What is student life at Oxford uni like?

I'm looking to study english and french and am really interested in the Oxford course, but I feel as though Oxford might be too academic for me, and I'd hate to miss out on the classic uni experience. I think this is just the way Oxford has been depicted to me, but if it is the case that Oxford has poor social life and nightlife then I'm thinking Exeter or St Andrews. Any ideas of what's good/bad about oxford uni social life?

Reply 1

PetitePanda

Study Forum Helper

@Oxford Mum might help with you with this :smile:

Reply 2

A Rolling Stone

Original post by jartbomb

literally everyone at uni feels pressured at several points in the year, it's just that Oxbridge students feel much more pressured and more regularly. It's extremely intense. However, Oxford students do go out too - the main reason for the stress is not rigour, but shorter terms compared to other unis - so this does mean longer half-terms for you to socialise.

Reply 3

Oxford Mum

I told someone about oxford’s social life on another thread this week

The social life is very unusual and amazing

Can’t quite remember where that thread is ..

Reply 4

Oxford Mum

Original post by PetitePanda

@Oxford Mum might help with you with this :smile:

I have finally found the thread about Oxford Parties

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=87448570&highlight=Oxford%20parties

my post about it is number 6 on the above thread.

@jartbomb

Reply 5

jartbomb

Original post by Oxford Mum

massively helpful- thank you!

Reply 6

Espançais

For me, the Oxford social life is amazing, there's so much going on. I do French and Spanish, and I definitely have time for a social life - and we don't just talk about our degrees all the time, although naturally they take up quite a lot of brain space, as that's why we're there. It might not be the stereotypical "uni experience" of non-stop parties, but then I doubt most unis are in reality. There's several clubs, and many people go out once or even twice a week. There's college BOPs, which are fancy dress parties with cheesy music and alcohol. There's formal hall, for which you can get dressed up and go with your friends. There's social events, drinking and otherwise, for lots of societies in college and university-wide. There's sports at college and uni level, there's a big classical music scene (college choirs, a capella groups, some colleges have orchestras, two levels of university-wide orchestra), and a massive student drama scene. You can meet people at speaker events, or poetry society launch meetings, or down the pub. There's the opportunity to get involved with student committees and represent the interests of various groups, or just turn up to JCR (junior common room, the student forum in colleges) meetings for free pizza. There's welfare teas, where you can have free food, chat, and get to know welfare reps in case you have anything you want to talk to them about. And of course there's cooking in a student kitchen, eating together, pres in someone's room, film nights, bar quizzes, and on and on.
Essentially there is a LOT going on! If you like the course, you'll probably like the people as you'll have common interests.
Also St Andrews is a seaside town not a city and by all accounts the night-life is pretty low-level (it is a fantastic university though and if you like the course there I'd say go for it equally as I would for Oxford)

What is student life at Oxford uni like?

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you