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Welcome To Magdalen!

Freshers’ Handbook 2016

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Contents

3: A Welcome from your Freshers’ rep

4: Accommodation

6: What to bring

8: Subfusc

9: Finance

10: Your JCR Committee

16: Where to go in Oxford

18: Going out in Oxford

20: Subject Guides

31: Clubs and Societies

39: Jargon Buster

42: A final word from me

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A Welcome from your Freshers’ Rep Hello and Welcome!

You may have already met me via Facebook/ Email but either way I’m Liv Kinsey, your Freshers’ Rep, and I’m

here to make your transition from sixth form/ college to Oxford and Magdalen as smooth as possible. I’ll be

a source of support, the font of all college and University-related knowledge and I will try to answer as

many of your questions as I can. No question is too big, too small, too stupid or too trivial– every person has

been in the same situation as you and asked their own Freshers’ Rep some bizarre stuff. This Handbook

should answer as many of your questions about life at Magdalen as well as life in Oxford as possible and,

hopefully, get you all excited for coming up in October!

First of all though, congratulations! You’ve achieved something really amazing. Don’t forget that. There are very

few people in this world who can attest to having studied at the University of Oxford, let alone those who

can attest to studying at (undoubtedly) the best college in the University. You definitely deserve to feel ex-

tremely proud of yourself, you’ve earned it!

Secondly, try not to worry too much before you get here. You may have heard countless intimidating myths

about the College and/or the University but when you get here, you will quickly learn that these are com-

pletely and utterly false. You will have plenty of time and opportunity to do whatever it is you like to spend

your time on and also try your hand at a countless number of new and exciting activities you may never

have come across before. This little pack is an attempt to let you know what’s going on in college, what

kinds of activities you can get involved in and offer you some insight into what your courses will be like in

first year, from current students’ perspectives. I hope you’ll find it useful! In terms of my answering any of

your individual, specific questions feel free to find me on Facebook or to join the ‘Magdalen College Incom-

ing Class 2016’ Facebook group. Just request to join the group then I can approve you or send me a message

and then add you to the group. Don’t worry if you don’t have Facebook though, my email is Oliv-

ia.kinsey@magd.ox.ac.uk so you can shoot me a message either

via Facebook or email if I’ve missed anything in this Handbook

(which, no doubt, I will have done).

You will have hopefully received a letter from your college parents

by now. Don’t worry if you haven’t received one, however. They

don’t contain any vital information and are more of an introduc-

tion to your college family as opposed to anything else and you’ll

meet them fairly early on in Freshers’ Week (all the excitement!).

Speaking of which, I hope you’re getting psyched up for Freshers’

Week… It’s going to be amazing! It’ll be a whirlwind of new fac-

es, names you won’t remember and too many activities to choose

from but don’t feel overwhelmed by all of the information you’ll

have thrown at you then or the mountain of forms you have to

fill in for College that you’ve recently had sent to you. Just work

methodically and carefully and you’ll get everything sorted faster

than you expect.

Lots of Welcoming Freshers’ Love,

Liv XXX

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Accommodation

The Waynflete

The Waynflete is the largest of the fresher accommoda-

tion areas, and around three quarters of you will end up

here. It’s a 1960s monstrosity of a building which, while

it may not be the prettiest picture, will soon become a

beloved home. It handily sits on top of a Sainsbury’s (or

Waynesbury’s…) local (open 7am-11pm) for late night

essay crisis supplies and is a fresher only building apart

from a couple of grad flats on the 4th floor and the

Waynflete Dean’s flat which is in the basement.

As such, it’s a brilliant place to get to know nearly all of

your year. There’s a really communal environment; leave your door open and be-

fore long people will be joining you for chats or to help you procrastinate. It’s a big

advantage to be in such easy reach of other Freshers.

There are five mixed-gender floors with around 20 people on each who share a

kitchen, two bathrooms with lots of showers and toilets and a ridiculously large num-

ber of sinks. There are also two washing machines and two tumble driers on the 3rd

floor, so you should never be found wanting when it

comes to facilities. If you don’t have a sink in your

room, this will be because you have a lovely view of

the river and the dreaming spires of Magdalen (and

the lack is barely noticeable. Promise.) The rooms are

all almost standardly the same size and are very de-

cently proportioned in comparison to accommodation

at many other universities. The scouts clean the rooms

once a week – it’s best to learn when so that they don’t

walk in on you in a compromising position...

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Accommodation Continued

The Houses

A small number of you will be living in houses

62 or 71 on the High Street, or in Longwall

Annexe. There are definitely advantages to be-

ing here. Firstly it’s closer to town, which

means you don’t have to stumble across the

bridge before attempting to climb the stairs in

the Flete after a night out, and also closer to

college, which becomes crucially advantageous

when you’re late for a tute, or when you’re feel-

ing lazy but want to go to hall. People in the Houses also tend to form close bonds.

With around ten in each you’ll find you already have a friendship group from the

moment you move in, and of course heading across to the Flete only takes a matter

of minutes so you are right in the middle of things.

Facilities in the houses are similar to those in the Flete. There are kitchens and bath-

rooms in each and washing machines and tumble driers in one of them. The rooms

are of a more varying size here. Some of the

rooms, particularly those in 71, are utterly deca-

dent in size. Many of you that end up in

Longwall Annexe will most likely also find that

you get two rooms; a bedroom and a study.

Other rooms in the Houses you may be forgiv-

en for thinking may have previously been a cup-

board. It’s all part of the charm of living there

though as all the Houses have gorgeous charac-

ter and are, without a doubt, a lot prettier than

the Flete. They also have gardens or roof terrac-

es that are perfect for evening barbeques and

sunbathing in Trinity.

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What to bring (and what to leave behind)

One of the first things to remember is that you aren’t coming to the middle of nowhere, so put down the mini

fridge and step away from the kitchen sink. There are hundreds of places in Oxford that you can get things

from should you arrive and find you’ve forgotten any essentials – some of them are listed later on. Having

said that, it’s a good idea to try and remember to bring the following things with you to make life easier. This

is just a (non-exhaustive) list of things that you may want...

Your laptop/computer: This is an important one– tutors won’t be best pleased should you decide you

can’t do any work. Bring a charger and an Ethernet cable is always useful should the wifi decide it

doesn’t feel like working today. Insurance may also be a good idea in case of any accidents…

Stationary: Bring pens, pencils, rubbers, ruler, calculators if need be, folders and USB sticks. As later

discussed, there are more stationary shops in Oxford than is frankly necessary, so there are plenty of

places you can stock up here.

Clothes: Nudity is not wholly welcome. There’s tons of storage space in fresher accommodation so

don’t worry about that. Best advice is to bring as much as you can because doing laundry is expensive

and boring. The more socks and pants you bring the better!

Things to cook with/eat off: Hall is open for every meal, but everyone does do some cooking at some

point. The kitchens aren’t stocked with pots or pans, nor are there any plates/bowls/spatulas/knives etc.

Throughout the term you’ll find that most people leave bits in the kitchens and cookware becomes

quite communal, but I would certainly advise bringing your own stock of crockery and cooking equip-

ment with you.

Cups/mugs: Oxford students go through tea and coffee like it’s going out of fashion. I suspect there are

some rather serious underlying caffeine addiction issues.

Towels: Bring more than one to minimise laundry. Also bring tea towels/cloths to wash up with.

Toiletries: Particularly remember to bring a little medicine kit and to stock up on paracetamol. Fresh-

ers’ flu is indiscriminate. In addition, the College nurse is on site every weekday morning and can sup-

ply basic first aid supplies.

Small appliances: There are rules against bringing large appliances into your rooms but you are permit-

ted kettles. It’s up to you whether you’d like to bring toasters/toastie makers/grills etc, but if you do

then you’ll need to make sure you only use them in the kitchens.

Decorations: The rooms in college are honestly a little… bare It’s a good idea to personalise your room

to make it feel more homely and Magdalen are pretty good at letting people try their hand at interior

design, so bring pictures, posters, photos, throws, pillows etc and blue tack and drawing pins to put it

up with.

Extension leads: There are plugs dotted about the room, but leaving your bed is effort so you’ll want

everything within arm’s reach.

A Printer: There are several computer rooms in college so you don’t have to bring one, but you may

find that, just for ease, it’s better to have one in your room.

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What to bring (and what to leave behind)

Washing bag/basket/detergent: Each part of the accommodation has washing machines and tumble

dryers. To use them you’ll need to buy a laundry card from the porters’ lodge which you can then top

up throughout the year. You’ll need to bring your own detergent and washing baskets/bags are just

good for storing dirty clothes and carrying bits about. There are a couple of (fairly useless) irons and

ironing boards available.

Hangers: To hang things up.

Speakers: Necessary for any social gathering/pre-lash session.

Sports kit/equipment: An absolute essential! Getting involved in sport is a great way to meet people

from other colleges as well as keeping fit. Even if you haven’t played sports since you were made to run

gruelling laps or pant through beep tests in high school, come with a positive mental attitude and get

involved. It’s fun. Promise. Members of the university also get free membership at Iffley gym which is

complete with swimming pool.

Musical instruments: Again, even if it’s been donkey’s years since you’ve played why not rekindle that

spark of creativity? There’s loads of musical goings on within college to get involved in.

Food/drink: Don’t sweat too much about this. There is a Sainsbury’s local just underneath the

Waynflete so it’s very easy to stock up once you arrive. As it is a local though it tends to be more ex-

pensive, so if your parents are willing to buy in your first load of shopping then definitely maximise on

that.

