Oxford Extraordinaire

After two weeks at Oxford, I can happily say that I have survived the Freshers' Week and my first week of class. 

The Fresher's Week was an extraordinary array of inductions from the University and College, and a fair with the university's most amazing societies from sports, arts and languages to medieval re-enactment and Scottish folkloric dancing!

Classes have been extremely busy and overwhelming, but it is amazingly intellectually uplifting to have class in the Pitt Rivers Museum surrounded by some of the best anthropologists out there. A true privilege.

Here are some of my favorite highlights:

• Matriculation- The matriculation ceremony was A-MA-ZING.

We first had to go and sign the register with a fountain pen (they like their traditions); they keep a record of all the students who have ever attended the university. After a speech on St Peter's founding family, we had to get into a line from the tallest to the smallest to take the College picture. We all got onto massive steps like you see at baseball games. It was quite the organization and they were very particular about how our gowns, caps and postures were.

We then marched to the Sheldonian Theatre for the actual ceremony; the tourists were delighted. The ceremony only lasted 15 minutes. The Vice-Chancellor marched in with a guy holding a sceptre; we all had to stand and be silent. The Dean of Colleges spoke to him in Latin, asking if he would admit us into the university as official students. The Vice-Chancellor explained that Matriculation used to be an examination 100 years ago, so the University could check that they had actually admitted the best students out there. If you passed, you official became an Oxford University student, if not, you could go home. And the Matriculation Examination was taken in Latin! They have of course done away with this, but the ceremony and Latin remain as our rite of passage into our official admission. 

• Graduation cap enforcement – Yes, there is indeed a well-founded rumor around the college that you are not allowed to wear your graduation cap UNTIL you have officially graduated. You could in fact be fined if you are seen wearing it within the vicinity of the College during the school year! We took this picture right in front of the College before finding this out…Oops.

• THE vomit policy- One of my very favorite policies at Oxford. This is the email one of the Graduate reps sent us this week. So funny!

"Vomit policy. As many of you know, a crucial pillar of the St Peter's community is the much-loved and well-used Vomit Policy. This document, agreed between the College and the JCR at the Dawn of Time, is attached for you. You should treat its commandments ("clean up thy own and thy friends' bodily fluids") as the Word of God, and obey it with religious fervour. There are bodily-fluids cleaning packs in the JCR, near to the lockers; use them, and use them well. If you don't, you will be charged £35 for your bodily emissions, which moneys will be paid directly to the unfortunate Scout (not to be confused with your unfortunate mother) to whom the task will eventually fall."

That's it for now!