Oxford Vacations

By Talia Zhou

So usually Oxford vacs are something which come as a welcome relief at the end of a super busy term. Although the terms are short at Oxford, there is rarely an opportunity to draw breath, with an intense work load (you are told day one they expect 8 hours a day...), plus hanging out with friends, clubs and societies and organised events. You could quite literally fill every second of the day and lots of students do. Far from Oxford students just hiding in the library, many students have a work hard, play hard attitude.

So for many, the vac offers a chance to sleep, then sleep a bit more, then unwind and watch some TV and just have a little down time. Unfortunately, there is usually vac work too but at least you have a while to do it and at least for the beginning of the vac, you can push it to the back of your mind.

This term however, is different. Most of us have been working from home for a really long time and now all we want is to get back from Oxford. Covid has affected so many people, in so many different ways and in many ways, I know we are so lucky. But part of me does feel sad that this incredible Oxford experience I'd dreamed about has been snatched away. By the nature of the terms being short, missing a whole 8 weeks, feels like missing out on a huge part of the Oxford journey.

I cannot wait to be reunited with my friends, wander through the college quads, wave morning to the porter, eat in hall, punt on the river, delve into the beautiful libraries and walk through the Dreaming Spires in the sunshine. If you feel like the vac is already dragging, keep in mind all of the amazing experiences awaiting us in Trinity!