A bike (+ lock, helmet and lights): Magdalen is pretty central being just at the end of the High Street,

but many of you may find that you have to get to tutorials at far away colleges or have lectures at your

departmental institutes across town, in which case a bike is definitely useful! There’s lots of space to

store bikes so, while they’re not essential, you may find it good to have one. There are also 5 college

bikes which you can rent out. Make sure you bring lights as the police have an annoying habit of stop-

ping cyclists without lights and fining them £35.

There are also just a few things you may want to leave behind:

A fridge…: There’s a mini fridge in each room and a larger communal fridge in the kitchens.

Bed linen: College provides duvets, sheets and pillow cases, as well as duvets and pillows. The beds are

changed and sheets washed once a week by the scouts. If you’d rather bring your own bed linen to per-

sonalise your room a little more then that’s fine, but the scouts won’t wash it. *NB Scouts are your best

friends in college. They do so much to keep your rooms and accommodation clean and fresh and are

wonderfully friendly.

Furniture: Each room has a bed, desk, fridge, wardrobe, more cupboards than you know what to do

with, chairs, coffee tables, lamps… honestly everything you need

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Subfusc

Sub fusc is almost the ‘Oxford uniform’. You wear it to matriculation, to University

exams (although not collections, the in-college exams you have at the start of each

term) and some University events. It makes you look (and feel) like an extra from

Harry Potter, transforms you into a tourist spectacle and is altogether a very stereotyp-

ical Oxford-y thing. Pictures in it will make your family coo with pride and your

friends howl with laughter.

So, what exactly does it comprise of?

A dark suit with a black skirt/trousers ,white blouse/shirt, white or black bow tie/

black ribbon, black tights/socks (expect to get a stern talking to if you don’t wear black

socks. It’s so not worth it, just remember!), black shoes, gown and mortar board

which you’ll spend nearly all your time carrying around. There’s also the option to

wear a soft academic cap instead of a mortar board if you’d rather, but most will have

the mortar board and they look better when you’re holding (strategically posing with)

them in photos which is essentially what you’ll spend all your subfusc-clad time doing.

Order your subfusc using the form in the pack you’ve been sent and it will be here

ready for you to collect on the first day of Freshers’ week (and you’ll also get a nice

little discount)!

Oh, and military dress or clerical dress may also be worn beneath the gown if any of

you just so happen to be a ranked member of the military or member of a holy order

– you know, as you do.

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Finance

In all honesty, Oxford isn’t the cheapest of university

towns in the UK. However, this is nothing to stress about

as there is support available and Magdalen is determined

to ensure that none of its students have to struggle finan-

cially whilst at Magdalen.

Unsurprisingly, you will find that budgeting helps. For

now, it may be a good idea to use the University’s indica-

tors of living costs to determine what costs you expect to

incur during the coming year. You can find this infor-

mation here. For Magdalen, your accommodation will

be £1,319.24 per term (2015-16 rates). This includes

utilities, weekly cleaning and provision of bedding.

You will also have to pay a catering charge of £223.25

per term (£150 of which is redeemable against meals in

Hall and the OKB). There is an alternative option availa-

ble with only a fixed and no redeemable element but few

undergraduates opt for this. New changes may be hap-

pening to how students pay for food in hall however, so

shoot us an email if you would like more information on

this.

When you first join, the College will also charge you a

deposit of £100, which you get back at the end of your

time at Magdalen (unless you tend to break a lot of

things).

All of the above will be charged to you through batells.

Normally these are payable on the Friday of 1st week of

the respective term; but please get in touch with the

Deans for an extension if you cannot pay them by that

date (e.g. if your student loan has not come in yet).

Add to the above further costs as indicated in the Uni-

versity’s tables and you will get a good idea of how much

money you will need in your first year.

Costs and Budgeting Sources of Funding

There are countless sources of funding provided by Oxford and

Magdalen, so don’t worry– you won’t have to resort to living off

just tins of Tesco’s own baked beans.

Student Loans: All ‘Home’ and EU students can apply for a tui-

tion fee loan. If you haven’t already, do this as soon as possible.

Otherwise, you may end up with the loan amount on your batells.

(Although, again, speak to the Deans should this happen - but it’s

much better if it doesn’t; so get on it now.) Those of you who are

‘Home’ students will also be eligible for living cost loans and may

be eligible for grants from the respective local funding agency.

You should now also be applying for those.

Oxford Bursary: There is very generous support available from

the University for ‘Home’ and EU students. In fact, it is the most

generous in the country! Check out the University’s website to see

if you are eligible. For both of the above, make sure you fill in

your income assessment form from your local funding agency

(and give your consent for the University to access it) so that they

and the University can check for your eligibility. This is very im-

portant!

Magdalen’s Student Support Fund (SSF): The SSF has been cre-

ated through the donations of alumni with the aim of helping

Magdalen students with the cost of living and studying at Oxford

during their course. If you have exhausted other ways of funding

your studies, you can apply to the fund at the beginning of each

term. The Deans send out an application form each term, and

interview eligible applicants. The awards range from £200 to

£2,000 per year.

Magdalen’s Hardship Fund: Should you be experiencing unfore-

seen or unexpected hardship, you can apply to College’s hardship

fund, which makes one-off grants. Application forms for this can

be found in Grammar Hall or see the Student Support Adminis-

trator.

Magdalen’s Travel/Research Grant : If you need to travel for your

degree or incur cost whilst researching, the College will assist you

by subsidising up to £1,050 over the course of your studies. Ap-

plication forms for this are also in Grammar Hall or contact the

Academic Administrator.

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Your JCR Committee

JCR President: Sam Sherburn

A Welcome to the JCR from Sam Sherburn, JCR President

First off, congratulations on getting your place at Magdalen!

I am Sam and I will be JCR President until the end of your first term at Magdalen (‘Michaelmas’). Here’s my attempt at explaining what the JCR is and what we do, and who I am and what I (try to) do.

Who or what is the JCR?

‘JCR’ stands for ‘Junior Common Room’; the term refers both to the actual common room in Cloisters IX and to the body of under-graduate students at Magdalen. Every undergraduate is automatical-ly a member of the JCR (and it’s free too!). The JCR’s activities are carried out by an elected committee.

There are four broad areas of what the JCR does, which will hope-fully convince that it is an institution that can help you make the most of your time here.

Representing undergraduate students both as a body (such

as in negotiations of rent, and in delivering feedback to the Col-

lege on the quality of teaching) and as individuals (such as stu-dents who are facing disciplinary measures);

Offering welfare support to undergraduates in the form of Welfare Reps for you to talk to (in confidence), free contracep-tives, and lovely welfare events;

Organising events and activities such as ‘Bops’ (college par-

ties— think school disco with booze), Sunday brunch (conveniently, the morning after the Bop before), yoga and self-defence classes, summer garden parties, charitable activities, and running a shop (with payments put on next term’s battels, so it’s a problem for future you) ;

Providing funding both for activities deemed beneficial to

undergrads in General Meetings (‘GMs’) and for creative and personal projects of individual members

What’s next?

Freshers’ Week, which your First Year

Rep, Liv, has planned very carefully, will get

you immediately involved with College life

and there will be plenty of opportunities for

you to get to know your peers both from

across all years. There are a variety of

events to pick from to suit different tastes –

so please take full advantage of the week! In

addition, watch out for emails from other

Committee members (introduced on the

following pages) and myself to keep up to

date with what the JCR is doing. Finally, you

are all very warmly invited to the first GM

of Michaelmas on Sunday of 1st week.

Apart from that, both Liv and I are incredibly excited to welcome you to Magdalen and we are both happy to help with any questions, no matter how big or small. You can most easily reach me via email at president@magdjcr.co.uk and I will try to get back to you within a couple of days. We’re also here for you for the rest of your time at Magdalen—please do stop me around college and say hi, and drop me a line if you want a chat. I can’t always promise a solution, but I can make a decent

cup of tea and provide a friendly ear.

Most importantly, enjoy what’s left of the summer before starting Oxford! Welcome to what I can say with some experi-ence will be the best years of your life (so far). I can’t wait to meet you when you arrive in October!

All the best, Sam

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Your JCR Committee

Vice-President: Jack Evans My name is Jack and I will be the JCR Vice President for your first term here.

The title sounds a bit fancy but in reality my job is mostly making sure that gen-

eral meetings happen every two weeks and that everyone gets a room for next

year (and I have to know a bit about the constitution and elections as well).

General Meetings (GMs) certainly don’t sound like the most exciting thing ever

but they are the lifeblood of the JCR. Most of the rest of what I do is up to me

and the boss, as the Vice-President has quite a flexible role. I also provide moral

support to my fellow officers when required, and I’m certainly always available

to members as well if you need a chat or have some concerns about the way

things are being conducted in the JCR (or you can drop me a line on vicepresi-

dent@magdjcr.co.uk). Remember, each and every talented one of you has very

much earned their place here and I really look meeting you and seeing what

you come up with as you make your way as a member of our community.

With greetings and best wishes, Jack

P.S. Don’t forget to come to the GM on Sunday

Treasurer: Eve Gregory

Hello, I’m Eve and as treasurer for the JCR I am responsible for

keeping track of the JCR's accounts, formulating a yearly budget ex-

penditure, and keeping all our payments in order. From a day to day

basis I have to pay for various events that happen in daily college

life, such as lighting for Bops in the Old Kitchen Bar, or newspapers

in the JCR. At Magdalen, we are lucky enough to have a reasonably

healthy income from college, which allows putting on some great

events for the benefit of the JCR, such as the Garden Party in Trinity

term. We have also recently bought a PS4 for our college JCR,

which is proving very popular at the moment! Being treasurer is a

great way to take on an important role for the JCR that requires a lot

of responsibility and organisation. Even greater than this is the op-

portunity to invest creatively and wisely to ensure the life of Magda-

len students is continually improving!

