The Student Room Group
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>
Competition - post a photo you've taken of nature >>
Uni students - Complete our survey >>

What do you want to know about Oxford?

Scroll to see replies

Original post by riotgrrl
You can also play Quidditch xD


Haha, how does it work?! Things like this make Oxford sound so cool compared to other colleges, it really sounds nice.
Original post by UsualStudent
Haha, how does it work?! Things like this make Oxford sound so cool compared to other colleges, it really sounds nice.


I haven't played but my friend has- you run around on brooms and throw a ball around, a bit like netball. Beaters throw basketballs at you and the snitch is some speedy person in a yellow costume that you have to catch xD
Original post by Ja-m-ie
Hello,

Well the original question I asked everyone was: 'If you could ask some Oxford students anything about life at the University, what would you want to know?'


Hi Jamie, thanks for the useful videos and the thread. Have a slight problem though. I'm going to request that you change the name of this thread. "What would you want to" sounds so iffy. I think most candidates know what they want to ask. Would it be possible to change it to something more positive like:

"What would you like to know about Oxford" or "What do you want to know about Oxford."

Sorry for the pedantry, but every time I see the title of this thread it just niggles me that something's not right.
Thanks.
(edited 11 years ago)
i know it's thinking a bit far ahead but does anyone have experience of helping out at interviews and stuff at christmastime? and would you recommend doing it?
Original post by doloroushazy
i know it's thinking a bit far ahead but does anyone have experience of helping out at interviews and stuff at christmastime? and would you recommend doing it?


I did it in my second year. It was great fun. Well looking after the musos was. Less keen on the historians and classicists (no offence guys :biggrin: ) :p: It's a bit weird being in Oxford outside of term time because college will be relatively dead but all in all, I really enjoyed the experience :yes:

Plus it's a great insight into how the interviews work, talking to the tutors, overhearing stuff and learning gossip, and seeing who eventually gets in :yes:
Original post by doloroushazy
i know it's thinking a bit far ahead but does anyone have experience of helping out at interviews and stuff at christmastime? and would you recommend doing it?


All reviews i've heard have been really positive. Our college is really over-subscribed with people wanting to help, which should tell you something. And i heard some colleges actually pay people to do it too, in case you needed another reason :wink:

I've done open days before and that was really fun.
A question: how difficult is it to enter the OPAL language courses at Oxford? I'm not carrying on my foreign language (spanish) and it would be incredible to take their courses.

Also what other ways are there to carry on language learning whilst studying?
Reply 1207
Avatar for Tushar9
Tushar9
Original post by DCDude
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

The thing to remember about Oxford is that the vast majority of people are there b/c they really really really love their subject. Think of it: getting to spend your time with other people who are really into the things you are! For an (extreme) example, over on the "I've got an offer from Oxford for 2012 and now I want to chat thread" some linguists were discussing 'Teach Yourself' books - for Sanskrit.On top of the dozen other obscure languages that they know/are learning. You've got to figure that there are not a ton of 18 year olds who can get excited about that - but at Oxford they will be able to find each other.

Of course there will be people at Oxford who can't get over themselves there- as there are anywhere in the world- but why would you limit yourself? This is *your* life. No matter what your background is, if you are offered a place at Oxford you are good enough to be there.


Hieya ! saw the word sanskrit, was just wondering what does this sentence means? now I want to chat thread" some linguists were discussing 'Teach Yourself' books - for Sanskrit.
Is it some kind of extra qualification required?
Original post by Tushar9
Hieya ! saw the word sanskrit, was just wondering what does this sentence means? now I want to chat thread" some linguists were discussing 'Teach Yourself' books - for Sanskrit.
Is it some kind of extra qualification required?


It's a language :turban:
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
I did it in my second year. It was great fun. Well looking after the musos was. Less keen on the historians and classicists (no offence guys :biggrin: ) :p: It's a bit weird being in Oxford outside of term time because college will be relatively dead but all in all, I really enjoyed the experience :yes:

Plus it's a great insight into how the interviews work, talking to the tutors, overhearing stuff and learning gossip, and seeing who eventually gets in :yes:



Original post by nexttime
All reviews i've heard have been really positive. Our college is really over-subscribed with people wanting to help, which should tell you something. And i heard some colleges actually pay people to do it too, in case you needed another reason :wink:

I've done open days before and that was really fun.


gracias guys! what sort of stuff do you have to do? just talk to the applicants and stuff? what's it like being at the college when it's so empty, do you have stuff to do like idk during the day or whatever or are you just left to your own devices? /questions
Original post by nexttime
All reviews i've heard have been really positive. Our college is really over-subscribed with people wanting to help, which should tell you something. And i heard some colleges actually pay people to do it too, in case you needed another reason :wink:

I've done open days before and that was really fun.


