Greetings from Oxford!
It’s crazy to think that we are almost three-fourths done with our studies here. There is so much to say about Oxford. It is a beautiful city steeped in so much history. Oxford is a city that’s easy to admire – mostly in part to the fact that it’s so walkable. Not to mention that we’ve been lucky with the weather this term; most days, it’s been absolutely gorgeous out. We’ve gotten opportunities to travel beyond Oxford, and I must say that London is stunning.
As far as tutorials go, I have been studying the ethics of artificial intelligence in warfare (ChatGPT users beware) and intelligence services (think spies and related things). Unsurprisingly, the tutors at Oxford are brilliant. For me, tutorials have been a great experience. I enjoy the one-on-one format. It’s similar to taking independent study courses. Not to mention that the offer of free coffee at tutorials is much appreciated. Maybe UT could borrow this tradition from Oxford?
Extracurricular-wise, there’s no shortage of things to do at Oxford, so feel free to sample. While over here, I’ve done a session of beginners debating at the Oxford Union, listened to talks from diplomats and US military professionals, and even stumbled into a US Navy promotion ceremony at Pembroke College. Don’t be afraid to try offerings from (as Oxford students affectionately call it) “the other place” – Cambridge. Depending on your tutor (like in my case), you might catch wind of some lectures offered there. If you’re into research, there are opportunities to join working groups to hang around some Oxford DPhils, hear from professionals, and chat about their upcoming work. Apart from lectures and clubs, it’s been a blast getting to know the other students in the study abroad program (OSAP), and we’ve taken advantage of the great housing to host get-togethers.
I hope this suffices to say that if you’re part of the audience reading this post and thinking about applying, do it. We’re lucky that the Honors Program offers (and subsidizes) this opportunity. Words really don’t do the experience justice.
Cheers,
Martin Stavro
(P.S. Here’s a shameless plug of the Instagram I made for this trip: @martin.stavro)
