Original post by such_a_ladyHello you wonderful woman! I demand a hot-chocolate-related meet-up in October!
Yeah, like did you see the thread where someone was like, what's so special about going to Oxbridge anyway, and pretty much everyone said something along the lines of "You can lord it over everyone on TSR"...
Well, and so what? I'm not speaking about the Facebook group here, because quite a few people on there seem to be popular, bright people with actual friends and stuff, but I know a fair few of us TSR-lurkers have got lots of crap in the past, right now, or have been bullied just for being nerdy. I am probably the stereotype of a future Oxford student (Ts and Cs apply): I have next to no friends, almost zero social life, a ridiculously high post count on here, spent my entire childhood reading instead of developing social skills, met my boyfriend on an internet forum instead of at a party, never get invited to said parties, but when I do, turn invitations down, don't drink, spend all day in the library instead of the common room, and adore my subject to the extent that I correct my teachers, analyse grammar while I speak, actually get excited about arguments with my boyfriend because I always learn new words when we fight, and read more German books than English ones. I realise this does not make me any better than the slightly more normal people who have also got offers, but I think I can speak for a few people here when I say that being able to say "I got into Oxford" makes up for the years of loneliness, of being intimidated and put down by people, for being purposely ignored yet again as all your friends get invited somewhere and it's only you that doesn't, for being treated like a basket case at the supermarket where you work, where most people your age will probably stay there forever.
But really, you can't say "I'm going to Oxford" with your head held high, can you? Unless you want to look like an arrogant prick. Because if you answer "Oxford" when people our age ask where you're going, you either have to answer defensively or very quickly and hope they didn't hear. And either you get "Oh right well I know like so many people going to Oxford or Cambridge this year" (Translation: "Don't think that you're special, nerd. You're not."), "Aren't they charging like the 9000 pound fees? Uni's a bit of a waste of money" (Translation: "You mug paying for a fancy education when I can be making money"), "They're so snobby though" ("You won't fit in"), "Aren't the suicide rates the highest there?" ("Let me put you down a bit more and impress on you how you're going to fail miserably while thinking you're special"), "Aren't places like LSE and UCL just as good now?" ("Again, don't even try thinking you're special."), and my personal favourite, "Oh did you see that amazing letter that that girl sent? You know, the rejection letter. That was hilarious - so well written, I found it so funny and really brave." ("Now you're just boring and conformist by not rejecting them. THE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT MAN AND YOU'RE PART OF IT.")
These are mainly from my work colleagues. People in my year at college are quite nice. I'm now treated like part of the furniture, like the batty old aunt at Christmas, but I've also had some really patronising responses from adults too.
When people say "OMG you must be so smart!" what on earth are you meant to say to that!?!?