. That’s without considering additional costs like renting white tie, the required dress for Commemoration Balls, which isn’t a wardrobe staple for the average person. There is no doubt that for one night, a ticket that expensive would put many people off – myself included.
Whilst several of my friends danced until the sun rose at Trinity Ball, I went for the classier (and cheaper) option of Reggaeton night at The Bullingdon. As I partied to ‘Danza Kuduro’ and tested my GCSE Spanish skills. I was blissfully unaware that I had another option. I could’ve snuck into Trinity Ball.
I say that – but realistically, I’m painfully bad at lying and the clumsiest person I know. Discussion around ‘ball-crashing’, as it’s known, though, is interesting. People who crash balls have been heralded as Oxford’s revolutionaries, making an attempt to actively rebel against the extortionate pricing. In a sense, to crash a ball can be to affirm that you deserve the same experience as your peers who can afford it.
However, this isn’t the full picture. Ball-crashing can only be a liberationist act if it has no impact on the people who genuinely paid for their ticket. For example, using up the resources that ticket-holders have paid for, like drinking alcohol, can instead be interpreted as selfish and entitled, especially when both food and alcohol are known to run out at balls regardless. This isn’t fair on behalf of people who have paid however much money for a ticket. Potentially, though, if it doesn’t come to have a real impact on the ticket-holder – perhaps this is justifiable.
It is less the premise of ball-crashing itself that I take issue with: rather the implications, and the praise that has been previously attributed to those who crash balls. Balls in themselves, as much as I had a great time at my college’s ball last year, are spectacles that have the potential to be viewed as problematic as a show of wealth and splendour – but protesting or taking issue with, the aspects of Oxford like this through ball-crashing will never enact real change.
Starting university and moving to a new city can be daunting enough on its own, but when the transition from home to campus also involves changing countries, the entire process becomes all the more complicated. To make this time a bit more enjoyable, breaking down necessary steps into manageable sections is key to organising your new life in the UK whilst also allowing yourself room to be a fresher, meet new people, and acclimatise to Oxford.
Getting your affairs in order
The first step for any international student should be to get their ducks in a row. Priorities include:
1) Getting a UK SIM card or starting on a new phone plan.
2) Opening a bank account: the banks that have branches in Oxford include Barclays, HSBC, Halifax, Lloyds, Nationwide, NatWest, Santander, and TSB.
3) Procuring your NHS (National Health Service) and NI (National Insurance) number if you are eligible.
4) Getting set up with the college GP (General Practitioner) as a medical point of contact.
5) Organising your travel/ visa documents, as you never know when you are going to have to reach for them.
Situating yourself
After getting all the administrative hurdles out of the way, do take time to get to know the city, even if that just means exploring the different streets and pinpointing your nearest supermarket and favourite coffee shop. This step sounds very self-explanatory, but having some grounding spots within a new city can help make the unfamiliar feel a bit less strange. I personally found immense joy in exploring my local Greek takeaways and coffee shops, as they allowed me to manage my homesickness.
Joining societies
Academic work, especially at Oxford, can feel intense and stressful at times, and the pace here definitely takes some getting used to, so if you want to take this first term to situate yourself academically before getting involved in extracurriculars, then by all means do so. However, joining societies can be a great way of meeting people from your country or people who share the same interests or hobbies as you. Some societies are very low-commitment and usually host a social every week or every other week, whereas other societies may include more participation (for example, training for a sports team or getting involved with student journalism).
Enjoying yourself
The number one tip that I have in mastering the transition between home and university is to not let people bring you down about your academic potential. Imposter Syndrome affects so many students here and being a non-native English speaker can add to that feeling. Quieting the voices of criticism is such a valuable tool to have. It has to come from within yourself, but asking for help from classmates and joining subject-specific Facebook groups can be useful in helping you realise your full potential.
Coming to Oxford with a disability may seem daunting, but I hope to signpost through this article where you can get further support and what you can potentially expect over the coming weeks and months.
Disability Advisory Service (DAS): The first port of call I would recommend is the Disability Advisory Service (DAS). If you disclosed as part of your application that you have a disability, when onboarding to the university you may have been automatically referred to the Service. It may be worth checking with your college directly if you do have any anxiety about onboarding with the team or want further information.
In my case there was an adviser assigned to my college, and a call was scheduled with them before term to discuss my needs and how they could best be supported in Oxford’s environment. I had a diagnosis for fibromyalgia and I had already applied for Disabled Students’ Allowance (which you apply for usually with your maintenance loan and student finance), though I would still advise reaching out to them even if you don’t have a diagnosis. That way, they can hopefully support you by explaining exactly what you may need to do to access further support, and potentially they may be able to make adjustments in the short-term.
