Wednesday 25th June 2025
Blog Page 233

Cherbadly: St. Benet’s Hall to be Purchased by Russian Mining Magnate Dmitri Berinov

Patrick Clinch
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Cherbadly: St. Benet’s Hall to be Purchased by Russian Mining Magnate Dmitri Berinov

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. 

Week 0 editorial

Cherwell Editors
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Week 0 editorial

Pieter Garicano, Cherwell Editor-in-Chief:

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.

It’s not rocket science: Alyssa Carson on the journey to being an astronaut

Sonya Ribner
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It’s not rocket science: Alyssa Carson on the journey to being an astronaut

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.”

You shall go to the ball – The Trinity tale of breaking and entering

Sophie Lord
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You shall go to the ball – The Trinity tale of breaking and entering

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.

Image: Oliver Hall

Navigating uni as an international student

Katerina Lygaki
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Navigating uni as an international student

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. 

Image credit: Oleksandr Pidvalnyi via Pexels.

Seeking disability support at university

Daniel Dipper
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Seeking disability support at university

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!

Image credit: ChevronTango via Wikimedia Commons.

Being black at Oxford

Deborah Ogunnoiki
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Being black at Oxford

Are you an incoming fresher? Are you black? Do you have questions about what life at Oxford can mean for you? Where to get your hair done? Where to buy seasoned food? If so, you’ve come to the right place. This is my Unofficial Official Guide to Being Black at Oxford. 

First, I’m going to answer a few questions that I’m sure you’re bursting to ask, so we’ll take them one at a time. 

  1. Is there racism? 

Unfortunately, racism tends to be everywhere. That’s the problem with systematic structures, they tend to be, well, systematic. And because it’s systematic it tends to be everywhere, both where you least expect it and where you most expect it. A number of you will have heard rumours about racism in Oxford, some true and some wildly exaggerated, and you’re probably very worried because of it. I know I was. I’m not here to sugar-coat it; ultimately, yes, there is racism at Oxford. You will likely experience it, just like you may likely experience racism at any university. But that’s not the end of it. Oxford boasts a proactive black community of both students and a few tutors, not to mention the many allies we have among the university staff and the students. If you were to experience racism, there are always safe channels to report it to: your tutor, the Oxford African Caribbean Society (ACS), and the Student Union’s Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality. And you can always fall back on the black community at Oxford for support. 

… Which brings us to our next question. 

  1. Will I be the only black person in my college?  

There’s no singular answer for this one. It constantly varies every year. Typically, smaller colleges like Regent’s Park and Teddy Hall aren’t likely to have black students due to their already small student population. However, some big colleges (not naming names for this one sorry!) also fall short on their number of black undergraduates. Don’t fret though; even if you do find yourself in this unfortunate predicament, no one really stays only in college. Most colleges (with the exception of St Hugh’s and Lady Margaret Hall) are jam-packed next to each other in the city centre. You can’t even go to Tesco in your bonnet without being caught by a fellow black student like a rat on the highway. My advice is not to worry about it. You’ll make friends both in and out of college, and will likely rarely spend time within the walls of your college, as there are so many other things to do in Oxford than stay locked up in a 500-year-old library. 

  1. How different will the university community be to my home community? How will I make friends? 

So different. If you’re coming from a community where there’s a lot of diversity, Oxford can be a real culture shock for you. I personally came from a community where there wasn’t really a drinking culture (I live with my mum and she’s never drunk alcohol in her life), so being thrust into a space where drinking is not just the norm, but feels like it’s the only way to socialise was a shock to me. It’s very easy to lose yourself for the sake of trying to fit in. The trick is to be selective with the crowds you hang out with. Chill with people who you feel safe with, who will defend you. Ask yourself if your non-black friends would step in to defend you if you experienced a hate crime. Do they respect your boundaries? If you tell them no, do they plead and beg until you say yes, or do they respect your decision? There are a lot of societies in Oxford; I recommend joining all the ones you’re interested in while in Freshers’ Week and using that opportunity to make friends. Shameless promotion but join ACS, because if you’re looking for a place to make great friends, it’s at their events – I’ve met some of the best people in the whole world there.

