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Exeter College, OxfordTSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > Oxford > Exeter College, Oxford
LocationExeter College is one of the three Turl Street colleges (the other two being Lincoln College, Oxford, and Jesus College, Oxford). Turl Street is located only a short walk to the main high street of Oxford, providing lots of shops and cafes within easy reach. From the college, the railway station is a mile away, and the bus station half a mile. AccommodationIn collegeAll first year students, and about 40 finalist (selected by random ballot) live in College (or the new Turl Street rooms, 'Staircase 15'). Staircases 1-8 are in Front Quad, Staircases 9-14 are located in Back Quad. Finalists can choose which room they occupy, normally opting for those in Front Quad, which are generally larger, or with en suite. Staircases 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 contain double sets, shared rooms (individual sleeping spaces) which often have en suite facilities. Staircase 1 and 4 are reserved for fellows. Staircase 9 is the largest staircase, holding 41 rooms, exclusively for Freshers. The rooms are often much lower class (B class and below), but the community feel of the staircase can easily make up for that. The newer accomodation is larger and more expensive, with many rooms on 13 and 14 being single sets, i.e. containing 2 rooms (but no ensuite). Stapeldon House/AnnexCollege accomodation, located 25 minutes walk up the Iffley Road, is generally more expensive (but you are required to pay a lower catering flat-fee) than renting privatly on a weekly cost basis, but is cheaper overall as you only pay for 10 weeks a term. The rooms are normally better quality than those in college, and the self catering facilities are excellent. 'Stapes' itself is held to be better than the Annex, which is somewhat smaller, but adjacent to the main complex. Stapes is in very close proximity to the University Sports Centre (which includes a swimming pool). Living outMost second years, and many third years, choose to live in privatly rented acccomodation. This has advantages and disadvantages, which can be discussed elsewhere. Social SpacesThe JCRThe Junior Common Room is lively at all times (literally, on some nights) and will always have something to entertain you. It is the TV room (with a projector to arrive imminently), contains the newspapers, features the entrance to the kitchen, the vending machines, and the poker set. The JCR is basically a lounge, to do whatever you like in. Taking last night as an example, there were people playing poker, eating pizza, juggling, watching TV and getting very drunk with an umbrella. Do anything you want here. Except perhaps quiet reflection or deep thinking. The GCRWhat used to be the smoking room will soon become a quiter, more serene common room, without a TV. This will be the place to read the papers without having to pick them off the floor, do work in a group, have a quiet conversation or just relax. There will be no builing a fort made of tables and sofas around somebody who is asleep in the GCR. The UndercroftKnown more widely as "The Bar," The Undercroft fulfils a variety of purpose. Exeter College boasts a cocktail night (as well as a large variety of drinks that are not 3 different colours) on Tuesdays, and the bar is open 6pm - 11pm every night, except Sundays (10.30pm) and bop nights (midnight), after which it is wise to make your way to Escape, lest you incur the wrath of the Junior Dean (or alternitivly pick her up, tackle her to the floor, hit on her or any other action you would not do whilst sober). The bar contains a pool table, pinball machine, darts board, table football, video games machine and an ITBox. The ITBox will take your money (you might win some extra turns on it though, so that's fine). It also boasts Rugby Drinks, a fine occasion for the cultured gentlemen of the Rugby Team (and not an excuse to act in a ridiculous manner at all). Pint - £1.65 Cocktail - £2.00 Spirits and mixer ~ £2.30 The Fellow's GardenDoes pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Croquet is permitted in summer. Has steps to one of the best views in Oxford. Is nice when sunny. Had a cameo appearance in The Golden Compass. Library and ComputingThe Library is adequate, but not amazing (in my experience). Has many books, as you would expect. Good on Ancienct History - Zoology, not so good on fantasy novels or cookbooks. The Balsdon Room contains about 20 fairly decent PCs, which can be used at any time, provided you have your Bod Card to get in. All are connected to the internet, have Microsoft Office etc. Standard fare, really. Internet sockets are provided in all rooms for people with their own machines. Whilst it is certainly useful to have your own computer (even for a subject where no essay writing is done), it is not at all impossible to get by without one. It might be a bit tedious (especially when you want to spend ages typing up a Wiki) if you were not able to listen to your own music, etc whilst working. WelfareAtmosphereFacilitiesCateringExeter College is fully catered, for every meal of the week, which is great for some people, but bad for others. Dinner - Food in hall is £2.10 for a main course, and 60p each for a dessert or a starter. The food quality varies hugely. e. The meals are always edible, but often don't look very healthy (or even appetising), and although our chef supposedly recieved awards for the food, it doesn't really show. Puddings, however, are absolutely delicious. Dinner is served 6.00 - 6.40pm, which can be quite restrictive. Lunch - generally fairly good, but normally quite repetitive. Pasta, chips, spaghetti bolognese/chilli con carne feature a lot, but at £1.40 for what is basically a full, filling meal, I eat lunch in hall most days. Lunch is 12.30 - 1.30. Breakfast - I have only eaten Breakfast in hall once in the last term and a half, it doesn't seem getting up for. A (poor quality) bacon sandwich costs 95p, so I suppose you get what you pay for. For about £1 you can get tea, apple juice, cereal and quite a lot of toast, which is fairly good value. Breakfast runs from 8.00am - 9.00. It's easier to get a toaster and stay in your room. The Kitchen - The Kitchen is located next to the JCR. The fridge is disgusting, and too small. There is a microwave and two ovens, one of which is quite large and of good quality. Most students (living in college) eat in hall for the vast majority of meals, simply because it is very convenient and such little effort. It would be much cheaper to feed yourself. Beware though, you are required to pay a £200 termly charge on your battels (if you live in) which covers catering overheads (apparently this covers other things as well, such as your scout, but it is listed as "Catering Charge"). Second Hall/Special Dinners - Ah, second hall. Regarded by students as expensive, approximately £7 for a 3 course meal, with wine, is very cheap. Second Halls are something to experience, but not really something you do often. The food is generally similar to first hall, although, bizarrly, puddings become absolutely magnificent. You are required to wear a gown, and second hall is very Oxford. Exeter has many special dinners, all with superb food. Many clubs and societies will also have annual dinners. Popular events include Christmas Dinner, Thanksgiving Dinner (made popular by the Williams Program), Burns Dinner (complete with bagpiper this year). Other well attended dinners include Boat Club Dinner and Women's Dinner. MusicThe choir is excellent, one of the best mixed-voice choirs in Oxford and the best student-run mixed-voice choir. The college awards choral scholarships each year which gives various benefits such as free singing lessons and a stipend. It's also recently set up its own orchestra - college orchestras tend to be of a Grade 5+ standard, as opposed to anything amazing. That said they're generally friendly and quite fun, and a nice way to relax if you're a good player. If you're of a standard to be a music student then presumably you're more likely to play in the university orchestras - which are many! - and therefore the college you go to ceases to be so relevant. (What do you play?) It's also worth noting that Exeter, being on Turl Street, participates in the Turl Street Arts Festival - which provides an open opportunity to put on e.g. a recital for practice. SportsExeter has a wide range of sports teams, and its relatively small size makes it easy to get involved in whatever you want to play. The college has very strong rugby, football and hockey teams, all of which are now in the 1st Division of their inter-college leagues. The college has one of the oldest boat clubs in the university and has plenty of boats for freshers to row in. Bar sports are taken very seriously! Student-eye view |
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