The Oxbridge trade-off

I'm a first year at Oxford, and it's pretty good.

But it seems to me, that by coming to Oxford or Cambridge, you do miss out on typical student life.

I've spent a lot of time at other universities, and the social life here isn't the same.

People do work here. Now, yes, I realise I should be doing work. I do enough work, and I enjoy it. I hand in essays, prepare for classes, go to lectures. But this still leaves me with extra time. Time, that by the rights, should be spent drinking.

Going to a cafe for tea should be a part of student life- but only as an occasional change from the pub.

No-one here understands the idea of afternoon drinking. No-one understands the concept of Pub. Pub is a friendly place, where you sit with your friends in the afternoon and relax. Somehow, conversation flows easier - even if you aren't drinking. You end up talking about philosophy, the relative merits of different flavours of crisps. You make friends with the people behind the bar. The hours slip by, and you enjoy it all the more, because you know that there is something else you really *should* be doing.

I'm not asking for this every day. But an afternoon in the pub, once a week? Once a fortnight even.

I know people drink here - I do - but its all about clubs and bars. Getting so drunk its hard to remember your name two or three evenings a week isn't all that much fun. I find it a tad boring. All the same. Did that when I was younger.

The lack of Pub is the greatest problem. I want to start an afternoon drinking society. But I fear a lack of interest.

But also, where is the hedonism? Basically, where are the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll?

Ok, by sex - yes there is sex. But not that much... In my year, there is one couple. You'd have thought, put 70 hormonal 18/19 year olds together, and there is bound to be gossip, who fancies who, etc. But no.

And Indie does not count as rock'n'roll. I want ROCK.

I don't regret having come to Oxford. The chance to study with tutors who are there, at the forefront of their field is amazing.

But you know what? There aren't even that many clever people here. By clever, I don't mean anything to do with A level scores or anything like that. I mean, a quick mind, people with a genuine spark, who can discuss things, who can see conventional ideas from other perspectives, who learn because they want to discover something, not because they want to do well in exams.

no offence mate, but i've come across your sort before. Almost as soon as you mentioned 'ROCK' there is the realisation that you are probably one of those people that hates pop, and pop culture, and makes yourself an outsider by refusing to associate with confromists.
I'm betting there is a damned sight more gossip, but not about people that you know/none of which is gracing your ears.

Most people that give these style rants/slamming reviews of their college are typically not very involved in the college life.

That's my (experienced) take on it anyway

I'm a first year at Oxford, and it's pretty good.

But it seems to me, that by coming to Oxford or Cambridge, you do miss out on typical student life.

I've spent a lot of time at other universities, and the social life here isn't the same.

People do work here. Now, yes, I realise I should be doing work. I do enough work, and I enjoy it. I hand in essays, prepare for classes, go to lectures. But this still leaves me with extra time. Time, that by the rights, should be spent drinking.

Going to a cafe for tea should be a part of student life- but only as an occasional change from the pub.

No-one here understands the idea of afternoon drinking. No-one understands the concept of Pub. Pub is a friendly place, where you sit with your friends in the afternoon and relax. Somehow, conversation flows easier - even if you aren't drinking. You end up talking about philosophy, the relative merits of different flavours of crisps. You make friends with the people behind the bar. The hours slip by, and you enjoy it all the more, because you know that there is something else you really *should* be doing.

I'm not asking for this every day. But an afternoon in the pub, once a week? Once a fortnight even.

I know people drink here - I do - but its all about clubs and bars. Getting so drunk its hard to remember your name two or three evenings a week isn't all that much fun. I find it a tad boring. All the same. Did that when I was younger.

The lack of Pub is the greatest problem. I want to start an afternoon drinking society. But I fear a lack of interest.

But also, where is the hedonism? Basically, where are the sex, drugs and rock'n'roll?

Ok, by sex - yes there is sex. But not that much... In my year, there is one couple. You'd have thought, put 70 hormonal 18/19 year olds together, and there is bound to be gossip, who fancies who, etc. But no.

And Indie does not count as rock'n'roll. I want ROCK.

I don't regret having come to Oxford. The chance to study with tutors who are there, at the forefront of their field is amazing.

But you know what? There aren't even that many clever people here. By clever, I don't mean anything to do with A level scores or anything like that. I mean, a quick mind, people with a genuine spark, who can discuss things, who can see conventional ideas from other perspectives, who learn because they want to discover something, not because they want to do well in exams.

You are at Mansfield, correct? If so, you should consider that the fact that it's the smallest undergrad college may be partly to do with the relative lack of social activity. There just won't be that critical mass of people you need to organise things like going to the pub, going clubbing etc. Furthermore, I think the really small colleges can put people off "hedonism", for two reasons: one, it can be annoying being the subject of rumours and gosisp; and two, say you have a one night stand with someone and then decide it was a really bad idea, you absolutely can't avoid seeing them repeatedly in the ensuing days.

The solution is simple: Get out of college and make friends.

the arts students have work to do

Sorry, i think i am living in an alternative universe to you.

just because we have less classes doesn't mean we have less work

I thought Classicists were supposed to be grammatical pedants.

I thought Classicists were supposed to be grammatical pedants.

I can't speak english any more.