By Eve Tranter, 3rd Year Medic, St Anne’s College
Here are 5 of my top tips for those starting at Oxford in a few weeks time...
1. Locate your department
When you have a free half hour in freshers week, walk to your department building where your main teaching takes place. It will make you feel a lot calmer on the first day of lectures and will save any last minute running to be on time!
2. Pack a doorstop
Keep your room open when you’re unpacking on your first day, or getting ready to head down to hall for dinner in the evenings. You never know who will walk past your room to say hello! Don’t be afraid to reach out first, chances are the other person was thinking of doing the same thing…
3. Buy an academic planner … or use an online planner such as Notion
Oxford terms can get very busy very quickly, so if you have everything written down you can plan your time more efficiently. Remember - you have plenty of time to do other things than studying. Go on that trip to G&D’s, go for that meal with the society! Your planner even shows you that you have time for it…
4. Find out when club trials are
Sports team trials and the first society meetings of term usually take place late in fresher’s week. Use fresher’s fair to find out when they are so that you don’t miss the opportunity to continue with your hobbies at university. It’s so important for your physical and mental wellbeing to have downtime from academics. Many clubs and societies are active on social media, so you could even get a head start and find out more info now...
5. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Whether it’s your college parents, coursemates, tutors, flatmates or college staff, don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Chances are, someone else has asked the same question before, or is wondering the same thing as you. Porters are especially useful for help around the city; they often have WD40 for your bike when the chain has got rusty and a spare key to your room when you lock yourself out!
Good luck and enjoy every opportunity that Oxford life brings!
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