We visited the History of Science museum, where they keep historical scientific instruments and even a blackboard from one of Albert Einstein’s lectures.
Author: Grace Killian | Majors: Biochemistry and Creative Writing
My first thought when the bus arrived on the Oxford High Street was wow. You turn the corner, and there it is. Gothic architecture soars over the pedestrians and cyclists, vaulted rooftops and towering spires decorating the horizon. Cross the bridge, and you’re right in the middle of it all—everywhere you look sits a piece of history from centuries past.
The first day, I explored the city and settled into my room at Oriel College with a sense of dazed awe. There was so much to see, and I hardly knew where to start. The next morning, though, class started bright and early at 9 AM, and that awe shifted to intimidation. There I was at one of Oxford’s oldest colleges, surrounded by classrooms, libraries, and museums that remembered countless great minds and discoveries. How could I live up to the sheer history of academic prestige?
I never fully overcame the feeling of intimidation, but the first day of class assuaged some of my trepidation. My classmates were all in the same position I was, and our professor was fantastic. The class only contained five in-person students, and we sat around a table with the professor during lecture and seminar. During break between lecture and seminar, we talked to the professor and got to know each other better. With such a small group, I ended up spending much of my time outside of class with my classmates. By the time we had to work on our final presentation, we had spent two weeks experiencing both Oxford and class together and worked well as a group.
I loved it. The professor and my classmates formed a great support network for the class, and we worked through the material together. In class, we discussed iconic British novels from the long 18th century and finished the course with a group presentation on how to adapt an 18th century novel into a new form of media. With the small class size, everyone had an active voice at the table, and we drew connections between the architecture of the city and the world that the authors we studied had known.
By the end of the class, I had a more nuanced, broader understanding of literature and the interactions between novels and current events, and I had made connections with people from different backgrounds who contributed their own viewpoints to the discussion. This class was one of my favorite university courses so far, and I would recommend it to any students interested in literature or cultural studies.
I arrived in Oxford expecting to be immersed in history and academic values—and I found those things!—but I did not expect to become enamored by the city itself. For me, Oxford was the perfect blend of compact and bustling. There was plenty to do every day—too much to do everything in two weeks—but it was a small footprint that I quickly became familiar with. Everything was within a half hour walk, and we stepped out of Oriel college after class and reached the High Street within a couple minutes. Oxford is known as the city of bikes, and for good reason: most of the locals and students cycle to get around, and had I been there for more than a couple weeks, I would have been tempted to get a bike for myself. One of the first things I learned about the city: cars and buses will stop for you, but watch out for bikes!
My advice to other students would be to research the city before you arrive. There’s so much to explore in the city when not studying that I couldn’t do it all in two weeks. Planning a few key locations before I left helped me make the most of that time. Specifically, I recommend student visit some of the various colleges—they all have unique designs, student culture, and history—as well as the parks, which are outside of the city center but definitely worth the walk. I would also advise students to prepare for the culture shock. Although there are similarities between England and the United States, including the language, I had to orient myself around unexpected differences. In some ways, it felt surreal to be in a place that similar but also very distinct from what I was used to. I would love for other students to attend this program—it was a truly eye-opening, life-changing experience, and I fell in love with the city and the academic opportunities. Surrounded by libraries, top academics, and centuries of history, studying in Oxford felt intimidating at times, but I felt more motivated than ever to perform well and live up to that history.