  1. Where can I get my hair done? 

Nowhere. Well, that’s kind of a lie. I’ve heard of barber shops out in Cowley. Apparently, they’re not too bad. For those of you wanting to get braids, unfortunately, your odds are dire. There is one shop to buy black hair products in Cowley, but the prices are extortionate. £16 for simple Eco Styler?! As for actually doing the braids, I once had a black cab driver who had lived in Oxford for ten years ask me where in Oxford I got my braids done, because she still hadn’t found a good braider. It broke my heart to tell her I went back to London to do my hair. But a train to London is only an hour and the Oxford Tube (coach service) is only £11. Your options are a train or bus to London or Reading, or learning to braid yourself I suppose.  

  1. Where can I get African or Caribbean food? 

Cowley is about to be your best friend if you really want African or Caribbean food. But it’s quite the trek – probably at least a 30-minute walk from central colleges, so you’ve got to save your trip to Heat or Spiced Roots for those crippling homesickness moments.  

  1. How hard is it to deal with imposter syndrome? Did I just get in because I’m black? 

Honestly, very hard. A lot of people in Oxford have had a head start in life that a lot of us haven’t had the privilege of receiving. Even if you weren’t privately educated, or your parents weren’t born here, or they didn’t go to university, you wouldn’t have gotten an offer from Oxford if you didn’t deserve to be here. These tutors have better things to do than teach students that they have no interest in teaching, so believe me when I tell you your tutors chose you because they wanted to teach you. You have the grades, you passed your interviews and admissions tests, and you’ve impressed them with your submitted work. You’ve probably done more than most other people to get admission to Oxford, don’t sell yourself short because Garry from Slough thinks that black people are benefitting from some kind of affirmative action scheme in Oxford. That affirmative action scheme does not exist. There is no such thing. Students in universities in the U.K. are chosen pretty much entirely on merit, and that most definitely, and especially, includes you.  

  1. Does it get easier with time? 

It does for some, and it doesn’t for others. I’ll be honest, if I had a pound for every time I doubted myself in Oxford, I would have enough to pay off my student loans. We’re in an institution that was never built to accommodate students like us, people of colour, working class, first-gen, etc. But none of that means I don’t deserve this, I worked my butt off to get here, and so did you. The only thing you can do is do Oxford your way, you don’t need to conform to the white upper-class way of social life and academics, it’s okay to be entirely you. Oxford has had many rich white men come and go, doing everything pretty much the same way, so I can assure you that Oxford needs a change of pace.   

So, to conclude, Oxford is hard, and it’s even harder for people like you and me. This university was built over 1,000 years ago, while the first black person didn’t set foot in Oxford until 1873. But just because it isn’t built for us, it doesn’t mean we can’t make it for us. My best advice? Be yourself, wear that bonnet, wear that durag, use whatever vernacular you’re familiar with, because at the end of the day, Oxford chose you, not their invented idea of you. 

Image credit: John Diez via Pexels.

A guide to LGBTQ+ life in Oxford

Ciara Rushton
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A guide to LGBTQ+ life in Oxford

Welcome to Oxford! As an LGBTQ+ fresher, there is plenty for you to get involved with in Oxford. The University and the city as a whole has a thriving LGBTQ+ community for you to become a part of, whether you are interested in campaigning, reading groups, clubbing, or just meeting other members of the community.

In the first instance, get to know your JCR LGBTQ+ representatives, and, if your college has them, Trans representatives. They perform similar roles, helping with running welfare events and other support, acting as advocates for LGBTQ+ issues and individuals within the college, helping connect members of the community around the college, and so on. Trans Reps also perform additional roles specifically for the trans community, including administering gender expression funds within colleges and more. You will likely get the opportunity to meet these people in Freshers’ Week, so it’s worth introducing yourself if you feel comfortable doing so! Furthermore, you may eventually be interested in standing to hold these positions to act as an advocate for LGBTQ+ individuals within your college, so it’s worth having a conversation with them to find out more about what the role entails.

The wider University also has a lot going on for members of the LGBTQ+ community, mainly led by the LGBTQ+ Society and the LGBTQ+ Campaign (who are also publishing their own Freshers’ Guide). The difference between these two is that the Campaign mainly focuses on advocating for LGBTQ+ students at the University and for LGBTQ+ issues, whereas the Society focuses on putting on events, inviting speakers and bringing together members of the community. Both are great to get involved with depending on your interests within the community and activism!