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Your JCR Committee

Secretary: Alastair Reith Being JCR Secretary consists of organising termly event details with college, dis-

patching weekly notices, and minuting JCR meetings. My predecessor in the

role, Emma, ran for election with the slogan "admin here, admin there, admin

everywhere" which just about sums up the job. JCR meetings are good fun and

a lot of casual banter is bandied about so you are not always furiously hunched

over a screen typing. All in all, a good exec position to have (and a CV boost if

nothing else).

Entz Team (The Fun One)

Tasked with the arduous job of making Magdalen students

have fun, the Entz team is undoubtedly the most important part

of the JCR committee. We are responsible for organising

Bops, themed formals, and lots of (typically alcohol-related)

events across the year. Bops are basically the worst/best parties

you’ll go to: imagine a really cringe school disco except with

huge quantities of alcohol and outrageous costumes - you get

the idea. Look out for the first bop on Saturday of Freshers’; it

will be the best part of the week (if you can remember it that

is). Oh, and you must be there on time.

The team:

Benn – Entz trustee; I’m responsible overall, so come shout at me if you want something changed (but not the music, S-Club 7 till I die xxx) or have any amazing theme ideas. We’ve proba-bly thought of them though.

Amanda – stupidly organised, indispensable, often confused with Liv Kinsey, don’t insult Leeds when she’s in earshot

Lily – the best sober dancer I’ve ever seen, don’t make her laugh – she doesn’t stop, proof that scientists can have fun

Rupert – great DJ, has decks but shouldn’t, when not at a bop can usually be found in Bully or cramming an essay

Caleb - ermm…

Like us on fb (Magdalen College Entz) cos we need the lurve,

see ya soon!

Entz love xoxo

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Your JCR Committee

Welfare Team (You’ll need them more than you think)

Hi, we’re Chiara, Beth and Toby and we’re the Welfare Team at

Magdalen. We’re responsible for organising weekly events that aim

to bring people from all years of Magdalen together, and provide the

opportunity to just have some time away from work with a mix of

different people, doing different activities. Some of the activities in-

clude baking, colouring socials, craft events and welfare pizzas.

There is also a weekly prize ballot in which 5 students at random are

selected and receive a prize.

Outside of organising activities the team also provide condoms, a

(free) cookie fairy service, and pregnancy tests, and reimbursements

for things like the morning after pill.

We’re also here for a chat or any questions you may have and we’re

more than happy to answer them if we can or point you in the right

direction.

Lots of love and welcome to Magdalen xo.

Charities Team Hi, we're James, Jennifer, and Tash and we're your Charities Reps! Our main job is to raise as

much money as possible for Magdalen's chosen charities. We also publicise volunteering opportu-

nities in the wider Oxford community. This year the JCR has elected to support Samaritans and

Save the Children. Look forward to our Valentines rose delivery service, Cake Sale, our Art Auc-

tion (where you can rent a Picasso for your room for the year), delicious Bonfire Night treats and

(cheeky) college stash.

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Your JCR Committee

LGBTQ+ Reps

Hello! We are Matt (they/them) and Chloe (she/her), and we are the

LGBTQ reps. We are both third years, studying physics and law, re-

spectively.

Our role as LGBTQ reps is to provide welfare support to all

LBGTQ members of the JCR and to educate all JCR members of

issues that affect the LGBTQ community. We feel that it is also im-

portant to foster an inclusive environment in the college for all

LGBTQ students and allies. To this end, we hold an informal drinks

event every Tuesday; this is a queer-friendly space for LGBTQ peo-

ple and friends to come and discuss issues, meet new people in col-

lege, and have a good time. We are also here to point you in the di-

rection of any LGBTQ events held by other colleges or the university

wide LGBTQ society including (but certainly not limited to!!): the

weekly university-wide LGBTQ drinks, queer study circle, trans wel-

fare events, nights out at Plush – the only gay (and the best) nightclub

in Oxford, and Queerfest – an annual garden party that celebrates

everything queer!

On a more serious note, we are here to look after LGBTQ welfare

and are happy to talk about any issues at any time; if we can’t be of

any help for a particular issue, then we probably know somebody

who can.

We look forward to meeting you all and can’t wait to start a new year

of fun LGBTQ activities – remember to look out for the LGBTQ

drinks in freshers’ week, as they are always good fun! If you have any

questions about anything LGBTQ related at Oxford, please feel free

to contact us through Facebook (search for Matthew Elliot and Chloe

Brant) or drop us an email:

matthew.elliot@magd.ox.ac.uk

chloe.brant@magd.ox.ac.uk

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Your JCR Committee

Independent Chair: Jasper Syms

I have two roles within the JCR. The routine one is chairing the fort-

nightly General Meetings of the JCR in the OKB, Jack Evans (Vice

Pres) will email you about those as they occur.

My other role is to receive any complaints you may have regarding the

governance or operation of the JCR, or if you feel you have been treat-

ed unfairly or wrongly by a JCR committee member. I will then seek to

resolve the complaint quickly and fairly.

Hello,

I'm the college tortoise. I wear a costume, eat some cabbage, spice

up your JCR life, post inspirational quotes on Facebook and race

other tortoises.

That is all.

Oscar D'Tortoise.

Oscar D’Tortoise

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Where to go in Oxford

If you go out of college and turn left and keep go-

ing past the glorious Flete and the roundabout

you’ll end up somewhere in Cowley. This is a great

place to find some absolute bargains with charity

shops galore and loads of kooky little cafes and res-

taurants. It’s a very artsy vibe.

If you go out of college and turn right you’ll find

yourself wandering up the High Street. It’s home

to slightly more upmarket shops. There’s a Crew,

LK Bennet, Jack Wills, Coast, Karen Millen etc.

Just off the High Street towards the centre of town

is the covered market which is especially wonderful

when the festive mood strikes in Michaelmas. It’s

bursting with lots of stalls covered in fresh produce

that is in fact surprisingly cheap, as well as wonder-

ful little cafes and the best cookie shop you will

EVER come across – it’s called Ben’s Cookies,

seek it out and you’ll be so happy you found it.

At the top of the High Street you’ll find yourself on

Cornmarket Street which is home to the standard

high street shops like River Island, HMV, Boots,

Topshop, Starbucks etc, as well as far more station-

ary shops than any town centre needs – Oxford is

the Mecca of office supplies. There are also lots of

buskers and street performers here which liven up

a shopping trip. Just off Cornmarket is the Claren-

don centre with more high street favourites inside

such as French Connection, Zara, Millie’s Cookies

and Ann Summers.

Shopping: Food:

For your fridge/cupboard: The obvious choice is of

course the Sainsbury’s local which is right under-

neath the Waynflete which most of you will barely

have to roll out of bed to find yourself inside. As this

is a local, however, the choice isn’t huge and it is

more expensive. For a cheaper alternative there’s a

Tesco in town which is easy to pop into on the way

back from lectures – it’s on Magdalen Street which

carries on from Cornmarket. There’s also another

Tesco in Cowley which is much less crowded and

not far to walk from college. Don’t forget the JCR

shop for those mid essay-crisis munchies!

For Lunch: There is of course always Hall and the

OKB but if you can afford it then I, like any other

Magdalenite, definitely recommend a trip to Olives

which is on the High Street opposite Exam Schools.

It’s an incredible little sandwich shop that does gor-

geous fresh baguettes and the best panini imagina-

ble. The queue often goes out the door and along

the High Street which shows just how good it is.

There’s also Taylors, a local chain dotted all over

Oxford. They give you a free cookie with a hot drink

after 2pm...

Waynesbury’s AKA your new

favourite place...

17

Where to go in Oxford

Food continued:

For Dinner: Most people have dinner in Hall but if

you feel like heading out of college there are more

restaurants than you can poke a stick at in Oxford.

Quod on the High Street (great cocktails as well as

food) Jamie’s Italian and Browns (opposite St John’s

College sometimes has a pianist – ooh err) are bril-

liant if you fancy treating yourself, or more likely if

your parents are paying. Atomic Burger in Cowley is

another Magdalen favourite. It has a cute little white

picket fence outside and an epic comic book theme.

George Street, which is left off Cornmarket, is a

street which quite literally contains nothing but res-

taurants, so if you’re ever in doubt, head there.

There are of course all the usual restaurant choices

like Pizza Express, Nandos, Yo Sushi, Pizza Hut etc

and the standard fast food chains (KFC, McDonalds,

Burger King …). To satisfy the insatiable grease crav-

ing after a night out there is also copious kebab vans.

Now – this is a very important message. Ahmed’s

BBQ BAR is the only place any self-respecting Mag-

dalen student would choose to frequent at such a

time. It’s just along from the Exam Schools on the

High Street, and quite frankly if you haven’t been

shown its delights by the end of Freshers’ Week by

your college parents you can rightly claim child

abuse. It’s a must.

Ahmed’s AKA the only place you want

to be at 2am after a night out

Drinks:

Pubs

There are hundreds. Your best bet is to head onto

the internet to get some comprehensive guides on

Oxford pub culture. Turf Tavern is an Oxford fa-

vourite with its excellent atmosphere and large beer

garden for sunny afternoons. For your standard

Wetherspoon’s there’s The Four Candles on George

Street and for your standard Beefeater there’s The

Mitre on the High Street. The Half Moon is super

close to the Waynflete, stays open pretty late and it’s

pleasantly quaint with its fairy lights and small rooms.