Can you just tell somehow when you meet people if they are going to make it, are there things that people have or don't have that show they would fit and get in? Some people must look like they are wasting their time? If you know what it is, you could do a Dummy's Guide to Getting Into Oxford.
Original post by doloroushazy
gracias guys! what sort of stuff do you have to do? just talk to the applicants and stuff? what's it like being at the college when it's so empty, do you have stuff to do like idk during the day or whatever or are you just left to your own devices? /questions


For me I was assigned to babysit musos whilst they were there and was the general port of call for any questions or worries they had. (This was with a fellow muso.) The rest of the time, I was taking groups to G&Ds, showing them to their rooms, being on JCR duty (being general port of call, along with other helpers). Most importantly, just being the helpful, friendly face of the university and reassuring people that they would be OK :yes:

Being in college when it's so empty is weird :yes:


Original post by UsualStudent
Can you just tell somehow when you meet people if they are going to make it, are there things that people have or don't have that show they would fit and get in? Some people must look like they are wasting their time? If you know what it is, you could do a Dummy's Guide to Getting Into Oxford.


It's hard to tell sometimes. Like the year I was helping, out of the dead certs I thought would get places at my college, only 2 made it. I still wonder why my tutor didn't pick the third one I had thought of. On the flip side, one of the people who I thought would - and did - get in, I didn't even usher at her interview or anything. You could just tell by talking to her that she was clearly Oxbridge material and that if she didn't get a place at some college, it would be down to bad luck rather than anything else :yes:

I only remember coming across one "time waster" and that wasn't because he wasn't intelligent or anything: he just didn't have the practical musical skills to cope with the demands of the course. Again, I wasn't ushering at his interview either but you pick up on things from what the applicants (and later, the tutors, if they're feeling indiscreet) say :yes:

Then there was an applicant I didn't like and didn't want to get in. He didn't in the end :nah:
Anyone know what the standard week is like for a modern linguist? Like how often there are lectures, how many language classes, etc?
Reply 1213
Avatar for kasten
kasten
9
Probably already been asked, but... having a (part-time) job during the holidays: doable? :s-smilie:
Original post by doloroushazy
gracias guys! what sort of stuff do you have to do? just talk to the applicants and stuff? what's it like being at the college when it's so empty, do you have stuff to do like idk during the day or whatever or are you just left to your own devices? /questions


I'm a grad now, so i'm here all year round and an empty college is not weird at all. It was a bit back then though. You are sort of left to your own devices, but also have a bit of 'team spirit' going hopefully, might plan a gathering or something. One open day we ended up in someone's room inhaling helium from all of the balloons left over :tongue:

Original post by UsualStudent
Can you just tell somehow when you meet people if they are going to make it, are there things that people have or don't have that show they would fit and get in? Some people must look like they are wasting their time? If you know what it is, you could do a Dummy's Guide to Getting Into Oxford.


Not really no. The only correlation that seems to stick is that the horrible arrogant people don't tend to get in. The ones who just go around boasting about grades, you know? Clearly though, people are less likely to mention these thoughts if its about a person who is going to be at your college next year! Most of my experience comes from open days though, and people just tend to be very impressed at the college and very appreciative of your help! Not really 'clever vs not clever' interactions!
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by stinkerbelll
Anyone know what the standard week is like for a modern linguist? Like how often there are lectures, how many language classes, etc?


Here is the French and Spanish timetable for Hilary term. Hope it help to give an idea of weekly academic life. All Spanish stuff is in red and French stuff is in blue :smile:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13221781/Hilary%20%281%29.docx


A synthesis class is a class where you get a text in the foreign language about one of the books you're studying and you have to summarise it in your own words in the foreign language.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by kasten
Probably already been asked, but... having a (part-time) job during the holidays: doable? :s-smilie:
holidays, yes, term-time categorically no. until your final year, i'd say you can get away with doing 3-4 hours a day during your break and still passing with flying colours. a lot of people just do last minute revision and still pass collections.
depends on the subject though, i suppose, i'm judging by the workload of the people i hang out with
Sorry, this is another question about Merton in particular, but do the rooms all have a sink in them?
Reply 1218
Avatar for dbmag9
dbmag9
15
Thanks to the three people who repped me for rhapsodising about Merton's Pimm's budget. :h:

Original post by confused dot com
Sorry, this is another question about Merton in particular, but do the rooms all have a sink in them?

All the rooms I have seen (a reasonable variety of sites) have; I'm pretty sure they all do. There might be something about it in the college handbook.
Original post by qwertyuiop1993
Here is the French and Spanish timetable for Hilary term. Hope it help to give an idea of weekly academic life. All Spanish stuff is in red and French stuff is in blue :smile:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13221781/Hilary%20%281%29.docx


A synthesis class is a class where you get a text in the foreign language about one of the books you're studying and you have to summarise it in your own words in the foreign language.


Thank you! Its much more structured than I'd had in mind, nice to see what its really like:smile:

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you