Theresa K - Oxford, England - Spring 2015

Hello CPP 250! I'm Theresa and I'm studying here in Oxford, England with the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CMRS).

I imagined studying here in Oxford would resemble something like the Harry Potter films. Being an Oxford student reflects this, partly due to the fact that some bits of the films were shot around here. It is, however, still a college town, making Oxford a interesting combination of both old and new. Walk around Oxford and you'll get that feel. Old buildings that can predate the United States mixed with modern ones with solar panels.

Always make plans to explore because time is precious here. I don't know how the workload is at other institutions, but at Oxford, you're a student. Full-time. I have essentially four hours of class a week, but that doesn't include hours of reading and writing. My concept of time (and of the weekend especially) no longer works in days and weeks, but in stages of essay writing. The best part about it, too, the intensity of the work is the best though grueling part.

This is not to say that all of your time should be spent writing and reading. Remember The Shining. Everyone here knows how important it is to take a break. Budget your time and you'll be fine. Since you'd be a student with CMRS, you're an associate member of Keble College and of the University of Oxford as a whole. There are plenty of societies and sports and events to go to. Meetings are great placeholders so you can structure your week's workload and it's a fun way to kick back and relax if not with fellow CMRS students. I myself have been attending lectures around Oxford and have been able to listen to and interact with brilliant people speak. I've even joined Oxford's Astronomy and Space Society. There's something for everyone.

So come to Oxford. It's pretty awesome.