The LGBTQ+ Society gives many opportunities for members of the community from across colleges, years, courses and so on to meet. Whilst the specific representatives will put on events for different sections of the community, the Society as a whole puts on many events for all LGBTQ+ individuals, including the weekly Tuesday Drinks. These are a great chance to meet individuals from all different colleges, before (if you choose) going on to the Plush LGBTQ+ club afterwards. They are held at a different college each week, so be sure to check out the Society’s termcard to see where they will be. Other than this, you may also have signed up to get Rainbow Parents via the society, which are the same as college parents in their mentoring role but for the LGBTQ+ community. Overall, the Society and its events provide a great opportunity to meet individuals from across the University who are in the LGBTQ+ community! It’s worth keeping up with the Campaign’s work as well, so that you can find out more about different workshops, talks, lectures and so on if you’re interested in these.

As mentioned, Oxford has several LGBTQ+ venues to visit, including the Plush nightclub and the Jolly Farmers pub, the UK’s oldest LGBTQ+ pub. Both put on a variety of events and are a great place to meet other members of the community. The main LGBTQ+ club night in Oxford, taking place on the same day each week as the Tuesday Drinks, is Skittles, held at Plush, and you’ll be sure to have a great time dancing the night away to songs by icons of the LGBTQ+ community.

This is just a snippet of the different opportunities to meet other LGBTQ+ individuals in Oxford. The most important thing is that Oxford is a fantastic environment in which to express yourself, your sexuality, and your gender identity freely. With so many opportunities to get involved in activism, events, and so on, as well as to simply make some lifelong friends, we hope that you will enjoy joining such a vibrant and wholesome community in Oxford. 

Image credit: SHVETS production via Pexels.

Your Oxford A-Z

Katerina Lygaki
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Your Oxford A-Z

A is for Atik – Oxford’s biggest club ! With a fantastic range of three ! whole ! floors ! there’s no better place to spend a Wednesday evening (because the clubs here – apart from Plush – rotate nights on a weekly basis). Make friends with a Blue (someone who plays sports for the uni) and they can get you free entry.

B is for Bodcard – Your most valuable piece of equipment. Opens your doors, gets you into libraries and if you’re feeling lucky, sometimes into clubs if you haven’t got your ID handy (tried and tested).

C is for Crewdate – Held at either Jamal’s or Temple Lounge : imagine a sports social crossed with a playgroup, add in a full bottle of wine per crewdater, and you’ve got the idea. And don’t forget to wear your cleanest shoes.

D is for George & Danver/Davis/Delilah – Also known as G&Ds, you’re never far from one of their three locations (Cowley, Central, and Jericho), and more importantly their delicious homemade ice cream, which comes in weird and wonderful flavours.

E is for Eights – The summer intercollegiate rowing race – if you’re unlucky enough to get suckered into rowing it’ll dominate your Trinity, but for the rest of us it’s an excuse to spend a summer day chilling by the river with barbeques and enough cheap Pimms to sink a battleship down at the boathouses.

F is for Facebook – Where an unreasonable amount of crucial information is to be found.  Although in the real world it’s for aged millennials only, it’s worth downloading once you’re here – especially if you’re into the artsy side of things (@oxforduniartshub).

G is for Gladstone Link – A.K.A. the Glink, this is the unsung hero of Oxford’s wide constellation of libraries; basically a nuclear bunker located beneath the Rad Cam. Windowless, well-stocked, and above all warm, it’s a good place to study if you get easily distracted or you find yourself afraid you’ll freeze to the seats of your college library.

H is for Hack – Someone alarmingly involved with the Union, campaigning for something (I would tell you more but my parents hugged me when I was little) with an almost unsettling aggression. Even if you don’t have a membership, it can be fun to string them along – I once knew a hack who went for up to seven coffees a day with potential voters, so you might as well get a free Pret out of it.

I is for Isis – No, no that one. I’m talking about the oldest student publication in Europe – the arty one of all the student papers, mysterious, elusive, and also the only one which gets really into event planning – follow their IG for more !