Bars

The good news is there are lots of cocktail bars that

do discounts! House does scrummy drinks and gives

a permanent happy hour to anyone with a union

card, and the Grand Café on the High Street also

does weeknight happy hours (and it’s rather nice in-

side so does make one feel rather posh). If you can

be bothered to trek over to Jericho then Angel’s and

Raoul’s (one of the top 50 bars on Earth according to

the Sunday Times) are also great. A new place has

also just opened up a 2 minute walk from the Flete

down Iffley Road called ‘Mad Hatters’. It’s an awe-

some little bar with an Alice in Wonderland theme

that serves drinks in top hats, suitcases, and jam jars.

Again, just get out and explore what Oxford has to

offer.

18

Going out in Oxford

Sunday: Sundays are usually pretty sleepy/ work-filled in Oxford as this is the start of the Oxford

week. Best sticking to local pubs/ the college bar on this day and save your energy for the rest of the

week. (See where to go in Oxford section for advice on these)

Monday: Monday’s are lacking a

little in momentum. If you’re des-

perate then you may want to head

over to the Brookes night at Bridge.

Beware… Monday Night Bridge

tends only to be for the brave-

hearted.

Tuesday: Tuesday is the night

for Lola’s known best for cheesy

music, cheesy dancing, cheesy PDAs

and being approximately 100 de-

grees Celsius. This combination still

manage to make it a brilliant night

out.

Wednesday: Shuffle currently runs ‘FUBAR’ at Park End, Oxford’s biggest nightclub and

promoted as the only ‘superclub’ in the area. Park End has three floors, each with a different musical

theme. The upper levels consist of the RnB floor and the Electro floor. While upstairs also has the

attraction of a bar between the two main dance floors, the purpose of which is entirely unclear, the

real unique selling point of Park End is undoubtedly the Cheese Floor. Dominating the entirety of

the floor below, the Cheese floor plays the most embarrassing tunes of the 80s, 90s and early 2000s

(expect Bonnie Tyler, S Club 7, the Pokémon theme tune and similar classics), and the effect is

hugely enjoyable. Cheese floor euphoria ensures a large Magdalen attendance virtually every week,

and even those who rarely go out swear by Park End. Embrace the cheese!

Thursday: The BIG one. Bridge. Often marketed as nothing but a ‘glorified smoking area’,

Bridge’s regulars know that it is so much more than that. Spreading itself across two floors, it’s often

difficult to move from one side to the other without having to stop around 10 times because of bump-

ing into somebody you know. Yes it may be dirty, play the same music every week and have extor-

tionately-priced drinks, but it is a must for all Oxford students. And if you’re lucky your deadlines

might even fall so you don’t have to get up at 6am the next day to finish your tute work for it.

19

Going out in Oxford

Friday: With the midweek madness over, Friday tends to be the last opportunity before it becomes

both increasingly difficult to convince people to come out and near impossible to find Oxford Uni

events to attend. The Shuffle night on offer is at Wahoo, a divisive venue with extremely cheap deals

and ‘Oxford’s biggest Dance Floor’. Sadly the latter attraction can sometimes prove difficult to fill,

which can be a major disadvantage, although at capacity Wahoo, whilst grimy, provides a similarly

decadent experience to Thursday Bridge.

Saturday: By this point the week has ground to a halt and the tendency on Saturday is to drink

and socialise within college rather than in Oxford. Saturday is the regular night for college bops (see

Jargon Buster) which are a great opportunity to stay in college and party with your friends not too far

from home. We even now have our own resident photographer!

Other Places to Go

Other Clubs that guarantee a good night in Oxford are Emporium, Cellar and the Bullingdon (all very

different vibes…). Watch out for special nights that are put on such as Disco Stu’s or Itchy Feet. Pro-

vider of endless banging tunes or ‘80s classics, you’re never short of somewhere to go or something to

do if you need to celebrate the end of your essay-crisis…

Oxford is one of the most buzzing little cities in the UK in terms of recreational activities. Besides club-

bing, pubbing and bars, there are cinemas, awesome restaurants (some more offthe-wall than others—

seriously try Atomic Burger on Cowley Road), Oxford’s very own G & D’s ice-cream parlour open

until midnight every night, the O2 academy Oxford that houses countless live band performances,

The Oxford Playhouse Theatre (which is a hub for student, amateur and pro productions), the Ash-

molean Museum (their late night exhibitions are fab), the Town Hall often puts on some awesome

events (the annual Vintage Fashion Fair is something to see), numerous student-run comedy/music

nights, céilidhs and various other dancing events... And lots, lots more! Phew!

20

Subject Guides A-Z

Archaeology and Anthropology:

During Freshers’ week I had to explain what ‘Archaeology and Anthropology’ meant more times than I’d care to

admit. The first few times I was asked this I responded with the rather snappy ‘I study the entire history of hu-

mankind from the beginning to the present day’ and almost immediately had to follow it up with a quick ‘no, I

don’t dig up dinosaurs’. By the end of the week ‘yes, I am studying to be the next Indiana Jones’ was sufficient.

In your first year at Magdalen you will study topics which will allow you to support such a claim including the

beginning of man, the way in which gender is perceived and how best the life history of a pot might be con-

structed. The lecturers cannot help but instil you with a further love of your discipline and the tutorials will

serve to question everything you ever thought you knew, about – well – everything. The practical labs offered

in Hilary demonstrate the way in which A&A can be applied on a scientific level, if that takes your fancy. Your

year will conclude with a 2 week excavation in Dorchester, and at some point in the summer you will be re-

quired to participate in 3 weeks of further fieldwork. If that doesn’t leave you feeling like Indiana Jones, then

nothing will. So prepare to brush off your whip and don your fedora, you’ll need them.

Biochemistry:

Hello and welcome to Biochemistry at Magdalen. Many congratulations on achieving your place and for picking

such a great subject and college.

We are the second year biochemists. There are four of us: Charlie (lover of horses and amino acids), Amber

(peanut butter, coffee, G&T), Monarch (legendary assassin), Lily (crazy laugh). This is a relatively small intake

compared to other subjects which is a real advantage as it means that we can all work together. This is probably

the most important thing- it is not good to be in an atmosphere where you are constantly competing with each

other.

Biochemistry is great- you get a lot of contact hours and it is run departmentally for the most part. There are five

main modules in the first year course: Molecular Cell Biology, Maths and Statistics, Biological Chemistry, Bio-

physical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. You will have lectures every morning (usually from 9-12), classes

(you will do a problem sheet in advance of these and go through it in the class), workshops (where you work

through problems), tutorials (in college with your tutor) and labs (on Friday afternoons). Rob is our main tutor

(you will have been interviewed by him), and he is the loveliest man so do not worry about tutorials. He will set

you an essay a week in advance and you will chat about the essay subject in your tutorial.

The work load may seem daunting at first, but don’t worry because you will soon get into the swing of things.

You don’t need to do any work over summer- it is not necessary because you will start everything from the begin-

ning in October.

Please do not hesitate to contact any of us with regard to what to bring, what to expect when you get here, where

you will be living, what oxford is like (societies etc): anything

you have any questions about. When you get your first essay

(probably set in Fresher’s week), just drop any of us a mes-

sage and we’ll take you to the library to show you which text-

books you need and point you in the right direction on how

to write an essay for Rob.

Please please feel free to Facebook message us !

We’re excited to have you here and can’t wait to meet you!

Congratulations again xxxxx

21

Subject Guides A-Z

Biology:

Biology places itself in a unique position when it comes to the courses at Magdalen. As

a science, you are given labs on average twice a week, as well as a bunch of lectures each

day. However, you’ll never see a problem sheet (which is a good thing). Instead, an es-

say once a week is more likely. From college, the department building is a 10-minute

walk, quicker than a 5-minute bike ride, which is very manageable when compared to

some further colleges such as Christ Church (though it won’t make you feel any better

on those freezing 9ams at the start of December).

For any of the incoming budding naturalists, Magdalen provides some of the best op-

portunities to get close to nature. The deer park is the most obvious example; but

c’mon, it’s a bloody herd of deer, it’s worth bragging about. However, Addison’s walk is

home to a much wider variety of animals, meaning that you’ll be the envy of your

coursemates.

There’s no point in covering it up, you’ve picked a good subject. The tutors are laid

back and if you’re organised more often than not you’ll find yourself work free while

some of your comrades on the other courses are pulling all nighters in the library. This

means that there is a large amount of time participate in university activities outside of

your course, a fact that many of the biologists have exploited to almost excessive levels.

Having the support of two primary tutors means that you will get easy access to expertise

that spans many of the courses topics, meaning that there will very rarely be a problem

that cannot be solved with a quick email.

Biology is surely one of the most enjoyable subjects at the university, and Magdalen is

surely one of the best colleges to study it. Enjoy your time here!

22

Subject Guides A-Z

Biomedical Sciences:

Congratulations! You are joining one of the most exclusive courses at Oxford! But seri-

ously, with only around 30 biomeds in each year across the university, and 2 biomeds in

each year at Magdalen, you will get to know everyone on your course really well. You

will spend around 18 hours a week in lectures, maths classes and practicals with your

course mates. Practicals can be everything from looking at slides in histology, to

studying organ systems in the dissection room, and will support the content you

are learning in your lectures. You will have lectures in three threads (each separat-

ed again in three): cells, molecules and genes; body, brain and behaviour; and

maths, chemistry and physics. This means that you get to cover lots of topic areas,

so there should always be something that interests you. Even if you think now that

you want to eventually specialise in neuroscience, you may discover that pharma-

cology interests you the most (but we can probably leave that to the biochemists).

You will also have around 12 tutorials each term, supporting and expanding on the

lecture material, with one or two each week (although you may end up with

more!). You are usually required to write an essay prior to each tutorial, but may

also have to write some short note questions. Whilst doing work for tutorials can

take a long time, you will get to know your essay topic really well, and over time

you get much faster at writing essays. You will get to meet all your tutors at Magda-

len in your first week, but don’t worry, they are all lovely. In first year, you will

have Lucy Bowes as your personal tutor. She is wonderful, and will help with what-

ever academic issues you have, as well as providing any emotional support if need-

ed.

