[athiria]

Hi!

I've recently started to consider going to Oxford.
There are a few issues though - i'm a pretty sensitive person, and I don't like a lot of stress. Although I love studying and I do it on my spare time (also when there's no school, haha), so maybe it's not really a problem?
Anybody who can relate?

Also I have a problem with my English, since it's not my native language. I've looked into some of the entrace tests and the most stuff I have to read 2-3 times to fully understand.

Of course i could better my english but that would take some effort - anybody who is/has been in the same situation?

Also it kinds of worries me with that everybody will be so freaking smart >.<
Even if I don't do an effort I've always been one of the smartest people in class, and the thought of maybe ending up as the only person who don't understand is GAAAAH >.< D:

I want to read at Oxford because I really like science and to be honest the thought of an university where half of the people just go to get a high-paid job bores me (as it would probably be in my own country.)

So yeah, any thoughts, advices? =) Just afraid I'm taking water over my head XP

[rahyahrah]

If you don't like stress, you won't enjoy Oxford.

Maybe take a few practice tests of the English as a foreign language qualification Oxford requires to gauge your aptitude?

Everyone isn't "crazy smart". You get 1-2 natural geniuses in each subject, but most people got in by hard work (not that the 2 are mutually exclusive at all).

"university where half of the people just go to get a high-paid job" simply isn't the case.

Sorry if some of that sounded blunt!

[athiria]

(Original post by rahyahrah)

"university where half of the people just go to get a high-paid job" simply isn't the case.

I was referring to my own country ;P

(Original post by rahyahrah)
If you don't like stress, you won't enjoy Oxford.

Well stress are something that is percieved. Maybe if it was interesting it wouldn't be stressing at all for me. Maybe it would be more stressful to go to an university without challenges. That's the whole point XP

[Babs12123]

(Original post by athiria)
Also it kinds of worries me with that everybody will be so freaking smart >.<
Even if I don't do an effort I've always been one of the smartest people in class, and the thought of maybe ending up as the only person who don't understand is GAAAAH >.< D:

I'm pretty sure everyone feels like this. I've had this conversation with several people, it's totally normal. You just sort of get used to it or you'll find you gauge your progression relative to yourself, not others

As for stress... It can be pretty stressful, but there is usually a friend somewhere in college that you can go and moan to who will talk some sense into you and make you realise that it ain't so bad!

[nexttime]

(Original post by athiria)
Well stress are something that is percieved. Maybe if it was interesting it wouldn't be stressing at all for me. Maybe it would be more stressful to go to an university without challenges. That's the whole point XP

I didn't/don't find it very stressful, except exam time, and everyone gets stressed about exams everywhere. The fact that you work in your spare time anyway sets you up pretty nicely tbh!

[athiria]

(Original post by Babs12123)
I'm pretty sure everyone feels like this. I've had this conversation with several people, it's totally normal. You just sort of get used to it or you'll find you gauge your progression relative to yourself, not others

As for stress... It can be pretty stressful, but there is usually a friend somewhere in college that you can go and moan to who will talk some sense into you and make you realise that it ain't so bad!

That's great if people actually support each other! =)

[athiria]

(Original post by nexttime)
I didn't/don't find it very stressful, except exam time, and everyone gets stressed about exams everywhere. The fact that you work in your spare time anyway sets you up pretty nicely tbh!

Ok that's great!
What would you say sets Oxford apart from other school? Is the courses deeper or are one just applying a different thinking and perspective to what is read?

I've looked more into it. Seems like I can handle the academic if I want to but the problem is my english >.< It takes a long time to learn a languages but I got two years until I would apply.

If there are any international people reading this thread, how did you solve the language problem?

Anybody in general who knows how languages best are learnt?

[TuskSE]

(Original post by athiria)
Hi!
I want to read at Oxford because I really like science and to be honest the thought of an university where half of the people just go to get a high-paid job bores me (as it would probably be in my own country.)

I'm sorry to dissapoint you, but in my experience half of the people I meet at Oxford are just there to go and get a (very) high paid job, and have no real passion for their subject. Don't let that put you off though, because I think it's the same everywhere...

As others have said, don't worry about everyone else being exceptionally clever. 95% of the time, they're not!

[Fallen]

(Original post by TuskSE)
I'm sorry to dissapoint you, but in my experience half of the people I meet at Oxford are just there to go and get a (very) high paid job, and have no real passion for their subject. Don't let that put you off though, because I think it's the same everywhere...

As others have said, don't worry about everyone else being exceptionally clever. 95% of the time, they're not!

Really? Everyone I know loves their subjects and we always discuss the most interesting bits we have learned that day/week/whatever. You are meeting the wrong people...

[TuskSE]

(Original post by Fallen)
Really? Everyone I know loves their subjects and we always discuss the most interesting bits we have learned that day/week/whatever. You are meeting the wrong people...

Perhaps so! I might have been particularly unlucky. In my year of Physics at St Hilda's, I was the only one who liked it enough to stay on for 4 years. But I know that's very unrepresentative of the department as a whole (across all colleges)...

[Fallen]

(Original post by TuskSE)
Perhaps so! I might have been particularly unlucky. In my year of Physics at St Hilda's, I was the only one who liked it enough to stay on for 4 years. But I know that's very unrepresentative of the department as a whole (across all colleges)...

Oh, well there is a similar problem with CS at the moment (even the very best students only doing 3 years). I have still not decided whether to do 3 or 4 years, because while I couldn't love my subject more I also love the idea of applying it in industry.

[zincoff]

(Original post by athiria)
Hi!

I've recently started to consider going to Oxford.
There are a few issues though - i'm a pretty sensitive person, and I don't like a lot of stress. Although I love studying and I do it on my spare time (also when there's no school, haha), so maybe it's not really a problem?
Anybody who can relate?

Also I have a problem with my English, since it's not my native language. I've looked into some of the entrace tests and the most stuff I have to read 2-3 times to fully understand.

Of course i could better my english but that would take some effort - anybody who is/has been in the same situation?

Also it kinds of worries me with that everybody will be so freaking smart >.<
Even if I don't do an effort I've always been one of the smartest people in class, and the thought of maybe ending up as the only person who don't understand is GAAAAH >.< D:

I want to read at Oxford because I really like science and to be honest the thought of an university where half of the people just go to get a high-paid job bores me (as it would probably be in my own country.)

So yeah, any thoughts, advices? =) Just afraid I'm taking water over my head XP

Well, a lot of the stress would be from work and studying, so maybe you'd suit this kind of stress? With some people, they crumble completely under high pressure and difficult situations. If you were one of these people perhaps I'd suggest not applying. However, if you're somebody that is only 'quite sensitive', I think going to somewhere like Oxford could be a particularly good experience with regards to personal development. You'd learn to deal with more stressful situations which is really invaluable.