Oxford matriculation help please - urgent!!!!
I am starting oxford uni as a fresher in October. What is matriculation and what’s is it all about? What happens? I have heard that you jump into the lake afterwards, and I really want to do this, but I wear contact lenses which are not allowed to get in any contact with water. I DO NOT want to wear glasses to matriculation because they make me feel really self conscious and uncomfortable but I really want to take part in everything. My sight is -5 ish so I can’t see very well at all without any contacts/glasses, so there is no option of having nothing to aid my sight. There’s no option of wearing goggle either as I do not want to l look like a freak. Please help me, I have no idea what to do!!!
Reply 1
Matriculation is just like an a ceremony to celebrate your starting the uni, all you have to do is wear your sub fusc and sit in a theatre while they read a speech. Jumping in the Thames after is a student tradition but not an official part of the ceremony so you don’t have to do it. But if you want to jump in the water you could just either wear your contact lenses and then throw them away/rinse out your eyes as soon as you get home or you could wear contact lenses for the official ceremony/to take photos then keep glasses/a lens case in your bag and change into glasses before you jump in the water
Reply 2
Original post
by Username123abMatriculation is just like an a ceremony to celebrate your starting the uni, all you have to do is wear your sub fusc and sit in a theatre while they read a speech. Jumping in the Thames after is a student tradition but not an official part of the ceremony so you don’t have to do it. But if you want to jump in the water you could just either wear your contact lenses and then throw them away/rinse out your eyes as soon as you get home or you could wear contact lenses for the official ceremony/to take photos then keep glasses/a lens case in your bag and change into glasses before you jump in the water
Thank you so much! Are you a current Oxford student?
Reply 3
10
The tradition of jumping into the river does not happen after matriculation — it’s after exams. I suspect your confusion may be because you wear sub fusc for both.
Reply 4
Original post
by AnonymousThank you so much! Are you a current Oxford student?
Yeah, going into third year of law with french law at Oxford
Reply 5
20
You can take your contacts off and put them in their case the solution or just a saline before you jump in the water. People will help you finding your way back. People are surprisingly understanding in this situation, just know where you put your stuff and people will help you finding your way to them without a problem. Also you can wear your glasses if they are secured to your face, like a sports band or something. I wouldn't jump in the water or dive with glasses, too afraid to loose them.
Once when swimming in the sea I was drifted to another part of the beach* and couldn't find either my friends or our spot on the beach because I couldn't see, and my vision is not even that bad. I was really stressed out but people helped me.
*The Mediterranean Sea in Israel is acting a lot like an ocean, there are rips. Most of the time they are tiny so more or less experienced swimmers can deal with them on their own, but you still get drifted a bit from your original location, if you panic you will be drifted even further, but nothing too serious.
Once when swimming in the sea I was drifted to another part of the beach* and couldn't find either my friends or our spot on the beach because I couldn't see, and my vision is not even that bad. I was really stressed out but people helped me.
*The Mediterranean Sea in Israel is acting a lot like an ocean, there are rips. Most of the time they are tiny so more or less experienced swimmers can deal with them on their own, but you still get drifted a bit from your original location, if you panic you will be drifted even further, but nothing too serious.
Reply 6
OP, welcome to Oxford! Please don't feel self-conscious about wearing glasses. Oxford is one of the glasses-wearing capitals of the world.
Matruculation is the ceremony at which you become a lifetime member of the university of Oxford. You will already be a lifetime member of your college.
The Dean of Degrees, one of the tutors at your college, will lead all of the freshers from the college to the Sheldonian Theatre, the beautiful Christopher Wren building where the university holds its ceremonies. You will all wear academic dress (sub fusc). Students from every college will be there. The matriculation ceremony is short and in Latin. Then people go back to their colleges and/or wander about Oxford, and they usually party. People often go punting, and punting often involves falling or jumping into the River Cherwell (pronounced Charwell). Some may jump into the River Thames (which in Oxford is called the Isis). Students at Worcester College have a lake in their college gardens. People often do photo shoots outside the Radcliffe camera and at other iconic Oxford locations. Have fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAf1tfnj67I
https://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/archivesandmanuscripts/2023/10/13/on-the-roll-a-brief-history-of-matriculation/
Matruculation is the ceremony at which you become a lifetime member of the university of Oxford. You will already be a lifetime member of your college.
The Dean of Degrees, one of the tutors at your college, will lead all of the freshers from the college to the Sheldonian Theatre, the beautiful Christopher Wren building where the university holds its ceremonies. You will all wear academic dress (sub fusc). Students from every college will be there. The matriculation ceremony is short and in Latin. Then people go back to their colleges and/or wander about Oxford, and they usually party. People often go punting, and punting often involves falling or jumping into the River Cherwell (pronounced Charwell). Some may jump into the River Thames (which in Oxford is called the Isis). Students at Worcester College have a lake in their college gardens. People often do photo shoots outside the Radcliffe camera and at other iconic Oxford locations. Have fun!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAf1tfnj67I
https://blogs.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/archivesandmanuscripts/2023/10/13/on-the-roll-a-brief-history-of-matriculation/
(edited 1 year ago)
Reply 7
PS: partying is optional, of course. Whatever you do, have a lovely day.