It may all seem a bit daunting now, but I can promise you that you will have a wonderful

time!

Biomed love – Issy xx

Chemistry:

Dear Chemists-To-Be, Heartfelt congratulations! You are about to embark on four years of

craziness, indescribable amusement - and of course perseverance and hard work. As sec-

ond year chemists, we can't promise that the course is easy - far from it - but we know that it

is rewarding.

Arrange your fun around this timetable (which of course is very exciting in its own right...); get

out there and experience some of the things that make Oxford truly unique (experiment

with rowing, go punting, eat at the Alternative Tuck Shop on lab days and book in to For-

mal Hall at Magdalen! Amongst many other experiences.) Lots of love, The Second Years

23

Subject Guides A-Z

Classics:

Salvete! First, congratulations on your wisdom in having chosen not only

Oxford’s finest course, but also her greatest college, in a combination

which has proved itself potent both in college life and in the Norrington

table. The classicists here, both tutors and undergraduates, are lovely,

and the relationship between the two is much less awkward than you may

have found it at that most difficult ordeal of the admissions pro-

cess - the interview ‘party’. To give you a flavour of college life,

one of my tutors suggested that I develop a footnote comparing

the narrative functions of Helen and R2-D2, a portrait of anoth-

er is one of the most prized items in the college art collection,

and I once found myself, on a pre-tutorial tea run, discussing

with a third the behaviour of childless king penguins. The stu-

dents here are all great people, and will do everything they can

to make you feel welcome. A particular highlight of the Michael-

mas term is the classics Christmas dinner, home to sconces of an

unparallelled wit and sophistication. Whether you’re rendering

Milton into Latin verse, writing an essay in Greek about the mis-

ery presumably felt by all the students at New College, or buying

your tutor chicken and chips from Ahmed’s (an establishment

of which you will become a regular patron) after a trip to the

pub, I’m sure that you’ll enjoy your time here, and I look for-

ward to welcoming you in October for a #classic time.

Lots of love, Tim.

Computer Science:

Hello and welcome to the CompSci community! Congratulations on making your offer!

Computer Scientists enjoy the most pleasant Fresher’s Week possible. With no work

to do (unlike Arts students) you have time to find out all that Oxford has to offer.

There will be a few official events with the tutors but I guarantee you, you will definitely

enjoy them. We are happy to have the most awesome tutor there is. If you are lucky

and it’s not raining, your first meeting with the CompSci tutor will take place while

walking on Addison’s Walk. When you have free time on your hands make sure and

join some of the most wonderful societies Oxford has. There will also be work, lec-

tures, practicals and tutorials as well, but even then you will be having a lot of fun.

There will be coding, creating mazes, fun stories from the tutors (if there is still time in

your tutorials left) and not to forget the last lecture on a subject, which might end with

donuts (you did not hear that from me). Welcome to the best years of your life in the

best place in the world. Looking forward to meeting you in 0th week!

24

Subject Guides A-Z

Engineering:

Engineering for Beginners. The thing we can tell you with the greatest sincerity is that Engineering

Science is really fun. You’ve all probably grown up thinking that it’s one of the hardest degrees out

there, and don’t get us wrong, it is very hard, but the fact that it’s so enjoyable makes it all worth it.

No doubt, there are going to be moments in the year, where you’ll be sat in the lecture theatre think-

ing, “Am I even in right room?” but there will also be moments where you’ll think to yourself that

accepting that offer was the best decision of your life. The community is excellent, and includes such

infamous social events as engineering curry (which you’re bound to find out about when you get

here). In your first year alone you’ll encounter crazy things like, building your own bridge, program-

ing the Saturn V to go to the moon, building a radio which you can choose your own radio for and

drawing a complex gear system on Solid Works. These are all in labs and are a tough start to a Mon-

day morning but extremely rewarding when you get to the end product. The skills you learn in your

first year are going to be used for the rest of your years so you get a good array of different things to

do throughout your year.

English:

English Welcome to Magdalen, English Freshers of the future! Firstly congratulations, getting here is a

huge achievement. Obviously, you are so lucky to be coming to Magd, the premier Oxford college

with our incredible tutors, deer park, and the spirit of Oscar Wilde which inspires us all. But always

remember that we’re also lucky to have you! Starting at Oxford can feel quite daunting and you may

be worried that everyone else has read much more than you or because of rumours about pressured

tutorials and deadlines; but DO NOT PANIC. All of you deserve to be here because you are articu-

late, talented and passionate about English; you are in safe hands with our tutors and they have made

the right decision with you. For now, have an amazing summer, and try to channel any anxiety or

(preferably) excitement you have into reading to prepare for next term. I would suggest focussing on

trying to find texts and ideas you find thought-provoking or even problematic about the period – tu-

tors are always keen to give you help following up random ideas and things you’re interested in.

To give you an idea of teaching structure: in our first term we had one Victorian essay a week, which was

followed up in a tutorial, but these can go off in all sorts of interesting directions too. We also had a

language seminar, an Old English lesson every week

with all the English Freshers and an Old English es-

say for a tutorial with a partner every two weeks.

Lectures are in the English Faculty building and Ex-

am Schools, both of which are ridiculously close but

most lectures are optional and it’s a good idea to find

a few you like early on a stick with those. Good luck

with the reading over Summer and we’ll see you next

term!

25

Subject Guides A-Z

History:

History at Magdalen is tough, but rewarding. Books will be-

come your best friends, and your worst enemies. You’ll

quickly learn where and when you like to read, be it under

the oppressive atmosphere of the Gladstone link at 9am, or

laying on your bedroom floor with the radio on and a pot

of tea at midnight; it really is a case of each to their own.

One key benefit of being a history student is the severe lack

of contact time, which means that unlike many students,

historians have the luxury of being able to structure their

day however they like, and we are often found sat reading

in bed at midday, after our scientist friends return from lec-

tures and labs for a lunch break. History is massively flexi-

ble, but you will eventually find your routine. You’ll discov-

er that different tutors want different things from you, some

will want perfect Harvard referencing, some won’t mind if

your essay is written on pink note paper and in glitter gel-

pen, so long as the content is good. Expect disagreement

between tutors on the subject matter and presentation,

they’re academics after all! The name of the game is adap-

tation. Pay attention to feedback,

embrace the debate, and take ad-

vantage of the lie-ins…

See you in October!

Love,

The Historians

26

Subject Guides A-Z

History and Politics:

A joint degree is great in lots of ways; you get double the amount of socials, double the

amount of people to work with and there’s loads of choice to vary your course according to

what you’re interested in, especially in 2nd and 3rd years. The workload is the same as that

of a history student with one and half modules taken in both Michaelmas and Hilary term

and then one module in Trinity term, with 4 prelims exams at

the end of the year. With that in mind, you can also indulge in

some stereotypical Historian behaviour; unlike our unfortunate

scientist friends, who regularly have 9am lectures, you will have

the luxury to create your own routine, and tutors are none the

wiser if that includes seven lie-ins a week…

It isn’t easy doing two subjects as, although there are related

concepts and topics, the essay approach and style required is

quite different, so you need to adapt to the different subject de-

mands. You are more independent as a HistPol student, as it’s

quite a small course and combines two of the biggest depart-

ments, but the tutors are very understanding and do their best

to help you across both disciplines.

Human Sciences:

Hi, welcome to Magdalen! As an incoming humsci you probably won’t know everything you’re going

to be studying but don’t worry, everyone is in the position and you’ll find out in good time. But fear

not as the humsci community is very small, tight, friendly and always ready to help and you will be

guaranteed to have more out of college friends than any other people in different subjects have. Also,

since it is near impossible to have past experience in all the subjects, there is no discrimination over

things you have not learnt yet and everything is taught from the beginning.

Our director of studies is called Laura Fortunato who keeps an eye on how you’re doing and is al-

ways there to help you do the best you can. As the course is incredibly broad, we have tutors all over

the uni allowing you to get to see much more outside college than other people will ever see. Also,

the workload is not to be underestimated but don’t stress about it as every essay is so interesting in

their own way that you don’t really mind in the end! The content of the course ranges from the phys-

iology and genetics to migration and social anthropology and it will be guaranteed that you will study

all these subjects at the same time (don’t worry, there’s also a good measure of stats to cleanse the

The one thing you will definitely experience is people not knowing what human sciences is but you

just have to remind them that it is the best subject they’ve never heard of.

27

Subject Guides A-Z

Law:

Congratulations for being accepted onto one of the most prestigious courses in Oxford. Law

is one of the most challenging subjects here at Oxford, but we still manage to have a lot of

fun. In your first term you’ll study 1.5 subjects, which will most likely be Constitutional Law

and Criminal Law.

You’ll have a tutorial every week for one of the subjects and a tutorial every two weeks for

your other subject. For each tutorial you’ll have an essay or problem question to prepare.

These are usually around 1500-2500 words. However, all work and no play makes lawyers a

dull bunch, so as well as studying we also have numerous Atkin Society events, which is the

college’s Law Society. These are great opportunities to get to know your fellow lawyers of

Magdalen and network with the law firms, which are often generous enough to sponsor these

events.

Maths:

Firstly, congratulations on receiving your offer. All of Magdalen’s mathematicians, cannot wait

to meet you after the summer.

