What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford

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  1. shj's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by KingMessi)
    I know, but I've been on a Gap Year, so I've become fully satiated with fun things over the last ten months...I feel listless...
    Oh fair enough! In that case read Ulysses... bleh.
  2. KingMessi's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by shj)
    Oh fair enough! In that case read Ulysses... bleh.
    I'll read it after I've finished 'Arguably'.
  3. shj's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by KingMessi)
    I'll read it after I've finished 'Arguably'.
    You should definitely stock up on snacks before you start it. It's like the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award in book form.

    (Mucky, long and unpleasant - most of the pleasure comes when you finish it.)

    Good luck! Haha
  4. KingMessi's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by shj)
    You should definitely stock up on snacks before you start it. It's like the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award in book form.

    (Mucky, long and unpleasant - most of the pleasure comes when you finish it.)

    Good luck! Haha
    :lol: I'm not attempting to read it all in one sitting - unlike the D of E Gold Expedition, which I did have to do in one go. :sigh: :erm:

    It's been pretty interesting thus far, though, even if I've had to look up a hell of a lot of stuff.
  5. shj's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by KingMessi)
    It's been pretty interesting thus far, though, even if I've had to look up a hell of a lot of stuff.
    Awesome Good luck and all the best for your fresher's year. Mine's just finished (last exam Friday) and I'm really kind of sad. It's so fantastic and awesome.
  6. KingMessi's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by shj)
    Awesome Good luck and all the best for your fresher's year. Mine's just finished (last exam Friday) and I'm really kind of sad. It's so fantastic and awesome.
    Thank you. I'm incredibly excited and terrified simultaneously. It's good to hear that you enjoyed it, though. Did you find it tough?
  7. shj's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by KingMessi)
    Thank you. I'm incredibly excited and terrified simultaneously. It's good to hear that you enjoyed it, though. Did you find it tough?
    Erm yeah, but intermittently. Mostly it's good/quite interesting and just taxing enough. They'll tell you ridiculous lies about having to work five hours per day plus lectures to keep up... don't listen to them!
  8. FlowerFaerie087's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by shj)
    They'll tell you ridiculous lies about having to work five hours per day plus lectures to keep up... don't listen to them!
    Dude, what do you study?!?!
  9. BJack's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by FlowerFaerie087)
    Dude, what do you study?!?!
    I know.... Some people, eh?
  10. mournfulpirate's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    Lectures are largely an inefficient use of time. Summaries or even whole transcripts of them can usually be found on the official website or blagged off older students, and they mess up the morning routine and take extra time to get to and from. Economics lectures, for instance, even on the rare occasion when the lecturer is good at delivering them, they are very basic and aimed and imparting a 2:2 level of knowledge according to one lecturer.

    Non-PPE lectures may be more useful, though i doubt it for other arts/disclaimer.
  11. MrCarmady's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by mournfulpirate)
    Lectures are largely an inefficient use of time. Summaries or even whole transcripts of them can usually be found on the official website or blagged off older students, and they mess up the morning routine and take extra time to get to and from. Economics lectures, for instance, even on the rare occasion when the lecturer is good at delivering them, they are very basic and aimed and imparting a 2:2 level of knowledge according to one lecturer.

    Non-PPE lectures may be more useful, though i doubt it for other arts/disclaimer.
    I can see where you're coming from, but they hardly mess up the morning routine - in fact, they're a good warm-up for more thorough, in-depth work later on in the day. And considering how little contact time us arts students get, they're good value for money, so to speak.
    Not to say I've been going to them with any regularity, of course...
  12. mournfulpirate's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by MrCarmady)
    I can see where you're coming from, but they hardly mess up the morning routine - in fact, they're a good warm-up for more thorough, in-depth work later on in the day. And considering how little contact time us arts students get, they're good value for money, so to speak.
    Not to say I've been going to them with any regularity, of course...

    My, admittedly extreme, routine was rising 6 ish for exercize/rowing followed by starting work. Lectures anywhere from 9-12 leave leave an awkward gap between exercize and their start, and their finish and my (college provided) lunch, which was often procrastinated away. Also, their slow pace and the (short) journey to and from schools frustrated me as I was pumped for work in the mid-morning.


    Disregarding this, they were still a very inefficient way to learn. Haven't attended more than a quarter this year (and the ones I did remained terrible), and am heading for a first.
  13. qwertyuiop1993's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by mournfulpirate)
    My, admittedly extreme, routine was rising 6 ish for exercize/rowing followed by starting work. Lectures anywhere from 9-12 leave leave an awkward gap between exercize and their start, and their finish and my (college provided) lunch, which was often procrastinated away. Also, their slow pace and the (short) journey to and from schools frustrated me as I was pumped for work in the mid-morning.


    Disregarding this, they were still a very inefficient way to learn. Haven't attended more than a quarter this year (and the ones I did remained terrible), and am heading for a first.
    I would agree that, for the most part, lectures aren't the quickest way to take in material. I've had a few really engaging lecturers who covered very useful material in the time allotted, which came in handy for revision. However, most of the time when I look back on my notes they're really not that useful and my own notes from reading are more detailed/relevant.
  14. shj's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by FlowerFaerie087)
    Dude, what do you study?!?!
    English Lit... not exactly renowned as the most taxing of subjects
  15. moritzplatz's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    the difference between the colleges...
  16. ChemKate's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by moritzplatz)
    the difference between the colleges...
    what do you mean by that?:confused:
  17. moritzplatz's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by ChemKate)
    what do you mean by that?:confused:
    to know that every college is different.
    i did an open application thinking that the college had no importance at all.
  18. Niki_girl's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by moritzplatz)
    to know that every college is different.
    i did an open application thinking that the college had no importance at all.
    What would you change if you had the chance? I've always been told that the colleges are much more alike than different?
  19. moritzplatz's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by Niki_girl)
    What would you change if you had the chance? I've always been told that the colleges are much more alike than different?
    i would have applied to a college like Chch, merton, worcester or queens..

    just because it feels more being at oxford in colleges like them! (and also for the rowing side of the matter...)
  20. Niki_girl's Avatar
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    Re: What you wish you'd been told before coming to Oxford
    (Original post by moritzplatz)
    i would have applied to a college like Chch, merton, worcester or queens..

    just because it feels more being at oxford in colleges like them! (and also for the rowing side of the matter...)
    Ah ok, I presume that you're in a more modern college then? You're still (I assume) living in/around Oxford though, which is practically ancient!
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