Mao Becomes a Limey

[Provost Harrison]

How could you possibly think any less of magnificence

[Dauphin]

I turned down the opportunity to get my second degree from Oxford. Why? It was in accounting and from Brookes. 'Nuff said.

[Provost Harrison]

Brookes had the fitter birds mind you

[Drogue]

Re: Mao Becomes a Limey

Originally posted by Mao
So, in a few weeks, I"ll be leaving on a plane bound for Heathrow Airport and thereafter beginning my study abroad experience at St. Catherine's College at Oxford. So, anyone have any advice for me, things I should do, bring, anything to make my time there easier, etc.?

W00t! Polymeet in Oxford!!!

You'll pick up the things to do while you're here - you can't avoid the tradition and events unless you hole yourself away at work (don't!). Since you're at Catz, rowing is definately something to try.

Things you need for Oxford that you possibly wouldn't need elsewhere:

Dinner suit - there are quite a few black tie events that are true Oxford tradition style.
Fancy dress - every other week, each college has a 'bop', a large party with some of the worst fancy dress known to man. Very silly, lots of fun.

Originally posted by Mao
Also, on the flip side of that, things I should avoid, (other than all the Polytubbies obviously...haha), not do, etc.

I can't imagine anything that someone would do that you really shouldn't

[Provost Harrison]

Re: Re: Mao Becomes a Limey

Originally posted by Drogue
every other week, each college has a 'bop', a large party with some of the worst fancy dress known to man. Very silly, lots of fun.

Also very conveniently double up as saunas

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Mao
Hmmm...really though, any advice? I'll be poor, obviously, so where are some good places I can actually get some edible grub?

College. College food is v v cheap and edible/healthy, if not exactly gourmet cuisine. However formal hall is lovely, and a decent three course meal for around £4 is hard to come by anywhere in the UK. Don't expect a kitchen though, most colleges don't have them, so eating in hall is really the only option. However it is at cost price, like £1.50 for a main course.

There's also loads of sandwich places that are half price after 5pm, as everything has to be sold on the day they make it. And Kebabs, which is an Oxford tradition. There's 23 vans around Oxford, and they're well used. Where else can you get something hot post-club/mid-essay?

It'll take all of a week to get your bearings about the place

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Where? They must have kept them well hidden, I never found them in the 4 years I was there Actually tell a lie, Zodiac was alright, but I've only been there a couple of times...

Baby Love, The Bridge, G Bar (formerly Green's), Mood, Po Na Na's... not the best in the world, but many decent places Better cocktails than almost anywhere else in the country - Raouls is amazing!

[Drogue]

Re: Re: Re: Mao Becomes a Limey

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Also very conveniently double up as saunas

Only in Univ But the bar's now redone, and it's a lot less steamroom like when you put 100 people in there.

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Brookes had the fitter birds mind you

Bridge on a Monday, Brookes on a Wednesday Brookes nights have a bit of a reputation - you either get beaten up or laid, with about equal probability. Both high (at least for Oxford )

[Dauphin]

Kebabs from a van. You better have health insurance.

[Adrian Hon]

Some other things to note from a person who was a grad at Oxford recently (and still has a girlfriend there).

G&Ds ice cream is a good place to visit, especially since it closes at midnight every day. Two branches, one in Jericho, one on St. Aldate's.

Ben's Cookies in the Covered Market are great - but expensive!

Check out Cowley. Most undergrads have an irrational fear of Cowley Road, believing it to be a place where you will undoubtedly get mugged and killed. While it is slightly rougher than the rest of Oxford (i.e. just like a normal town), it has plenty of good restaurants, bars and clubs. Well, maybe one good club. And it really isn't that far away.

The Trout pub in north Oxford does good lunches. Not great, and not terribly cheap, but it's in a nice setting and it's great to walk up there through Port Meadow.

If you don't take up rowing - and you really should, at least for a term or two - then try running. Oxford is probably the best place I've ever seen for a runner.

[Mao]

I see. Wow, thanks for the help.

As an exchange student at St. Catz (where I hear they put all the stupid foreigners...heh) I'm not even sure if I'll be invited to the formal dinners and such.

I did hear that's nearly impossible to make friends at Oxford because of the educational mentality and the tutorial system, so you really have to make an active effort to get out. That said, I guess I would be up for Polytubby meet since I just might need some friends in Europe...heh.

[Drogue]

You will Formal hall happens at *least* once a week, everyday but saturday at my college. Visiting students get put everywhere - there's usually at least a few hundred here at any one time - more than the entire population of most colleges.

As for making friends, I really wouldn't worry. Yes, you only havwe tutorials with 1 or 2 other people, but there's lectures if that's where you socialise, or the easiest way being the college bar, societies, or endless other ways. Plus as food is in college, we all eat together. I never found it hard to make friends really

[Adrian Hon]

Nearly impossible to make friends at Oxford? Say what? That's crazy, where did you hear that from? Most of my grad friends at Oxford didn't spend *that* much time working, so we had plenty of time to drink, watch TV, go to the pub, drink, etc etc. It's pretty easy when you live in college accommodation... (providing that the people living on your floor are interesting, that is)

[Provost Harrison]

Yeah Mao, whoever told you that is speaking out of their arse