Can you be happy at oxford?

Your fundamental premise seems to be that Oxford = work far harder than any other university = lose out on having a "fun" time (eg extra curriculars, socializing) = not worth the trade off because at any rate you won't earn enough after graduation to justify the amount of work.

Personally, I think that's incorrect.

First, you're correct that the workload is intense, and unless one is extremely gifted, most people don't breeze through the work with little effort. The courses are designed to be challenging, and the tutors do expect you to work hard, but they aren't unreasonable. My tutors expected us to consistently achieve at a 2i standard, which is completely doable with a decent but not insane amount of work.

Second, people generally have a "work hard, play harder" mentality. I don't actually know very many Oxonians who literally did nothing but study. Almost everyone gets involved in extra-curricular activities; if anything, it's important to take breaks from studying.

Third, I think you might actually be overestimating how much work you would be doing. Yes, it is a lot of work, but there's definitely ample time left over to socialize and participate in all sorts of activities. You will not, and are not expected to work investment banker hours. As a student, I was involved in plenty of stuff, from chapel choir to dancesport beginners team to volunteering to drama. I also like to think I had a decent social life (met my long-term SO at Oxford), and I graduated with a first class degree. It really isn't as difficult or rare as you might think.

What I tell people is that there is a "minimum amount of work" required to get a 2i (and get the tutors off your back). For Arts students, my guess is that it would probably take you around 30-40 hours each week, depending on how efficient you are. That's more or less like a 9-5 job if you want to take weekends off. If you ask me, I think the opportunity to study at Oxford is worth that trade-off, but perhaps your mileage may vary.

Aside from that, Oxford is as intense as you want it to be work-wise. You can study 60 hours a week and aim to finish every item on your reading list, or you can be like me and work a decent amount but accept that you'll never read everything, and consequently would know less than some of your more hardworking peers. It's just a trade-off.

Fourth, what sort of profession one goes on to after Oxford really depends on the individual. As far as I'm aware though, Oxford is very well represented (over-represented?) in most of the high earning industries (eg law, banking). That being said, there is no free lunch in this world, and the work-life balance for most of these jobs are way, way more atrocious (currently a trainee solicitor, would love to have my student hours back).

However, I can understand where you're coming from. If you honestly do believe that Oxford isn't for you, that's fine. It really isn't for everyone. If you think that the intensity isn't worth it, then go where you think you'd be happiest.

I think I'm personally suited to being a big fish in a small pond with an easier work load...

My perception is that Oxford is for people that want an academically focused life during their youth, because they have a passion for studying...

...whereas other RG uni's are more likely for people who are intelligent but want to have a better work/life balance during their youth.

I think I am right based off the ... typical professions associated with the University(Teacher/Poltician/Banking) etc.

To clarify my concerns

In my opinion, I don't think academic obsession in the most formative years of your life is healthy. The perception I have(and I may be mistaken which is exactly why I'm asking) is that Oxford students work considerably more/harder then others and therefore find it more difficult to have achieve fuffilment in other areas of their life due to The abnormal intensity of their work. In a lot of cases, Oxford graduates do not go on to be highly Succesful rich people or at least not enough so to justify the work they put into their degree. It's one thing to love a subject, it's another to spend the peak years of your youth suffocating yourself with it.

Now, if you turn around and tell me that most people at Oxford are actually very social sporty fun people who breeze through the work then I will apologize.

I'm just asking because I recently achieved a clean slate of A's and A*'s in my a levels and have developed an obsession with politics. I achieved 100%across all my units for it and worked with Zac goldsmith among other things and part of me wants to give Oxford a crack. I LOVE the subject, I talk about it all day research it non stop and have done endless hours of work all year to get my A*(my school is one of the worst in the country so it really was a difficult self study venture). I just don't feel that happy about it though


However, for some reason I just don't think the hardcore academic lifestyle is actually worth it.
IF I come out of Oxford with a top class degree but all my friends outside are playing sports getting girls and having a more natural youthful life id probably be a bit jealous ya know?

I'm not arrogant enough to say I would get accepted, but if I can say confidently in advanced I don't want to go it would save me the stress of applying so I can just have a more fun year.

I'm not disrespecting people that do genuinely want a high stress academic intensive 3 year experience, I'm just trying to set the record straight that that's what it actually is so I don't make a mistaken decision to try and be somewhere that will stop me from being happy

Essentially, I'm saying that I believe a work intensive environment like Oxford makes it difficult to enjoy life unless you really do get off on studying. Feel free to dispute that, that's why I posted

My sister went to Oxford and I linked her this thread and she laughed so hard at all the things you've said.

1) The workload at Oxford is high but what do you expect? It's a tough workload but it's not to the point where you'll be suffocated in it. My sister and her friends are plenty of nights out and parties under their "suffocating workload"
2) Have you not heard of Oxford vs Cambridge rivalry? It's fierce as hell with sports. They have Varsity and Oxford colleges have their own college matches. Please apologise.
3) It's literally just 3 years of your life that fly by. Would you rather work your ass off now and be chilled for the rest of it or not?

Its clear you've already made up your mind. I'm mainly responding for the benefit of anyone else reading.

When a former Oxford student gives me a full on pro Oxford response I don't really take it to seriously

I posted this in the Oxford forum hoping that most of you would give me a balanced response explaining why you chose Oxford and why others might not want to. Fair play to those of you that have but most of you are going for a pretty snobby "Oxford is excellent OP is crazy" kind of thing, reaffirming my concerns about the undesirable social atmosphere

I posted this in the Oxford forum hoping that most of you would give me a balanced response explaining why you chose Oxford and why others might not want to. Fair play to those of you that have but most of you are going for a pretty snobby "Oxford is excellent OP is crazy" kind of thing, reaffirming my concerns about the undesirable social atmosphere

And then you are surprised by posters (not all of whom are/were at Oxford btw) who defend Oxford...

Was shocked to find you and @vincrows in here defending Oxford, ngl

Your forum is so lethargic compared to ours, we thought you needed extra help.

And in case you didn't notice (or deliberately trying to overlook), we're defending OXBRIDGE, not Oxford.

Was shocked to find you and @vincrows in here defending Oxford, ngl

Hee hee, maybe you are. I believe my first post in this thread dissed you lot. Or at least I meant to diss you lot. Maybe I forgot to type it in the end

People might not want to attend Oxford for a number of reasons but one of the main ones is unfounded prejudices they hold due to rubbish representation in the media and unfounded myths being perpetuated on the Internet. This is why we have not taken too kindly to your way of wording things. You are stereotyping all of us in a wildly inaccurate fashion that is borderline offensive, tbh, and it's hard to tell from what you've written whether you are just hugely misinformed due to rubbish media representation/unfounded myths you've read on the Internet, or whether you are just... *insert not-so-favourable qualities in here*

All for one and one for Oxbridge



we rose above it

Awwww

When a former Oxford student gives me a full on pro Oxford response I don't really take it to seriously