Reply 8
thank you so much everyone, I really appreciate the advice. As per not wearing glasses, I just feel too self-concious about it and I really don't know how to stop feeling that way. Does anyone have any advice as to starting at oxford, particularly advice about work load, packing lists or freshers week? I heard there is a freshers dinner with the tutors and I am really anxiosu about this. I am also really worried as I am not very knowledgable about the world, I know nothing about politics, culture, and all the other smart stuff, and I am really really worried people will talk about these things and that I'm not 'smart' enough to be there. how do I fit in and can they kick you out if they think you're just not good enough?
Reply 9
Original post
by Anonymousthank you so much everyone, I really appreciate the advice. As per not wearing glasses, I just feel too self-concious about it and I really don't know how to stop feeling that way. Does anyone have any advice as to starting at oxford, particularly advice about work load, packing lists or freshers week? I heard there is a freshers dinner with the tutors and I am really anxiosu about this. I am also really worried as I am not very knowledgable about the world, I know nothing about politics, culture, and all the other smart stuff, and I am really really worried people will talk about these things and that I'm not 'smart' enough to be there. how do I fit in and can they kick you out if they think you're just not good enough?
sorry for the typos I'm just really excited but also super worried and stressed.
Reply 10
Original post
by Anonymousthank you so much everyone, I really appreciate the advice. As per not wearing glasses, I just feel too self-concious about it and I really don't know how to stop feeling that way. Does anyone have any advice as to starting at oxford, particularly advice about work load, packing lists or freshers week? I heard there is a freshers dinner with the tutors and I am really anxiosu about this. I am also really worried as I am not very knowledgable about the world, I know nothing about politics, culture, and all the other smart stuff, and I am really really worried people will talk about these things and that I'm not 'smart' enough to be there. how do I fit in and can they kick you out if they think you're just not good enough?
Please don't worry too much. Oxford is more supportive and less internally competitive than many suppose. A love of learning is a unifying factor amongst its members, and people learn from one another. Collegiate life means that your friends will be reading a wide range of subjects, and most people prefer to share rather than to show off.
Oxford can be a place of quiet as well as a place of noise. You have access to dozens of libraries, all of which are places of calm reflection. There is time for reading outside your subject if you manage your time (see below), and plenty of opportunities to learn about world affairs if you wish to.
Your college will probably send you a collection of information about joining the college, freshers' events, reading lists, and so on. Do not hesitate to ask your tutors and the other staff at the college for guidance. College porters can be a great source of information and are usually friendly people who enjoy working with students.
The workload is heavy, but the work is about a subject that you are interested in and hopefully like. If you treat studying as a job and aim to do about 35 to 40 hours on your subject a week, that leaves plenty of time for fun and relaxation. Take days off. Wander about, enjoy the buildings and gardens, go to the rivers, visit the museums. There are endless organised and disorganised activities to explore, and Oxford is full of music.
Colleges have welfare officers to assist with problems, and there are university-wide counselling services.
No student gets thrown out just because someone perceives that the student is not "smart" enough. If you seriously underperform against the expected high standards, your tutors will tell you this, and look for remedies. It is possible to be thrown out, but that takes a lot of doing, and relatively few students are "sent down" (expelled) or compelled to "rusticate" (the Oxford term for being suspended or taking a remedial break). Voluntary rustication is sometimes used to assist a student dealing with problems.
You deserve your place at Oxford. Your tutors know that. Every other student you encounter knows that. Everyone got there on merit. Imposter Syndrome is not uncommon, but it is curable. That confident kid over there? She has it too. She's as nervous as you are. She is just more performative.
It is normal to feel unworldly when you move from school to university. University changes you, hopefully in a good way. I wish you a happy and successful time.
Here's a poem about Oxford, by the great Keith Douglas (1920-1944, Merton 1938)
https://aclerkofoxford.blogspot.com/2008/11/reasons-to-love-oxford-2-youth.html
Reply 11
Just to add to Stiffy's great post above: in my experience (as someone who felt/was similar to you about political knowledge and general cultural knowledge/capital, pre-Oxford), most people won't belittle or say anything about how much you know or don't know. The few who do are generally easily ignored/avoided! That said, if things escalate into a situation you can't ignore (which would be rare, I'd think/hope!), the uni are quite good at tackling bullying in my experience 
So please try not to worry about "fitting in": just be yourself. You are no doubt good enough exactly as you are! 
So please try not to worry about "fitting in": just be yourself. You are no doubt good enough exactly as you are! Quick Reply
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