J is for JCR – The Junior Common Room, or the collective noun for a college’s undergraduates. It might also be a physical place in your college, and if it is it’ll be exactly what it sounds like.

K is for Kickstand – Which is a part of a bike. A weak link from me perhaps, but a bike can be a really useful thing to have, especially if your college or faculty are further out or far away from each other – or for getting out into the wilderness of Port Meadow (home to wild horses, cows and a frankly terrifying horde of geese).

L is for Library – Everyone’s got their favourite, and there is a useful guide to them elsewhere in this fine publication. Just go to as many as you can to scope them out – don’t by any means be confined by your subject (humanities have all the prettiest ones) – and give the Glink a chance!

M is for Matriculation – Start your term with a bang by dressing up like a penguin who decided to go into law, day drinking, and having some Latin spoken at you. Stay out of the libraries – and close your mouth if you end up jumping into any of our putrescent bodies of water

N is for Najar’s – Unquestionably one of the best food places in town (by the Magdalen Street Tesco, A.K.A. Big Tesco), because the falafel & hummus-based wraps can be any meal from a hungover brunch to a healthful dinner. Make sure to bring cash, because their card machine is ephemeral, and a book for the queue.

O is for – Well. You know where you are. And if you don’t, I’m certainly not telling you – but are you quite sure you’re in the right place ?

P is for Porter – These lovely individuals are the true power behind the throne of the colleges – always up for a chat, or to answer any questions you have. They will silently witness you drunkenly degrading yourself at least once in your time here, but you’ll love them for it.

Q is for Queer – If you didn’t already know, Oxford has got to be one of the fruitiest unis in the country. I personally think this has something to do with the chokehold dark academia has or had upon members of the queer community – but it means there’s a weekly social (Tuesgays, with subsidised drinks at a different college each week), not one but two gay clubs (Plush and Glamorous), and even an LGBTQ+ ball.

R is for Radcliffe Camera – The big round thing in the centre of Radcliffe Square. You can go inside and use the library which (thanks to the circular structure) functions a little like a Panopticon. Or you could just be like the rest of us and make sure it’s in the background of as many photos as possible.

S is for Sconce – One of the many features of crewdates (see above). Imagine a cross between a wedding toast and a very targeted game of never have I ever. 

T is for Trashing – When your friends line you up against a wall, and proceed to bombard you with anything from silly string to baked beans to shaving foam, in order to celebrate you finishing literally any set of formal exams. Traditionally followed by a cleansing running jump into a body of water.

[Ed’s note : Trashing is technically banned under University rules. KOTG does in no way endorse the practice. But just so you know, last year only two trashes were unfortunate enough to be fined.]

U is for Undergraduate – What you likely now are. We have the most fun.

V is for Varsity – The Oxbridge annual ski trip. If you’ll keep the rah-city judgement to yourself for a minute, it’s good value for what it is, and you absolutely don’t need to be able to ski (or ever to have skied at all) to enjoy yourself. Learning on the job is really a very important part of anyone’s Oxford education.

W is for Walking – The best part about Oxford is that everything you need – especially in first year, when you’re living in college – is within walking distance. Not only that, but if capital ‘W’ walks are your thing (or if they could be), the surrounding countryside is an absolutely beautiful place to do it

X is for eXam Schools – Where you sit any formal exams. I’m a class of ’23 English student, so I haven’t seen and will never see the inside (thanks online exams), but apparently they are very big and have very pretty ceilings. Oh, and there will be someone whose actual job is to check you are wearing your sub fusc correctly.

Y is for Yours – Your Oxford experience is for you, so make sure you do what you want <3 [This is the weakest one yet, for which I apologise. However I am getting desperate and it was this or ‘youth’.]

Z is for Zoo – Which we unfortunately do not have. However, there is a Natural History Museum, which is free to enter for students, if you don’t mind your animals a little more preserved.

Image Credit: Katerina Lygaki.

Top of the shops

Madi Hopper
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Top of the shops

So – you’ve arrived. Naturally, the first thing you’ll want to do (once the Freshers’ Week hangover has loosened its chokehold) is shop. Luckily, Oxford is not only home to the Westgate shopping centre (which you can explore for yourself – shopping centres being much of a muchness, you can probably take a reasonable guess at what you’ll find), but also bursting with more sustainable shopping options. Luckily for you, I have decided to share the wisdom I have amassed through far too much time spent trawling.

