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Lady Margaret Hall, OxfordTSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > Oxford > Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford
LocationLady Margaret Hall is located a 15 minute walk north of the centre of Oxford, bordering the northern edge of the University Parks. It is usually accessed via Norham Gardens, affectionately known as 'the longest road in the world' by LMH students. Despite the relative distance from the centre (by Oxford standards), the college is very close to the Science area and has the nightlife of Jericho only a few minutes away! It is far enough away to have a tranquil setting, yet close enough to be convenient for everything bar rowing! AccommodationFirst 3 years of undergraduate students are guaranteed accommodation, thanks to the completion of the new Pipe Partridge building. Accommodation is randomly allocated in the first year, and to use a cliche is a 'mixed bag', ranging from ensuite to box rooms near to the usually raucous 'Hell's Passage' - never a quiet place. The rooms in Pipe Partridge are especially nice, except it is a bit small compared to most of the spacious rooms in the college. Second, Third and fourth years pick rooms according to the room ballot list. Accommodation is reasonably priced at around 1150 pounds a term. However, staying in college during vacation can be very expensive, as it costs about 18GBP per day. The Georgian beauty of the college and its hugely friendly atmosphere more than make up for it. Social SpacesThe front quad is a frequent hang-out in the evening, whether to annoy the porters by smoking in the 'enclosed' space or to have a midnight picnic. The college bar is fantastic with reasonable prices, table football, pool, massive TV with sky and IT Box, and a great atmosphere, though it's rather male-dominated - more women-only nights are perhaps needed! The JCR is good; it has a decent-sized TV but is perhaps under used (although maybe that's because most of the college is immune to the charms of Mario Kart). The college tradition is to congregate their for Top Gear on a Sunday afternoon. The JCR is located in Pipe Partridge, and has a wide variety of newspapers/magazines, a table tennis table, Wii (inc. Guitar Hero and mario kart), really well-stocked DVD library etc. The MCR is rather larger than the JCR, consisting of an open-plan space containing a football table; four sofas; one armchair; coffee tables; a dining table that seats 8-10 people; numerous bookshelves housing the well-stocked MCR library; a kitchen with hobs, an oven and a microwave; a separate WC; a chest of drawers containing the DVD library; a Playstation 2 and a Wii; a desktop computer with broadband connection; a goodly-sized LCD TV; and a wireless connection to the college intranet. The MCR is located in the Kathleen Lea building. Some of the more modern accommodation (notably Kathleen Lea and Sutherland) also have their own separate modern kitchens where people are able to meet socially. Library and ComputingThe Library is well-stocked, particularly for languages, and most usefully is open 24/7. The checkout system is self-service, whereby you scan your Bod card under the laser followed by the barcodes of the books you wish to take out. You return books by placing them in the returns postbox inside the library. The library also has a photocopying room, which as well as photocopiers is also equipped with 6-8 computers, with broadband access and printing facilities. There is also a computer room in Old Old Hall, which can be reached by walking through Eleanor Lodge. This also has approximately 6 computers with high quality printers, photocopiers and scanners. All printing and photocopying costs are deducted from your Bod card. There is also a desktop computer located in the MCR, which is only accessible to MCR members and has broadband access. Almost all of college can pick up OWL, the college intranet, except perhaps on the higher floors and in older buildings such as Old Old Hall. WelfareThe MCR elects two welfare officers per year, one male and one female, for the members of the MCR to turn to for advice. There is also a college nurse and doctor located on site. Unfortunately there is no system for booking appointments in advance - you have to sit and wait until someone is available to see you. Average waiting time during a weekday is 30 mins. AtmosphereThe atmosphere at LMH is perhaps its greatest asset. The college was known as the 'party' college a couple of years ago and while the students there still have a good time (the college becomes more than half-empty on a Bridge night), it is also a hard working college with a fantastic and friendly atmosphere. The college has a slight reputation for being overly-hard on students - part of a drive to bring the college up the Norrington table - but this has been exaggerated. Staff are friendly and understanding. Most of all, perhaps due to its slight isolation, there is a fantastic sense of community in LMH, everyone knows each other and everyone makes a real effort to be friendly. FacilitiesFacilities are good; 24/7 library, decent provision of computers, catered meals provided three times a day on every weekday plus for Sunday dinner, fantastic formals, a great college bar, a decent JCR, and enough societies and sports teams to keep anybody interested. If you're the organ scholar, you have a big room on Talbot corridor, which is quite nice. Its also nice for everyone else, as there's another music student room on that corridor too, so most times you walk down it there's someone playing. Student-eye viewI might be biased, in fact I probably am, but I think that LMH is a fantastic college. The college makes up for its historical and financial minnow position with beautiful and extensive grounds and its real sense of community. Out of my fellow freshers I know of no-one who has struggled to fit in and the people admitted are diverse enough that you will always find people with similar interests (and no, that was not a contradiction :-)). The slight draw-backs are the cost of accomodation and its relative distance from the centre but these are easily bounced into meaninglessness by the college's other attributes. Josho - current student. PM me if you have any further questions, I'll do my best to help. edited by Angelil - current postgraduate 2007-8 |
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