You may find that university mathematics is quite different to what you did at school. Empha-

sis is placed firmly on generalisation and rigor; you definitely won’t have much need for a cal-

culator! Time management is vital to success in the mathematics course. You will have about

five problem sheets to complete, approximately 10 lectures to attend, as well as a few tutorials

every week. This might come as a shock to you but don’t worry, you’ll quickly adjust to this

new way of learning. Your lectures will take place in the Mathematical Institute, which, rather

annoyingly, is quite a way from Magdalen so bring a bike if you don’t like walking! If you’re

wondering what you can do in the meantime, I would recommend you work your way

through the summer problem sheets, especially the more challenging later sheets; don’t leave

them until the week before you arrive! You could take a look online at the lecture notes for

one of your courses: An Introduction to University Mathematics which covers many of the

new concepts that you will be learning in your first few weeks. Although this is by no means

necessary, it will certainly make your first term easier.

Can’t wait to meet you!

28

Subject Guides A-Z

Medicine:

First off, congratulations on getting a place at what is undoubtedly the best college in

Oxford. Medicine here is good fun…as well as really hard work. There will be

times when it gets to 3am and you decide that half an essay is good enough, when

you walk out of lectures having taken in little more than the title, when you sponta-

neously fall asleep and wake up even more tired, when you can’t bring yourself to be

sociable and just want to sleep, when you ponder deep questions of life - and you

might even consider throwing in the proverbial towel, and looking around for a de-

gree that isn’t so stupidly hard. But don’t give up just yet: as soon as you become a

medic, you become part of a close-knit community. We’re all in it together, and

there is a strong tradition – especially within Magdalen – that the medics who have

been through it all before will be there to help for the medics in the years below.

We have our own society, of which you will all become members as soon as you ar-

rive. The Sherrington Society host some fascinating talks, as well as alcohol-infused

dinners, and cake-filled welfare teas, to help get you through! Another perk of being

a medic is that you get to make friends at other colleges more easily, as you mix a lot

between classes and labs. I have barely been on a night out in Oxford where I have

not come across a fellow medic at some point. Despite the intense workload, doing

medicine can and should be a lot of fun. There are some fabulous socials, hilarious

lecturers and wonderful people (including us)! Looking forward to meeting you all

in October – any questions, please get in touch with any of us over Facebook. It may

help to know a little of what is going on before the madness of Freshers’ Week de-

scends!

29

Subject Guides A-Z Music

As a music student, you can enjoy having one of the most diverse and rewarding arts degrees Oxford has to

offer. Straight off the bat in first year, you have plenty of choice as to modules and exam options which a lot

of courses don’t get! Whether you love performing music, writing music, thinking about music analytically or

historically, you can pursue what really interests you. There aren’t a horrible amount of lectures and a lot of

them are surprisingly good in your first term anyway (the hip hop ones are especially fun – imagine walking

into a lecture hall to rap! This happens). You can expect at least a couple of essays and harmony work every

week, but the workload is usually manageable (although you’ll get the odd manic few days – if we’re being

honest…) and often dies down significantly after the first 5 or 6 weeks of term anyway. If you want to get in-

volved in music, there are tons of opportunities to do so. There are lots of groups ranging from the un-

auditioned choruses to the competitive and time consuming but incredibly rewarding semi-professional

groups like Out of the Blue, the Gargoyles and Schola Cantorum. Oxford is really a hugely musical place and

you can do as much or as little as you’d like.

Philosophy and Languages

Philosophy and Modern Languages is a pretty niche degree and all the better for it! You mix with PPEists

and linguists but then you are also quite unique in the fact that there are only 16 of you in your year across

the entire university!

In terms of teaching, the two parts of the degree are completely separate, but you'll find that they actually

complement each other in a lot of ways. On the philosophy side, you'll do logic, general, and ethics. On

the languages side, you'll do translation, literature, and a bit of grammar. I'd never done philosophy before

uni, so I was definitely a bit overwhelmed by it at the start, but now it feels really natural to me and I can't

imagine not having done it! Not only has it opened my mind and changed the way I think, it's also really

improved both the content and the structure of my literature essays.

At the end of the year, you'll have two 3-hour philosophy exams and four 3-hour exams for your language

choice (Spanish in my case). It might seem daunting but all the work that you do throughout the year will

prepare you quite well, and if you read most of the primary texts before the terms start, you should be fine!

Physics:

Congratulations on having met your offer to read Physics and welcome to Magdalen College! You have

undoubtedly chosen one of the most exciting courses to follow at Oxford; the range of topics that you

study in the first year alone is a strong testament to the prior statement.

Every week, you will have several lectures, whose content will concern areas such as Classical Mechanics,

Linear Algebra and Special Relativity, the earliest of which start at 9am (!). I strongly recommend going

to them, even in spite of what your friends studying other subjects at Oxford may say in regard to regular-

ly attending lectures (as you will find out)! You will also have three to four problem sheets to do a week

with tutorials given for each, and one day of labs. Tutorials are fantastic for making progress in your stud-

ies and the tutors themselves at Magdalen are among the world’s best in their respective fields of re-

search, meaning that you will actually be receiving your education from the best of the best.

30

Subject Guides A-Z PPE:

Welcome to PPE!

Have you seen House of Cards? Or The Thick of It? Don't worry it's

nothing like that. Studying PPE allows you to immerse yourself in 3 in-

credibly interesting (if a little intense) subjects that challenge you to think

for yourself and enhance your understanding of the world you live in.

You study 2 out of the 3 subjects each term:

- Michaelmas; philosophy (moral and logic) and economics (micro)

- Hilary; philosophy (general) and politics (both theory and practice)

- Trinity; economics (macro) and politics (both theory and practice)

You will usually have either an essay or a problem sheet per subject per

week with a tute in both subject every week as well. Alongside these are

usually between 8 and 12 hours of lectures in your first 2 terms.

We can't lie to you- PPE can be tough! But it can also be incredibly re-

warding, and if you work together with your fellow PPEists then it be-

comes a great deal more manageable.

Don't stress yourself about the reading list over summer- just get to grips

with the basics of your course and look at whatever else interests you!

We can't wait to meet you

in October and welcome

you to Magdalen life,

Lots of love,

Magdalen First Year

PPEists

(Liv, Lea, Ellen, James, Ol-

lie, Kyle, Julian, John, and

Peter)

31

Clubs and Societies

Badminton:

Badminton Club happens once a week, and is

open to players of all abilities, whether you

want to play for the college, or just have fun!

Dance:

This is a shout out to everyone who loves to dance. I’m the president of the Dance Society here at Oxford

University and I wanted to say a huge congratulations for getting in, you should be really proud of yourselves.

If you’re a dancer yourself, or even just enjoy knocking out a few moves when you go out, the Dance Society

is for you. We offer many classes of different dance styles, from the more traditional disciplines like ballet,

jazz and contemporary, to the more ‘exotic’ and free styles of dance, like belly dancing, break-dancing and

hip hop. The classes are adapted to suit your level, whether you’re a ‘newbee’ or whether you’ve been danc-

ing for years. You may be looking to be stretched or to simply have fun, and both of these things are possible.

The teachers make the classes really interactive and always welcome requests and suggestions from those who

attend the classes as to what aspects of the class they are enjoying and what else they would be interested in

learning.

Another great thing about the classes here at the Oxford Dance Society is that they are heavily subsidised. If

you decide to become a member of the society, the average price of a class (1 hour) is £4. Some classes cost

even less! Also, these classes should not be too demanding to go to during your studies, as they are ‘drop-in’

classes. This means that when you feel like you don’t have the time to come. All classes can be attended by

anyone and payment is made on arrival. Dancing is a great way to keep fit, meet lots of people from other

colleges and also take your mind of studying for a while and just relax and have a good time. There are no

criteria you have to fill to be part of this society, so all of you are invited to come along and enjoy yourselves!

Football:

At Magdalen we have two football teams which play matches once every week in Michaelmas and

Hilary. Last season, our First team came 3rd in the JCR Second Division while our Seconds gained

promotion from the Reserves Fourth Division. Highlights of the season include reaching the Sec-

onds’ Cuppers Semi-Final and a tour to Cambridge where we went undefeated and proudly lifted the

Kinnersley Cup. This season, we hope to build on last year’s success and, for that to happen, we’re

relying on new recruits from your year to replace those who’ve left for pastures new. Most of all,

however, we want playing for Magdalen to be just as enjoyable as it was last seasons, and so regardless

of your footballing ability, please come to training in 0th week; Seconds football is a good laugh (the

lack of a referee in Seconds matches speaks volumes). The 0th week session isn’t a trial, we’ll just do

a little bit of training and see how the numbers are looking. On the social side, college football is a

nice way to meet people in your own year whilst also mixing with the older lot. We head to the pub

after most matches, extending the break from work which playing football offers! Hope to see some

of you in 0th week.

32

Clubs and Societies

Netball: Netball at Magdalen is widely considered one of the most fun sports

clubs in college, and we’re not half bad either. Each year has shown

continual improvement and increase in numbers, with 2015/16 almost

being the year to lift us into the next division. We’re all about team

spirit, and even a bad loss can be laughed about. We love crewdates,

and initiations is always the highlight of the year (never anything mean I

promise). Everyone of all abilities is welcome (boys too!), whether

you’ve played for a regional team, or haven’t touched a netball since

you were thirteen, you will find a pace to suit you.

Admittedly not the hardest of sports, netball attracts

lots of people who want a fun, light workout every

week with their friends, so whatever you’re looking

for in Magdalen sports, netball is probably it.

Netball love

Rachel

MCNC Captain 15/16

At university, to play most sports you often need

some sort of prerequisite skill; but this is one of the

few sports where enthusiasm is all that is required.