  As far as charity shops go, I’d say a basic rule of thumb is the further out, the better – the ones in central Oxford are basically extortionately priced carcasses at this point, stripped clean by the pressures of being located in a city heavily peopled with those who think £15 is a normal amount to spend on a single charity shop item. Jericho is somehow worse. But fear not! There’s a Oxfam megastore way out past Cowley which, whilst admittedly not great for clothes, also has a massive homeware section that’s good for picking up crockery as well as assorted home furnishings (notably lamps and speakers, though these can be a bit of a pain to get back on a bike, which is more or less the only way to get there). Central Cowley also has some good ones (shoutout to Barnardo’s), Summertown is also pretty decent but only really feasible if you fancy a fifteen-minute cycle (though it does also have a very nice pottery café if you fancy making a day of it) – and the Holy of Holies is but a short bus ride away. 

If I didn’t know how many people actually read this I’d maybe be tempted to gatekeep a little more, but as it is I’ll let all five of you in on the Holy Grail, A.K.A. Templar Square. It’s basically a shopping arcade stuffed with charity shops (and a Poundland, which the city centre sadly lacks) that are all reasonably priced (one does all clothes for two pounds) and stocked full of more unusual finds – we did a lot of the costume shopping for last term’s production of Persephone there. In terms of vintage shops, you’re spoilt for choice. Apart from the one down Cowley which is both so overpriced and so underwhelming I won’t bother to give you its name (seriously. It just isn’t worth the Google), Oxford is home to a nice selection to suit all budgets.

Unicorn

Unicorn  – located on Ship Street, by Big Pret – is closest to both my college and my heart. For one thing, it’s a unique shopping experience even if you don’t end up buying anything. Everything is hung, stacked, and piled up all over the place, so you have to dig around for what you want, often discovering bits & bobs you never would have known you needed – and nothing is priced. Notably stocked with vintage student production costumes and ballwear as well as more run-of-the-mill vintage, once you’ve found what you like you will have to ask the old lady who owns it for the price. There’s no way to confirm this, but by triangulating my experiences with those of my friends, I’m decently sure that she vibe checks you and names her price based on that (and if you really fail to measure up she’ll refuse to sell). A word to the wise – haggling is only worth it if you’re buying more than one thing. I personally think the unorthodox pricing only adds to the fun of the trip – which is an *experience* if nothing else. 

BEST BUY: A pirate shirt with 15” sleeves

GOOD FOR: Bop costumes and formalwear (all genders)

Again Garments

Every Thursday-Saturday the fruit and veg stall in Gloucester Green Market (by Odeon) is replaced by Again Garments, a vintage stall set-up with everything from fur coats to board shorts. The other stalls in the market do sometimes sell clothes, but Again Garments is leagues apart : I’d say the best value place for vintage in the whole of Oxford, and also the only one which has loyalty cards – and I guarantee it’s easier than you think to rank up the 10 stamps needed to secure your 11th freebie. As knowledge is power, I’ll also let you in on the fact they put their prices up on a Saturday – so go early !

BEST BUY: Handmade Liberty-print dress for a tenner

GOOD FOR: Interesting jumpers and shirts, classic Levis

Ballroom Emporium

Found just behind Magdalen roundabout, this pure vintage shop can be quite pricey, but has a magic bargain rail where you’ll find anything from dungarees to negligees to ski-suits – all for under £15. Inside they specialise in vintage dresses of all eras, and for all you humanities girlies a large selection of vintage Penguin paperbacks for about £2 a pop. As the name suggests, they also do ballgowns, which you can hire for the night or buy outright. Fittings are supposedly by appointment only, but I rocked up having had an online order catastrophe the day of my college ball & managed to walk out with a total bargain ; although most of their gown selection is over the £100 mark, they also have various samples at a beautiful discount. They also have by far the best accessory selection – fans, elbow gloves, and even suspiciously genuine looking coloniser hats (please don’t get any ideas). 

BEST BUY : Shot-silk ballgown, black suspender belt

GOOD FOR : Balls

Image credit: Basher Eye/CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

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