Trinity - Week 1

handing in essays at the Examination Schools

Week 1 of Trinity Term brought the official end of classes and the start of our thesis term.

March of the Living

The March of the Living is an annual event that takes place on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Around 11,000 people (both Jewish and not) from all over the world came together to walk the 3km "Death March" between Auschwitz I and Birkenau and commemorate the loss of the victims of the Holocaust. I travelled with the UK delegation, and we spent 3.5 days touring Jewish sites in Poland before the day of the march.

Warsaw

I travelled from Berlin to Warsaw to tour the city on my own for two days before meeting up with my group for March of the Living. Warsaw is a fine city, but I wouldn't feel the need to go back.

Berlin

After Switzerland, we spent three full days in Berlin. Berlin is a fun and lively city with so much to do, and I would definitely go back if I had the chance.

Switzerland

Switzerland was the first stop on my Easter break Eurotrip. We went to Lausanne, Interlaken, and Zurich.

Easter Break in Ox

Between Hilary Week 9 and the start of Trinity term, I had a little under 3 weeks to hang around Oxford and write 2 more summatives.

Hilary Week 9

I spent the vast majority of week 9 working on the summative for my qualitative methods class. I have started spending a lot of time in rooms of the Social Science Library that look out onto the Cherwell River.

Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Avebury

On Saturday of Week 8, I went with Canadian Kate to Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Avebury.

Hilary Week 8

Week 8 was the last week of Hilary term classes. I also celebrated my birthday (that is what this picture is from) and went on a day trip to Stonehenge, Salisbury, and Avebury.

Hilary Week 7

Week 7 was a busy week of coding, hanging with GU alums, and watching Oxford beat Cambridge in rugby.

Hilary Week 6

I had two essays due during week 6, but there was still time to attend a religious/scientific/philosophical debate, St. Anne's formal hall, and an international festival.

Hilary Week 5

Gladstone Link (underground connection between the Radcliffe Camera and Old Library

Week 5 activities included London, cocktails, and classical music.

Hilary Week 4

Week 4 involved another OII takeover of formal hall at Green Templeton College, more snow, and an Oxford sub-culture discovery.

Burns Night

St. Cross held a Burns supper to celebrate Burns Night, the Scottish holiday that honors Robert Burns, the man widely considered to be the national poet of Scotland (and the writer of Auld Lang Syne).

Hilary Week 3

During week 3, I celebrated Burns Night, went to some religious events, and enjoyed the first snowfall.

Day Trip to Wales

On Sunday I went on a day trip to Wales.  The first stop was Tintern Abbey, and then we went to Cardiff, the capital of Wales.

Hilary Week 2

Week 2 was fairly multicultural - bhangra, zumba, Chinese New Year, and a trip to Wales.

London in January

I spent a rainy afternoon and (a rain-free) evening in London on Friday of Week 1 visiting museums, sitting in on a concert rehearsal, and taking a long walk along the river.

Hilary Week 1

Week 1 was the first week of Hilary Term classes. I kicked off the new term with a GTC Formal Hall, a trip to London, bhangra, and some Sherlock.

Hilary Week 0

Week 0 of Hilary term wasn't that exciting, as I spent the majority of the week studying for final exams. There was a fun Google Bop over the weekend, which is what this photo is from.

Christmastime in Oxford

Oxford was full of Christmas decorations, and I had many Christmassy adventures during Week 9.

Michaelmas Week 9

All of the undergrads were gone by week 9, as it is not a part of term time. I started the week with a final and spent the rest of the week getting in the Christmas spirit, attending a rugby match, and doing touristy things around Oxford.

Michaelmas Week 8

Week 8 was the last week of Michaelmas term. I went through the formal process of handing in a paper to the Examination Schools, enjoyed Oxford's Christmas Light Night, spent time revising for statistics, and tried to fend off my cold before the upcoming stats exam.

An Afternoon in London

On Tuesday of Week 7, I had to go to London to take a problem solving test at the McKinsey office. I had class in the morning, but since I hadn't been to London in 4+ years, I decided to make an afternoon of the trip and wandered around before and after the test.

Michaelmas Week 7

Week 7 brought a break between essays, a half-day in London, an Indian dinner, Thanksgiving, a feast, a regatta, and the beginning of the Christmas season. This photo is from the St. Cross Founder's Feast. More after the jump:

Michaelmas Week 6

Photo of the OII seminar room (where I have every class but stats)

Week 6 was a busy school week with assignments and lectures. Continue on...

Remembrance Sunday

Remembrance Sunday is held on the Sunday nearest to November 11, Armistice Day (anniversary of the end of WW1). Ceremonies are held across the UK, and Oxford held a parade and service on St. Giles', a main road that is home to the war memorial (I also live on it). Remembrance poppies are a way bigger deal here than in the US - everyone seems to wear them in the weeks before Remembrance Day - and wreaths of poppies are placed on war memorials. More on the commemoration activities after the jump:

Michaelmas Week 5

The big school assignments started to hit in Week 5 (this photo is of the St. Cross College library, which is open 24/7), but there was still time for nice dinners, Remembrance Sunday activities, movies, and riverside strolls. More after the jump:

Guy Fawkes Day

Saturday was Guy Fawkes Day, but fireworks could be heard all weekend long.  Guy Fawkes Day commemorates how Guy Fawkes, a Catholic, was arrested while guarding explosives that a group of Catholics placed in Parliament in order to kill the Protestant king. People held bonfires in order to celebrate the king's survival. The first time I saw fireworks for sale in the grocery store in October, I was confused as to why they were there and only until November 5th. I guess I didn't remember, remember the fifth of November! More on the festivities after the jump:

Michaelmas Week 4

Week 4 was full of wining and dining and setting fire to the sky. With 3 college formal halls (this photo is from formal hall at Green Templeton College) and Guy Fawkes Day celebrations (amongst other activities), a lot of fun was to be had before the massive amounts of work start come week 5. More on the week that right now probably sounds less academic than it actually was after the jump. If you make it to the bottom, you'll learn about some differences between college here and in the US.