Ever fancied learning to ice skate better, or are you

already a secret pro looking for an excuse to practise,

or have you ever wished to become one of those su-

per cool looking ice hockey players? Even if you've

answered no to all these questions you should totally

come along to Alternative Ice Hockey - a non-contact

version of ice hockey. Most people starting with us

have no previous experience of ice hockey or ice

skating. The quality of play is usually pretty low and

at the end of the day we’re all there for a good laugh

with friends as much as anything. Sessions are twice a week and played

at around midnight, a perfect way to finish off an action packed Oxford

day!

Ice Hockey:

33

Clubs and Societies

Lawn Tennis Club:

College tennis is a joy at Magdalen, thanks to our brilliant facilities in the ‘Bear Pit’, the college sports

grounds. We’re blessed with 3 hard courts which can be used all year round as well as some beauti-

ful grass courts which can be played on in Trinity term. Anyone who fancies a knock-around can use

the courts, and we keep plenty of rackets and balls in the sports cupboard – just ask the porters for

the keys. College tennis begins in earnest in Trinity, where we enter teams into both singles and dou-

bles games with other colleges. The games have a really relaxed and welcoming vibe, and are open to

players of all abilities. Additionally, this summer we ran coaching sessions from some of the blues

players every week, which we hope to continue next year - a great opportunity to develop your skills

in a friendly setting.

James Riding

Captain, MCLTC

Pool

Magdalen is lucky enough to have one of the most highly functioning, free pool tables in the

whole of Oxford and has one of the most highly functioning teams to boot. We currently

have two teams that compete against other colleges, and one is in the first division of the

league. We encourage anyone with an enthusiasm for learning the game to make yourselves

known to us regardless of experience. It’s a fun, low-commitment sport that enables you to

check out the bars of other colleges in a relaxed, friendly environment. If you're interested or

would like more information find us at the fresher's fair!

34

Clubs and Societies

Rugby:

Magdalen Rugby is buzzing. Although a relatively poor set of re-

sults two years ago left us lingering at the bottom of the pile

(division 5 of 5) at the start of the last academic year, the tides

have well and truly turned. 2015-6 was a great year for the Magda-

len team, going undefeated in the league during Michaelmas (with

our narrowest margin of victory being well over 30 points), and

securing promotion into division 4, before doing exactly the same

thing in Hilary and therefore booking our spot in division 3 for

Michaelmas 2016.

Some of the many memorable highlights of 2015-6 included beat-

ing a big, experienced Worcester side in cuppers, turning the new

JCR catering rep into what can only be described as a wrecking

ball, and crushing Magdalene College Cambridge 42-0 in front of

a crowd of over 100.

The social side of the team is also great, and with two social secre-

taries this year, crew dates are likely to be both fun and frequent.

There’s also the sports formal and the end of season dinner

which are events to look forward to at the end of Hilary.

The core group of players from last year remains, but we need

you, freshers, to bolster our team and help us continue our march

through the ranks, with division 1 a potential goal for the end of

2016-7. It doesn’t matter whether you’re big or small, or whether

you’re experienced or a beginner, everyone can contribute some-

thing to Magdalen Rugby.

If you have any questions you want answered before the start of

the year, feel free to drop me an email at jo-

seph.cullen@magd.ox.ac.uk

35

Clubs and Societies Rowing:

No matter how experienced you are– whether you’ve never seen a river in your life or you spend 24

hours a day in a unisuit– rowing could be the sport for you! Yes there are some early mornings

(half 5 alarm anyone?) and yes it can sometimes be painful, but rowing will sculpt your Oxford life

for the better and give you experiences you could only dream of. Michaelmas term involves a crash

course to racing, all leading up to Christ Church Regatta in 7th week while the highlights of Hilary

and Trinity term are Torpids and Summer VIIIs respectively. But rowing isn’t just about the train-

ing (no matter how fun and rewarding this can be), you can also expect intense initiations (although

nothing too brutal, trust us), hilariously themed Captain’s Cocktails, crew dates a plenty, trips away

on training camps, and an awe-inducing amount of Pimms. Rowers of the first boats also get blaz-

ers, red bow-ties, and lily necklaces while the second boats get lily bracelets and black bow-ties.

Look out for our taster BBQ in freshers’ week and don’t forget to sign up– it really won’t be some-

thing you regret.

Before then, if you have an questions, queries, or you just want to make yourself known then don’t

hesitate to contact:

Captain of the Boats– Kelly Hazeja-

ger

Women’s Captain– Liv Kinsey

Men’s Captain– Will Nelson

See you in October!

36

Clubs and Societies University is an amazing experience, and it’s during the few years you spend in Oxford

that a lot of people establish their own identity and decide for themselves what they

really believe. The Christian Union at Magdalen is an active, friendly, close-knit com-

munity who are committed to supporting each other as we journey through Christian

life in college. We’re associated with OICCU (Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Un-

ion) and most of us go to central CU meetings in Oxford every other week. Aside

from that, we meet in college every Wednesday evening to talk, get to know each oth-

er, and study the Bible. Christians and non-Christians alike are always incredibly wel-

come – we can learn a lot from each other! We’d absolutely love you to get involved,

whether you’re a Christian, a non-Christian, or you’re not sure yet. We’re going away

as a group the week before Freshers’ Week, and it would be lovely if you could come

along so we could get to know you – if you can’t make it, I look forward to meeting

you at the start of term! There are so many churches around Oxford, and we’d be de-

lighted to help you find the right one for you. Please email me if you’d like to come

away with us or you think you’d like to be involved in the CU and I’ll look out for you

when you arrive: my email address is eleanor.hogg@magd.ox.ac.uk.

Love,

Christian

Union:

Magdalen Wine

Society:

The largest society at Magdalen, the Wine Society puts on a variety of

tastings and other events (including our summer picnic) throughout

the year. If you are interested in finding out more about (good) wine,

the Wine Society is a fun and unpretentious way to do this. You can

either become a member for the year, or pay to attend individual tast-

ings. And don’t worry, you don’t need to know anything about wine to

start coming.

Presidents: George Christofi and George Morgan.

Stokesley:

The Stokesley society preserves the time honoured Oxford tradition of informal discussion and ex-

change of ideas over lunch each week. Anyone is welcome to present their topic for discussion to the

group and deliver a short presentation, arguing their point and raising questions for the society to de-

liberate over. Stokesley society provides an opportunity for people of a wide range of subjects to ex-

change ideas and opinions on all manner of topics ranging from the EU referendum to the impact of

classical sculpture on modern asethetic taste. The relaxed atmosphere at Stokesley allows anyone to

come along and join the meeting whether they want to contribute to the discussion or even just enjoy

a free lunch while listening to some thought provoking points of interest. Through Stokesley society

one not only gets the chance to present their views to attentive audiences of their peers but also that

chance to challenge one’s current opinions in light of the contributions of others.

37

Clubs and Societies

Drama:

Oxford has plenty of opportunities for those interested in drama, even if you have no prior experience. In

Oxford, groups of people come together to form production teams. They put together a bid for a play that

they want to produce, and bid to different funding bodies and venues. These venues range from the small

Burton Taylor Theatre, to the larger Keble O’Reilly Theatre, and the pinnacle of Oxford venues the Oxford

Playhouse. This format allows great freedom in the shows that are put on and allows you to meet people

from across the University.

As a fresher, one of the best opportunities is Cuppers, an inter-college drama competition. In each college,

groups of freshers work together to produce and perform their own shows. It is a wonderful opportunity to

get to know other people interested in drama in your college, as well as being extremely fun! At the start of

the year, one of the most important things to do is sign up to the Oxford University Drama Society (OUDS)

mailing list at the Fresher’s Fair. You will then receive weekly emails detailing all the auditions and plays hap-

pening. If you are more interested in the technical side of theatre, from producing to costume or lighting de-

sign, sign up to the Oxford University Theatre Technicians and Designers (TAFF) mailing list. You will re-

ceive emails from production teams looking for people to help with their play – being a stage hand or filling

an assistant role can be a great opportunity for you to learn how to perform different roles and to meet differ-

ent people.

Magdalen is a great college for drama. The Magdalen Players is one of the largest funding bodies for student

plays in Oxford, funding plays with Magdalen involvement and supporting drama within the college. You can

be part of the production team or cast of the yearly garden show, performed in the President’s garden in

Trinity Term. The newly elected president of OUDS is also from Magdalen! Whilst drama can be very time

consuming, it is also incredibly enjoyable and I hope you are looking forward to being involved!

38

Clubs and Societies

Florio: The Florio Society is Magdalen’s prestigious poetry society, dedicated to the critical

appreciation of its own member’s poems. Many former members have gone on to dis-

tinguished literary careers, either as poets (Jon Stallworthy, James Fenton, Adam

Thorpe, Mick Imlah), novelists (Alan Hollinghurst, David Profumo), journalists or aca-

demics (Ian Donaldson, Claude Rawson) to name but a few. The weekly meetings,

held on Sunday evening, invite anonymous poems from members on the theme for

that week which are then read aloud and discussed. We are very lucky to be able to

count Poet and Fellow Emeritus, John Fuller (winner of the Forward Prize and the

Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize) among our number, regularly presenting poems and

commenting on the work of other members. The society is the most active and widely

known college poetry society in the university, and a few invited students from outside

the college also attend meetings. We even provide a regular supply of wine and cake

for the meetings, and are very friendly. If you write poetry, want to meet other writers

and like the odd drink then let this be a home from home during your time at Magda-

len.

Magdalen Film Society:

If you love watching films, you’ve come to the right col-

lege! Magdalen Film Society is the premier student cine-

ma in Oxford, showing multiple films every week in term

time. Magdalen is lucky enough to have its own auditori-

um, which we use to show everything from classics and

silent films to cutting-edge foreign and independent cine-

ma. Anyone can come along to our screenings for just

£3, or buy a term or year membership for even better

value. To get a taste of what’s on offer, check out our

previous termcards on magdalenfilmsociety.com, and if

you’d like to have a hand in deciding the films we show

(and get into our screenings for free!), keep an eye out

for the chance to join our committee in Michaelmas

term!

