Hello! Freshers week is finished and life has officially begun in Oxford and I am EXHAUSTED!! hehehe! So let me get you up to date on it all!
Freshers week, also known as nougth week... the week to welcome new students and P*A*R*T*Y! Everyday there was something quintessentially British to do during the day and a party/drinks fest at night. The first day saw punting on the river with a bottle of white wine. Truly wonderful, especially when a swan decided he might join us. Besides being punted back and forth across the Thames for over an hour much to the annoyance of the rowers it was a fabulous time. When we got back there was a tea party with the college advisers and tutors. One thing there was plenty of in freshers week TEA... tea with advisers... tea with student union... tea with my friend who finished her DPhil (yeah!!). Then there was the other thing there was plenty of BOOZE... black tie and mocktails... games night WITH wine and cheese... pub race... Bops! There are also boring things at Freshers week such as meeting with the Deans, health and safety talk and IT sessions. But it is always followed up with..... BOOZE!!
K I am kidding... a little!
One of my favourite days was a walk beside the river which brought us to this path, which you would completely overlook except for the gate labelled The Perch. It leads to a beautiful cottage that has been converted into a pub and which Lewis Carroll did his first ever reading of “Alice through the Looking Glass”.
The most entertaining day was the pub race! 4 colleges, 10 pubs, 10 pints. I wasn’t competing but I was having dinner with A-USA at the Eagle and Child when Somerville came through... halfway through the rest. After composing our giggles we decided to head to The Turf and see the outcome of the race. Somerville WON! And everyone was plastered!! The funniest night of all time.
Another major event this week was the coming up dinner. Being the only Creative Writing Student at the dinner (one of only two at Somerville) I had to dine with the English department. It was a grand occasion dressing up in a fancy dress and eating a three course dinner accompanied with wine in the grand hall and listening to a rather moving speech by the Principal. It really felt like the sorting of houses in Harry Potter... I kid ye not. I just needed to be wearing my time turner and carrying my wand!!
Finally the biggest event of all at Freshers is the Freshers Fair, all the clubs come out and invade the Examination buildings.... which are HUGE. Ballroom after ballroom after ballroom filled with every club you could possibly image and ALL heckling at you. Of course I headed for writing, singing, brass band, and riding groups signing up left right and center. Sometimes signing up for things I didn’t even mean too. One however that completely filled my life with joy... The Harry Potter Society.... HECK YES!! It was unbelievable to the sights, ears and now to my life as I have to go to all these clubs!!
A game of football at University parks, an ice skating meet and greet and a little bit of food poisoning brought me to the end of Freshers Week and the second visit of my Mum. It was great to see her again and she brought me some gorgeous housewarming presents including a pillow, union jack place mats and a poppy tray! We then spent the day running around Oxford looking for athletics gear as I began this week training with the rowing and hockey teams.
After Mum left I headed to University Chorus a great choir held just across the road at Keble college Chapel. An incredible building, an incredible conductor and an incredible result. At the end of Eighth week we get to perform Haydn’s “Creation” at the Shedonian theatre outside the Bodleian Library. AMAZING! I am so excited!
Talking of the Bod that is where I have spent most days this week working in the upper reading room writing poem after poem after poem. I have never felt so inspired and I am working my ass off at staying so.
Monday night also saw my first hockey practice and guess what folks.... I SUCK! I mean I suck big time. No one in the world could suck more than me. Little Timbits players would out skate me. So that might be a club drop out. Only thing is the team is filled with amazing girls.
Basically every night this week I have been out to a newspaper meeting- the Oxford Student to be exact. Stage Section. Screen Section. Features Section. I have already written two articles for this weeks paper in two separate section. So I will keep you posted if I get publication!
I also met with my Christian Union... all undergrads which was different but exciting to meet and greet and share the bible with each other over fairly large pizzas and tea!
Thursday night was pure magic. A-USA and I went to the polo club social. We walked into a Ralph Lauren ad. I am talking skinny pants in multiple shades of bright and one chain-mailed jacket... I kid you not! The best part.... bottle after bottle after bottle after bottle of Prosecco. I was in heaven!
Now what I am about to say might shock some people so I recommend sitting down. I have also been.... Working Out! Yes! Seriously! ME! It started with core workout in the quad and this morning I was out at 7AM running. I know? NUTS! I compensated that though today cause I have done nothing all day. Gone no where. Sat in my room and watched downloaded TV in between writing my two articles for the paper and figuring out my creative assignment. Tonight I am heading to Magdalen college for a bar-swap and tomorrow is the BIG MATRICULATION CEREMONY! Which I am incredibly excited about.
So that is me! That is what is going on! Fresher week and First week have both finished now its all work work work.... and PARTY!!!!
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