Oxford 2011 Freshers Chat Thread

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Reply 1180

Bezzler

Original post by EdmundB

Oh really? Wow...so you have to wash sheets etc yourself?

Shocking, I know! I'm not sure how we cope.

Reply 1181

JoMo1

Original post by Bezzler

Shocking, I know! I'm not sure how we cope.

I think you should organize an ineffectual protest down High Street, it's what all the cool kids are doing.

Reply 1182

pinstriped.flower

Original post by Frankie

Hey I doubt I'm the only person who has a million questions about starting uni so I thought I would make a thread for typical pre-freshers questions :smile:

Any advice is much appreciated! :biggrin:

(some of my questions are just for Christ Church but others are general)

1. Where is the nearest laundry?
2. How much does it cost?
3. Do we clean our own rooms and bathrooms?
4. Do I need to bring a hoover?
5. Do I need to bring an iron and ironing board or is there a shared one?
6. Is it a good idea to bring your own printer?
7. Are you allowed to put any pins/blue-tack on the walls?
8. How many pillows are provided?
9. Do I need to bring my own duvet?
10. What sort of things do they serve for breakfast and lunch?
11. Is there a curfew for coming back to halls at night?
12. What sort of typical fancy dress nights are there?
13. Is it better to bring a TV or just watch programmes and films on your laptop?
14. What goes on for new Christ Church students during fresher’s week?
15. What are the most popular bars and clubs?
16. Have you got any tips for fresher’s week?
17. Where can I buy sub fusc?
18. Does everyone get a college hoody?
19. What is Iffley Road gym like?
20. What are the most important things to bring to uni?

Thanks! :biggrin:

5. Only if you intend to iron! It's amazing what a bit of smoothing out and hanging up after washing can do for creases.. I take pride in having ironed nothing all year :smile:

6. I thought I wouldn't use it, but pretty quickly decided that being able to print out essays last minute/general things was definitely useful, and the trip to the library/computer room was too far! It depends on your forward planning, but the one thing I would say was not to let people know you have one, or they'll want to borrow...
12. Bring all the potential fancy dress costume items you have, even if you don't want to wear them you can make friends by lending them out and people will return the favour. At Hilda's, a lot of people try and make their own costumes out of things rather than spending lots at the shops. Also, Primark is your friend!
13. We all just watch films on laptops in our rooms, sometimes bringing in other people's mattress to make an impromptu home cinema!
15. People at Hilda's seem to rave about Park End on a Wednesday, Bridge on a Thursday and Wahoo on a Friday. I have only been to Kukui and Clems, both of which are terrible. Clems especially.. the first (and last) time I went we had to pay to get in (and we were told it'd be free), when we did arrive the lights were off, there was no music and a guy going round with a can of air freshener trying to mask the smell. Unpleasant much!
16. I only went out once in Freshers week, and the other times I just stayed and did things in college which I preferred to be honest. Your JCR committee will/should put on alternative nights to club nights. But equally if you want to go out every night, make the most of it! Don't get dragged down by work too early, it doesn't matter and some people wasted so much energy getting stressed about work due in for 1st week. In general you spend about 3 times as much time as you need to on your first essay, and it isn't worth it!
17. We were just told to go and buy it, the 2nd years might take you/ will tell you where to go.
18. We all got the college hoody yeah, it's rather nice :smile:

But check out the deals offered by the various shops that sell them - there are a couple on the High and Broad street and sometimes they have deals where you get a free hat. Lots of people have college scarves as well, which are cool.
19. I haven't used the gym, but I can say that the swimming pool there is really lovely! I don't know about ChCh but at Hilda's we get free membership to the gym and swimming pool, so it's great! It's not that far away either, about a 10 min cycle ride from you.
20. I would say... make sure you bring all the stupid things like cables and chargers for laptop/phone/camera - people always forget and have to get parents to send them on.. Check out what the cooking situation is like in college and bring saucepans and stuff and tupperware containers - they are amazingly useful, I kid you not! Don't bring clothes that require hand washing/dry cleaning, you just won't be bothered to do it..

I'd be happy to answer more questions if you come up with them!

Reply 1183

Frankie

Thankyou very much! I stayed at Hildas for my interviews, it was gorgeous there :smile:

I'll be sure to let you know if I think of anymore questions :biggrin:

Reply 1184

soutioirsim

Original post by pinstriped.flower

I'd be happy to answer more questions if you come up with them!

When/where/how do you buy gowns and stuff? Do we buy them in freshers?

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1185

Bezzler

Original post by soutioirsim

When/where/how do you buy gowns and stuff? Do we buy them in freshers?