James Riding

President, Magdalen Film Society

Sherrington:

The Sherrington Society is one of the old-

est student medical societies in the world

and is based at Magdalen. The society

holds 2-3 talks per term by world-leading

doctors and scientists on all things medi-

cal. You certainly don’t have to be a medic

to be involved, everyone is welcome to

come along to our talk and there is free

wine and nibbles beforehand. Recent

speakers include Sir Michael Marmot, the

current president of the World Medical

Association, and Professor John Radford,

chair of the Lymphoma Clinical Studies

Group as part of the UK National Cancer

Research Institute. We also host social

events for our members, ranging from in-

formal curries in Michaelmas to our deli-

cious Annual Dinner held in Trinity

Term. You’ll hear more about the Society

when you arrive in Oxford and to get in-

volved simply turn up to one of our

events.

39

Jargon Buster You will lose count of the number of times you hear about the ‘Oxford Bubble’ in your

first term, and you will feel its effects even more. Sometimes it feels as though people

here speak a foreign language. Think of the next few pages as your crash course in Ox-

fordian. Don’t worry, by the end of Michaelmas (see below) you’ll be fluent!

BATELLS – Bills you’ll receive in your pigeon hole at the start of every term. They mostly include accom-

modation costs, but inevitably the prospect of postponing payment until next term will induce you to batell

formal hall, charitable donations, shopping sprees in the JCR shop and event tickets left, right and centre.

Don’t believe those who insist that batells are ‘not real money’ whilst they’re trying to extract a financial con-

tribution. They will seem all too real when you’re slapped with them at the start of next term.

BLUES – The ultimate Oxford sporting accolade. Blues players are those that have reached the dizzying

heights of playing for the university squads. Mostly found in the gym, or sporting their blues attire in Cam-

era when not on a drinking ban.

BNOC – ‘Big Name On Campus’. More often than not for the wrong reasons. Best avoided.

BOATIES – Easily identified by their copious quantities of Magdalen College Rowing Club stash, or just

copious amounts of Lycra in general. They are truly dedicated, and mental enough to drag themselves out

of bed at ungodly hours for training sessions even in the murkiest depths of Michaelmas term.

BOD CARD – Your University Card and your life at Oxford. It gets you into libraries, into fresher accom-

modation, into night-clubs, and lets you check out library books as well as being your ticket to the wonder-

ful world of student discounts and generally proving you’re part of the uni. Do not lose it! If you do, see

Katie O’Connor in Grammar Hall. It costs £15 to get a replacement card so they’re definitely worth look-

ing after!

BOPS – In college parties. These events usually happen in the OKB and are organised by the Entz team.

They include copious amounts of dancing, music and generally fun shenanigans.

COLLECTIONS – Internal exams which take place at the start of every term and a chance for you to

prove to your tutors how little you’ve revised over the vacation. Sometimes tutors will be less than pleased

with your inevitably sub-standard marks, or sometimes they’ll lose your papers and eventually give them

back to you in 8th week. In all seriousness – if you do take them seriously then they’re a good benchmark

for how you’re progressing, so a modicum of revision is advised.

CREW DATE – One of the biggest draws of joining a sports team, besides enjoying the actual sport that is.

The meeting of two teams at a ‘classy’ establishment for a meal, copious quantities of alcohol and ‘strong

chat’ (or attempts at). Sometimes hilarious, sometimes an ordeal and always messy. A good chance to get to

know people from other colleges and not limited just to sports teams. It’s also fine if you’re not keen—these

are optional events.

DEER PARK – what we have. Casual.

FELLOWS – the top academics of the college. Some of them (Tutorial Fellows) are responsible for giving

you tutorials, marking your essays, setting you collections and marking those too. Apart from that, they are

(nominally) running the College. They are the big-wigs of Magdalen and are to be fiercely respected.

40

Jargon Buster FINALS – Exams at the end of your undergrad degree; the dreaded time for any student. The library re-

places the pub, books replace friends and revision replaces conversation. Not to worry, they’re an awfully

long way off yet.

FORMAL HALL – A formal three course meal that takes place on Wednesdays, Friday and Sundays.

Sundays are Black tie (optional) and the choir also sings. Gowns must be worn. Formals are optional, nor-

mal hall also runs on these nights, but are fun to take your parents/visitors to and are a great way to cele-

brate a special occasion; costs £6.70 on weekdays and £9.25 on Sundays for all three courses (plus port and

coffee on Sundays) and you can book into formal hall using the Magdalen Meal Booking System.

HALL – The canteen. Quality is changeable (you are encouraged to give feedback), value for money is du-

bious but effort expelled is zero and the draw of a warm meal that doesn’t require you to lift a finger is irre-

sistible.

HILARY – Spring term

JCR SHOP – Magdalen is the only college to have its own shop. It’s the provider of essay crisis fuel and

weekly essentials; a place to batell all your food costs and worry about them later. Paid shifts in the shop are

taken on by students. Join the JCR Facebook group to suggest items for the Quartermasters (Magdalen’s

resident shopkeepers) to order. LATE GATE KEY – Another important item to keep safe. This key gets

you entry into and out of college after the porters shut the main gate at 11pm. Do not make the mistake of

forgetting your key if you plan on essaying in the library into the night, it’s not a fun experience. Also allows

you entry into nearly every accommodation area in college, the JCR and many, many other places. If you

lose it, replacements are expensive and the porters will hate you—so guard it with your life!

MAGDALENE COLLEGE – Our sister college in Cambridge. We have a tendency to beat them at….well,

everything. The pseudo varsity matches are a great place to show your collegiate pride and the post-match

curries are always a hilariously raucous affair. Do get involved!

MATRICULATION - A formal ceremony in which you become an official member of the university. You

have to get up at an un-godly hour, put on your subfusc and head over to college for role call and pictures

which inevitably turn out horribly (subfusc is not flattering on anyone). Then you’re marched off to the

Sheldonian Theatre, becoming a tourist attraction on the way, and there you have to queue a lot and get

spoken at in Latin. After that it’s back to college for a champagne brunch.

MICHAELMAS – First term (autumn).

OKB – Old Kitchen Bar; an in college café that’s brilliant for paninis, jacket potatoes and baguettes and has

a lovely outside seating area by the river which is a popular spot in the summer months. Nick the barman

takes over at night and it becomes a great place to relax with a pint, play some darts and generally kick back.

OUSU- a student union designed to represent views of students to the university and support Common

Rooms in their negotiations with Colleges. Membership is free and automatic by virtue of being a member

of an affiliated common room.

OWR – Oscar Wilde Room. A function room within college that fits around 60 people. Also has a terrace

out onto the roof of the OKB. It can be booked out by any student and is frequently used for in-college

events and birthday parties. History subject drinks will usually be in here as there are so many of you.

41

Jargon Buster Oxford Union- Different from OUSU. The Oxford Union is a debating society which invites speakers,

holds debates and hosts events. Recent guests include popular speakers Morgan Freeman, Stephen Fry and

Ian McKlellen as well as high profile celebrities and academics. Membership must be purchased.

PLODGE – or Porter’s lodge. Entrance into college.

PORTERS – Your best friends in college. They know everything and anything there is to know about col-

lege so if you have any issues or questions then seek them out.

PUNTING – Favourite Magdalenite summer past-time. Take lots of Pimms and strawberries, a positive

mental attitude and expect to fall in. A lot. NB - it’s wise to try and remember to take your phone out of

your pocket first. Punts are maintained by Punt reps. Only other acceptable summer activity is croquet on

New Building’s Lawns.

SCOUTS – The wonderful people that make your student life so much easier. They’ll clean your room,

change your beds and generally make sure the accommodation is looking spick and span. Make friends

with them; they know everything that goes on and are most likely going to walk in on you naked. Or worse.

STASH – Sportswear that proudly displays your team logo. The ability to get it is one of the best perks of

joining a sports team.

TAB – A student from ‘the other place’. The rivalry is as heated as ever.

TRINITY – Summer term.

TUTE - Tutorial

WELFARE – A source of comfort, advice, copious quantities of free food in the form of pizza and cake-

based goodies and providers of all your health needs.

42

A final word from me You’ll have heard this when you got your offer, you’ll hear this

before you come here, and you’ll hear it countless times once

you’re here but it’s important that every one of you realises this:

you are seriously amazing. Hopefully this book will have put

your mind at ease about some of the more practical things

about coming to Oxford; it’s now up to you to believe in your-

self and know that you can do this!

Every single person at some point has doubts that they were an

admissions fluke, or that they simply aren’t good enough but

believe me, you wouldn’t be coming here if your tutors didn’t

have every faith that you can handle the pressure.

Please try not to be too nervous before you come! Freshers’

Week was one of the most terrifying weeks of my life but I

wouldn’t have had it any other way. Make sure you come here

with an open mind and the experiences that follow will be some

of the most amazing and unexpected times of your life.

If there is anything at all you are freaking out about– whether

it’s that you won’t be able to manage your money or just that

you don’t like the colour of the bedsheets– then don’t hesitate

to email me so I can put your mind at rest! Me, Sam and the

rest of the JCR are here to support you and to make sure that

your time at Magdalen is the very best it can be.

We can’t wait to meet you in October and we know that you’re

just going to love it here.

Finally, I’m going to pass on to you a quote that my own Fresh-

ers’ Rep passed on to me from Magdalen’s very own C. S. Lew-

is:

‘We are what we believe we are’

See you in October– I can’t wait!

Loads and loads of Freshers’ Rep love,

Liv

XXXXXXX