Oxford Abroad: Lily Fridl

Since I was just a little kid, I have dreamed of studying at Oxford. I imagined walking through cobblestone streets to journey into centuries old buildings with the purpose of absorbing every granule of information I could get my hands on. To be writing this while sitting in my college built all the way back in 1379 feels like a dream come true. 

Oxford is everything I imagined and more. Not only do I get to study in libraries built almost five hundred years ago and gaze out of carefully constructed stained glass windows, but I also have gotten the chance to study topics I never would have imagined possible. My primary tutorial focuses on the philosophies found in J.R.R. Tolkien’s works like The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. This week I am examining Tolkien’s philosophies regarding fate and free will while contextualizing them within the prominent beliefs regarding those topics during his lifetime. I have gotten the chance to sit at a lecture led by one of the leading Tolkien scholars in the world today and will have the privilege to experience one led by J.R.R. Tolkien’s grandson later this term. My secondary tutorial examines different women’s historical movements within then United Kingdom, specifically focusing on the suffragettes of the early twentieth century. While the workload may be hefty, it has been immensely rewarding and endlessly enjoyable. 

But Oxford goes beyond just the academics. The city itself is gorgeous and there are always endless things to do whenever you have free time. As a member of the rowing team back at Tampa, I knew I wanted to join my college’s boat club to have the experience of rowing at Oxford. The club has been truly wonderful and welcoming beyond my imagination. This past Sunday I was able to participate in a race against other Oxford colleges. I never imagined I would be able to say I had the experience of rowing for Oxford, let alone racing for them. It has truly made my wildest dreams come true. The opportunities I have had to travel have been incredible as well. Bath was absolutely stunning, and London is filled to the brim with things to do. I have more travel planned in the future I truly can’t wait for. 

Oxford has truly been the experience of a lifetime; one I wish could go on forever. Thank you to the Honors Program for this incredible opportunity. If anyone has even the slightest interest in Oxford, I highly recommend applying. It is an experience you will never forget. -Lily Fridl

Oxford Abroad: Gabriela Amador

Here are a few pictures from my experience so far! I am absolutely ecstatic to see where else this will take me, but I am incredibly grateful either way. I recall how eager I was when I was applying to the Oxford Study Abroad Program, and now that I’m actually writing this from Oxford, it feels imagined. So far, I have gone to London, Bath (which has ancient Roman baths and springs), and Oxfordshire, with plans to go to other places like Cambridge and Windsor Castle. The scenery is spectacular, especially Christ Church College and my college, New College.

As far as the academics go, my primary tutorial focuses on criminal psychology. My secondary tutorial is about social behavior. Both are subjects I proposed and tweaked with my amazing tutor (Dr. Anna Scarna) week by week. Most of my writing so far has been completed in a section of Oxford called Jericho, where there are plenty of cafes, restaurants,  and activities. 

One of the main things I love to do is visit the Phoenix Picturehouse in Jericho. It is a smaller local movie theater that not only plays new movies, but also has reruns of movies matching the season. They hold trivia and early screenings as well, which is how I was able to view the newest Frankenstein weeks before regular release.

Another great thing about Oxford- and the UK in general- is that several museums are free. Through this, I have seen the writings of Einstein, Mary Shelley, and Jane Austen. Seeing historical sites daily while doing menial tasks like running errands is definitely a bonus to all this. This has been my favorite part so far, besides being able to allocate way more time into researching and writing about my dream subject concentration. The number of cafes that are ever-present in the city also never fails to disappoint. Almost everything here has a student discount, so if you are hungry at any time, delicious cafes are at every turn. The Bodlein Library is also a site I frequent often, as well as the New College library and the Life and Mind Building of experimental psychology. – Gabriela Amador

Oxford Abroad: Diego Córdova

It would be nearly impossible for me to describe just how amazing it is to study here at Oxford, given how many great things I have been able to see and do. The colleges here are certainly filled with plenty of things to do, from in-college facilities to hundreds of societies to join. On top of that, each college has its own unique aesthetic with differing sizes, architectural design, and history (Christ Church has got to be my favorite one so far).

My main tutorial topic at Oxford mainly focuses on the Enlightenment and has definitely pushed me far academically. That said, I am lucky that both the topic and tutor interest me greatly, with each meeting being an in-depth discussion about my essays and the topics I’ve written on and allowing me to have a better understanding of European history, philosophy, and theological advancements. My secondary tutorial is more about the rise of political extremism following Brexit, which has also required me to put in quite a bit of work. One thing to note, however, is that these tutorials give students a lot of freedom and flexibility with the curriculum. For example, although my secondary tutorial mainly focused on textual analysis and essay writing, I decided to go ahead and interview a certain number of politicians and members of parliament, which my tutor has approved of. At its core, the tutorial system expects students to take on a more active role in determining what goes on in each class, which I adore.

Though academics have taken up quite a bit of time, I have also had the pleasure of enjoying other recreational activities. For instance, I have been a part of a few events hosted by their historical reenactment club, which have been loads of fun (I even got the chance to use a fake spear!). I have also been privileged to be able to attend one of OSAP’s many travelling events in Bath, which allowed me to further connect with other students in the program and to be able to do what I love most: traveling! Speaking of, given my tutorials’ schedules, I have been able to enjoy quite a bit of traveling both within and outside the U.K., which has been an absolute blast.

Overall, I have to say that this has been an amazing semester, even if I am only in the third week. I am forever grateful to the honors program for allowing me the opportunity to study at such an amazing institution. I will be sure to give back to UTampa once I have finished with my time here at Oxford. -Diego Córdova