The adviser will work with you to put together a Student Support Plan (SSP), which summarises usually on one or two pages what adjustments you need across the entirety of the Oxford experience. This may be anything from furniture that needs to be accommodated in college rooms, to teaching spaces, and any other helpful information that will allow tutors to support you best.
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA): You usually need medical evidence when applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance, and the process can take a few months in total (I was lucky mine was completed within 6 weeks, though I have heard it can take 14 weeks and sometimes longer than that). If you haven’t applied just yet, I would advise not to panic, and to reach out to the Disability Advisory Service to see what can be put in place in the meantime.
By getting funding, it means you may be supported through your studies in a number of ways – in my case I received height-adjustable furniture, a laptop as I can’t write, and mentoring sessions to support me with the challenges I face with my disability. You may also get a printing allowance, or be provided with specialist software to support your university experience.
You usually receive an assessment which details what adjustments you need, both in terms of what funding needs to be provided and wider adjustments. For instance, in my case they have advised that teaching should generally not take place in the morning so I have the best chance of absorbing content, but they may also recommend tutors be particularly understanding that you may need extensions due to the variable nature of your disability.
College: Your college will be your central base for the length of your degree, and most colleges usually either have a tutor or member of staff who you can reach out to regarding accessibility requirements. It is particularly important if you have accessibility requirements to reach out in advance to ensure that your accommodation is suitable, and if your situation changes it is worth getting in contact with college so you can see if any further support can be provided. Your common room (called the JCR – Junior Common Room), which is designed to represent all students, should have a disability representative who can help to advocate on your behalf to college, or identify the best avenues to seek support.
Tutor: When starting tutorials with a new tutor, it is worth emailing your Student Support Plan to them so they have the full information available to them to make any necessary adjustments. Some colleges do check in each term to ask who your tutors are so they can share this on your behalf, though others may not, so it is always worth playing it safe by sharing it yourself. Do keep in mind that if you don’t want to disclose something to your tutors you absolutely do not have to, though whatever information tutors have they will use to try to adjust your teaching as best as possible.
Welfare: Some colleges have counsellors, Welfare Deans or mentors who may be able to support you in resolving specific problems, and there is also the University Counselling Service where further support can be provided. All of this is to say that there is a lot of support on offer, though I admit it can get very confusing as to whom to go to and for what reason; my advice is if they seem like the right person, just give it a go!
Careers Service: When looking for jobs, the University Careers Service runs workshops on declaring a disability, as well as individual one-to-one sessions of around 45 minutes in length to talk about a job search in this context. In addition, you can submit accessibility requirements when applying for internships through the Service to ensure they are accommodated.
Society leaders: Every student society should have somebody responsible for disabled members, and when hosting events it is best practice that they should let you know any accessibility information (for instance if the event is upstairs, or is not accessible by a lift). In smaller societies, this person is usually the President; in larger ones there may be a dedicated disability representative whom you can approach. Either way, while wanting to ensure you do as well in your degree as you can, you should definitely try to get involved in some student societies.
Strategies: Over time I have found I have gained a better understanding of what the symptoms of my disability are and how I can reduce flare-ups, as well as preventative steps I can take to try to avoid my disability making it challenging to work. For instance, I find naps during the day can help me to remain productive, as well as walking for at least 60 minutes a day and eating when I begin to feel my energy dropping.
Reflections: Having a disability at Oxford can be challenging at points, particularly when you have multiple competing deadlines and you may need to take time to rest. Because there are many different options as to the support you could seek it can feel overwhelming, and a further consequence is that at points communication between different institutions is not as smooth as it should be – having to give each tutor your SSP being one of those examples.
Sometimes the most helpful support for individuals may not be advertised from the beginning; while I have found I have coped with the demands of full-time study, some students with disabilities have gone for an elongated length of their degree where they can focus on half the number of modules each term.
Every Faculty does things differently, meaning that particularly in a joint-honours course what one department can provide, the other may not – for instance, I very easily could access lecture recordings from the History Faculty, but had to have an extended dialogue with the Politics Faculty before I was also granted access.
I do not want to paint a rose-tinted picture that everything is perfect, but I would encourage you to seek support when you need it, and try to proactively reach out to institutions as best as possible so you can engage in a dialogue to get what you need. It is frustrating we sometimes have to do so much self-advocacy, a consequence of the more federal system of the university. Other tutors and faculties can be incredibly understanding though, and every disabled student does have a slightly different experience.
For those students looking for advice on a situation or who would like to meet students from across the university, you should look into joining DisCam, which is the Student Union’s Disability Campaign. I hope this helps, and you are also more than welcome to reach out to me if you ever have any questions!