Thanks :smile:

You won't need them until Saturday of 1st week (unless you want to go to formal before then), but there's plenty of shops that cater for them, so you can easily buy them once you get here. Alternatively, in your post-offer freshers' pack, you'll probably get order forms from the three main shops that sell them. But it's perfectly easy to get the stuff once you arrive.

Reply 1186

pinstriped.flower

Original post by Frankie

Thankyou very much! I stayed at Hildas for my interviews, it was gorgeous there :smile:

I'll be sure to let you know if I think of anymore questions :biggrin:

Oooh what subject are you? You probs will have been shown around by a few of my pals :smile:

Reply 1187

frequent_flyer

Original post by RupertTheBear

this is a standard 'I want to be at Oxford now' post

I hear the botanical gardens are nice this time of year :love:

Reply 1188

soutioirsim

Original post by Bezzler

Thanks

How much do they cost roughly?

Reply 1189

Bezzler

Original post by soutioirsim

Thanks

How much do they cost roughly?

There's usually a deal whereby you pay £25 for the gown, mortarboard and white bow tie.

Reply 1190

Frankie

Original post by pinstriped.flower

Oooh what subject are you? You probs will have been shown around by a few of my pals :smile:

I'm medicine :smile:

well I'm not actually THE subject medicine but I'm going to be studying it :tongue:

If they did show me around they might remember me, I was the one who had to go over to Christ Church at 8:30 in the morning on my own for pre-interview reading :s

Reply 1191

pinstriped.flower

Original post by mcgovernjon

Does anybody know where we can buy these scarves? I'm guessing probably through individual colleges...

There are various shops that sell the hoodies/scarves etc on the High and on Broad street. Buy them at the beginning of term and there is bound to be some sort of deal on somewhere (there was this year anyway) and the hoodies only cost about £20 with a student discount. Bargain!

Reply 1192

BJack

We were able to buy our sub fusc & college garb (scarves, hoodie, etc.) through the college before term, so it was (mostly) ready and waiting for us when we arrived. I don't know how many other colleges do that but it was wonderfully simple.

Reply 1193

victoire

Original post by BJack

i'm imagining it all being neatly laid out on your bed when you arrived, just like hogwarts :lol:

Reply 1194

definado

Original post by Frankie

Hey I doubt I'm the only person who has a million questions about starting uni so I thought I would make a thread for typical pre-freshers questions :smile:

Any advice is much appreciated! :biggrin:

Christ Church lawyer here, and friend of some of the medics, so I feel like I can answer your questions :biggrin:

1. Where is the nearest laundry?
You're a girl so you'll be staying in Blue Boar. Blue Boar has its own laundry room, but most of the quads do in general anyway :smile:

2. How much does it cost?
£2 for a wash (and you can change the settings to however you want it), and then £1 for a dry. Wash lasts 40-60 minutes, dry is 50 minutes. You cannot change the times.

3. Do we clean our own rooms and bathrooms?
Same as interviews. If you leave stuff lying around everywhere they'll leave it there, but they hoover it up for you once a week and wash out your sink. They take your bins out every day.

4. Do I need to bring a hoover?
No, but I did because I'm one messy guy and I'm OCD about neatness haha.

5. Do I need to bring an iron and ironing board or is there a shared one?
No shared one, not many people bother, only 8 weeks after all, but again, I did.

6. Is it a good idea to bring your own printer?
Yes, printing in college is sorta expensive. I don't know how many essays you'll be printing in medicine though, most subjects you just email in. Depends if you like/need to have hard copies.

7. Are you allowed to put any pins/blue-tack on the walls?
No. They're super strict about this. They do give you things that you can hang posters up onto (but they're pretty poo). Also you'll have a giant notice board thing which you can put photos on.

8. How many pillows are provided?
None.

9. Do I need to bring my own duvet?
Yes

10. What sort of things do they serve for breakfast and lunch?
If you're brave enough to make breakfast (as in if you wake up that early), then good job! They serve everything you can imagine. Cereals, hot food, fry up, oats, muesli, fruit, fruit salads. There's a lot of options. You have to pay per item though, but it works out REALLY REALLY cheap because it's heavily subsidised. Seriously the cheapest food you'll get in Oxford.

Lunch changes per day.

Overall food is pretty good and you can get a lot for really cheap, but it isn't always the most healthy of food if you're anal like me and like knowing your calories/macronutrients etc.

11. Is there a curfew for coming back to halls at night?
Halls? haha
No, but they ask that you be quiet after about 11. There's a contingent of about 40 people or so [per year, so about 120 in ChCh overall) that go out the majority of weeknights clubbing, or the nights when we don't have work, and we usually get back in at around 3-4.

