An Oxford Term, Completed!

Eight weeks, five hefty novels, thirteen Shakespearean and Renaissance-era plays, ten full- and double-length papers, and about four thousand pages of reading later - finally, after the most study-intensive academic quarter in my life, I am done!

And so my time in Oxford comes to an end. I have mixed feelings about this, and I'll do a series of reflection posts later, but for the meantime (if you'll pardon me) I'd like to indulge in a bit of self-congratulation before I go off to relax and unwind. One of my anxieties before coming abroad was that I would find Oxford's notoriously rigorous academics overwhelming, especially at the same time as I got accustomed to a different country and place, met new people, dealt with communication and interpreters, and traveled and experienced new things. But, as of attending my last tutorial on Middlemarch today, I did it!

Goodbye for now, library!

First Tutorial: Check

Today marks my true initiation into Oxford studenthood: I had my first tutorial paper this afternoon. Now, the tutorial system is the cornerstone of an Oxford education. Each week, students read, digest, and research an astonishing amount of material, then produce a polished 8- to 10-page essay on their chosen topic of study. While writing my paper I realized what a challenge this was! After spending a ridiculous number of hours composing and revising, I was beginning to feel like my argument wasn't that good, and was expecting my don to rip me apart.

What actually happened was quite refreshing. We both sat down, I handed her a copy of the paper, and she proceeded to read it aloud, pausing once in a while to make margin notes that I at the time found ominous. Having my labors presented and taken so seriously was both gratifying and intimidating.

Then we talked. I had expected her to pick apart the paper, to critique its flow and logic, and other writer-ly things. But, instead, she asked me questions - not just about what I'd written, but questions of greater philosophical import, launching from the ideas I'd developed in the paper into deeper theoretical conversation. It was literally a reenactment of the Socratic method. Some of her questions were almost too enormous for me to answer, both regarding the novel and my own personal experience: "How do social situations influence how we think and act?" "How can marriage be a moral choice?" With each one, I was uncomfortably aware of her eyes on me, waiting for me to articulate an intelligent answer. I was on the spot, expected to defend and elaborate on my stances, as well as raise new ideas. But she gave me her own insights in return, raising some striking ideas I'd never thought of before. I think it was the most intellectually stimulating conversation I've had on a book in a long time. On to next week!

And photo of the day: deer park at Magdalen College! (Yes, seriously - deer park. My affiliated college at Oxford, Corpus Christi, isn't nearly as expansive.) I've never seen this many deer all at once in my life.

Week One

The Oxford term officially started this week. Which means that, after two weeks of traipsing around the city streets and going fun places and snapping photos like a tourist, I'm finally settling down into some real work. (Oh yeah, coming to Oxford isn't exactly a vacation...)

My Stanford classes are in full gear with papers due already, as well as some pretty heavy reading. I had my first tutorial yesterday, in which we sat down and mapped out my readings for the remaining seven weeks. I'm lucky in this regard - lots of other students are already drowning in their tutorial work, with lengthy papers being assigned ahead of time. (With strange, seemingly inexhaustible general philosophical prompts like "Do human rights exist?" and "What is creativity?")

Still, my readings for my tutorial, on the 19th-century British novel, have involved lots of secondary sources, which results in me hunkering down in the library surrounded by stacks of books. Even though these books are only "recommended," I feel like I need the broader perspective they offer - and find them interesting besides!

Starting the Oxford term has brought about work of a different sort: that is, deciding which Oxford activities to get involved in. Last week was orientation week for the Oxford freshmen ("freshers"), and the Stanford students took advantage of the activities fair ("freshers' fair") that took place Wednesday through Friday. This was like the Stanford activities fair on steroids. It was almost too much for me: crowded booths, visual overstimulation, enthusiastic (slash aggressive) Oxford students jumping out with sales pitches for their clubs. Interesting but random activities aside (archery, outdoors club, wine tasting club, range shooting) I've narrowed my interest down to three candidates: rowing, riding, and polo. Or maybe even some combination of the above. It'll be nice to get out and get physical again. Not to mention see a horse, hopefully!

My slightly alarming busy-ness aside, here's the random photo of the day, from Oxford's University Parks - England can be stunning when it's sunny!