12. What sort of typical fancy dress nights are there?
I know what you're thinking. Don't bother trying to plan. Bops are ridiculous themes and you won't be prepared for them. What happens is, on the day that the Bop theme is announced or even on the day of the bop, people just go to primark and make makeshift costumes or get a suit for cheap :smile:

.

13. Is it better to bring a TV or just watch programmes and films on your laptop?
Erm, personal preference? You have to pay for a tv license if you bring a TV though. Most people just chill on iPlayer and break the law :biggrin:

14. What goes on for new Christ Church students during fresher’s week?
Clubbing, freshers flu, matriculation, everyone being SUPER OGM FRIENDLY

15. What are the most popular bars and clubs?
Haha, well....
Monday: was Camera (a new club that just opened that is RIGHT next to ChCh and is pretty classy)
Tuesday: was Kukui (a beach themed club which has now been killed by Camera, shockingly cramped dance floor and outrageous drinks prices)
Wednesday: Park End/Lava Ignite (They host 'Shark End' on wednesdays, the Oxford University sports night, and as the name implies, its massively packed and hectic and full of rowdy sportsmen [hehe] looking to shark)
Thursday: BRIDGE! A staple and probably the favourite club to go to for many OU students... however it is closing down soon (but their management is the same as Camera's- which may explain why Camera is so awesome), and ChCh has bought out much of the land and is putting new accommodation there.
Friday: Wahoo/Bridge (brookes night but omg still awesome)/Camera
Sat/Sun: Rumours are there's a new Sat night club coming out... but usually Sat night clubbing is horrible and is usually adults and people who are actually working who go out on a sat.

There's official 'Varsity Events' nights where it's pretty much ONLY OU people at the club and deals etc... but you're not forced to go there. I've gone to Park End on a friday and found it brilliant, and brookes nights are sometimes a welcome change from the OU atmosphere.

No matter WHAT NEVER go to Clem's.... it may seem appealing at first but I have yet to have a good night out there. Besides, the weekends are for catching up on sleep and essays.

16. Have you got any tips for fresher’s week?
Don't get the flu like I did and fall behind massively on the inevitable amount of work you'll get.

17. Where can I buy sub fusc?

Sub-fusc is just dark business-like clothing. If you mean the gown/mortar board/tie thingy.. there will be deals in fresher's week and ChCh will send you dets on that after results day.

18. Does everyone get a college hoody?
A lot do. I have an official Oxford one... many end up getting the really touristy unofficial ones [that still look nice], and many end up getting the fresher's hoodie. I just wear my oxford hoodie to the gym now... college hoodies end up something you wear when it's cold to the library or when you're at home, not when you're in Ox.

19. What is Iffley Road gym like?
Good, but far away. I'm the biggest gym rat at ChCh [probably] and I go to LA fitness which is a good 1 minute walk away. It's closer to us than the highstreet! If you want to be an absolute babe you can sign up under me and I get discounted monthly fee :colondollar:

.. otherwise there's a really busy and free gym service 3 times a week (M/W/F from 6-8) at MCS.

20. What are the most important things to bring to uni?
Pro-plus, kettle, cutlery, tupperware, plates, clothes, duvet, sheets, laptop, OUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, box of chocolates for fresher's, loads of spare pens, loads of paper, loads of spending money, various medicines/painkillers, first aid kit [lolol you may say but I have cut myself twice, the scissors come insanely handy, and you'll inevitably get all sorts of blisters and stuff, washing up stuff, laundry bag, somethign to make your duvet more comfortable, bean bag???, speakers if you like music, alarm clock!!!!!, and LOTS and LOTS of clothes.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 1195

Frankie

Wow thankyou that's great! rather funny that you're OCD about neatness but really messy :tongue:

how much is the membership at LA fitness? Thanks again :biggrin:

Reply 1196

definado

Original post by Frankie

Wow thankyou that's great! rather funny that you're OCD about neatness but really messy :tongue:

how much is the membership at LA fitness? Thanks again :biggrin:

No problem. It changes from month to month, but I get mine for 35 a month and I get 3 free months a year (so free during the holidays :smile:

)

Reply 1197

Frankie

Cool doesn't sound too bad, I might check out the uni gym and if I decide to be mega sporty I'll get a membership there :smile:

Reply 1198

soutioirsim

Original post by BJack

sub fusc

This might sound stupid but what is a sub fusc? :colondollar:

Reply 1199

riotgrrl

Original post by victoire

i'm imagining it all being neatly laid out on your bed when you arrived, just like hogwarts :lol:

I wish I was psychic just so I could count how many people hum the Harry Potter theme tune in their heads the first time they put on their gowns. I'll blatantly be prancing around my room waving a pencil and shouting "expelliarmus!"

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