Robert Cooper: Oxford Abroad

Studying abroad in Oxford has been a once in a lifetime experience. I have had the opportunity to learn in one of the most prestigious universities while interacting with academics and newfound friends from around the globe.


The topics I’ve been able to learn about while abroad are incredibly interesting. My primary tutorial focuses on the European Union, specifically what influences its operations and how these tendencies influence financial activity and capital markets.

My secondary tutorial is vastly different. To correspond with my honors thesis investigating US National Park visitation trends, I decided to analyze the UK National Park system, examining how it differs from the US system, as well as what we can learn from the UK system when deciding how to best protect our own treasured landscapes.
In addition to my studies, I’ve been able to explore many different locations throughout England. The OSAP program offers several free trips to destinations like London, Bath, and Windsor Castle. Additionally, major landmarks like Stonehenge are only a short train ride away. I’ve even been able to visit several different UK National Parks. From hiking through redwood groves and horse-filled meadows in New Forest NP, to squeezing through claustrophobic cave passages with the Oxford Caving Club in Brecon Beacons NP, I’ve been able to experience England at its most natural.


That isn’t to say there isn’t a lot to do in Oxford itself. The historic town is filled with incredible Gothic architecture that spans throughout the many colleges and libraries that we have access to. Being able to walk through streets that have existed for hundreds of years is a surreal experience. However, there are many modest features that complete the picture. One of my favorite things to do is to sit down at a local café and study while enjoying a hot coffee. Quiet moments like these will stay with me just as much as the grander experiences.


I am so thankful that I’ve been given the chance to take part in this experience. I would recommend that anyone who is even remotely intrigued by the prospect of studying in Oxford seek out the staff in the Honors Office. The rest of the world isn’t in your books and maps. It’s out there, and it’s waiting for you to go on an adventure.

Hannah Hutchinson: Oxford Abroad

Choosing just a handful of photos that capture my time here in Oxford was quite the challenge. This magical place is rooted in opportunities to explore, create, learn, and grow as a student, friend, and person. I have had the privilege of working with Dr. Carmen Pinon, an expert neuroscientist and lecturer, for my primary tutorial that delves into the pathology of psychological disorders. This term, we built on topics that provided the foundation for my final project, consisting of a presentation and paper titled: “A Search for the Sacred: Investigating How Spirituality, Mindset, and Religious Coping Mechanisms Influence the Path to Post-Traumatic Growth.” Dr. Pinon has significantly stretched my thinking of abnormal psychology and the relationship between spirituality, religion, and positive mental health outcomes. In addition to her tutorials, Dr. Pinon is a Senior Lecturer at the Medical School of the University of Buckingham. Her invaluable insight into the biopsychosocial approach to mental illness created a comprehensive learning environment grounded in the diathesis-stress model. I am honored to be one of the many students she chose to collaborate with, and I look forward to staying connected with her after I return to Tampa!


My secondary tutorial is a multidisciplinary focus on music psychology, encompassing topics such as the composer’s intentions, music performance and spirituality, music-evoked emotions, sociocultural functions of music listening, and implications of music for human flourishing. Peter Varga, a DPhil candidate student at Christ Church College and member of the Emotion and Social Relations research group led by Dr. Brian Parkinson, has truly inspired my love for learning about the beautiful role music plays in our everyday lives. My goal was to understand the connections between music, emotions, and spirituality, yet I have learned far more than just this. Reading several journal articles and books from evolutionary, biology, ethnomusicology, sociology, philosophy, and psychology perspectives, I have learned the power of music can bend time, facilitate communication, promote social bonding, foster a search for meaning, and catalyze human flourishing. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Mr. Varga as he provides excellent knowledge with his psychology, philosophy, and theology background. I am very grateful for this experience of combining our overlapping interests in the arts and sciences, which can positively impact the future of psychological research and therapeutic interventions.


Apart from my (many) hours studying in the library, I have enjoyed exploring the different colleges, traveling to Notting Hill in London, attending formal dinners, petting horses in Port Meadow, listening to the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra (on Halloween!), running for the Oxford University Cross Country Club, and visiting new countries, including Malta and Denmark. It is truly a blessing to see these corners of the world and hear the stories of people who live there. After my eight-hour flight, sitting at London Heathrow Airport, a woman quoted to me, “The best education is travel,” and now I understand why. Meeting fellow students in OSAP, Oxford University scholars, mentors, professors, random folks in coffee shops, or old couples on plane rides has opened my eyes to the power of conversation, connection, and cultural understanding. I will cherish this opportunity for a lifetime.


Finally, a special thank you to the Honors Program at UT for making this dream come true. If it were not for their support and belief in us students to pursue our passions in research, none of this could have been possible. I hope UT students can read a glimpse of our Oxford stories and feel that same sense of inspiration we all once had when applying to this program. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the Honors faculty members, professors, mentors, friends, and family for encouraging me (and my fellow UT students, Alice and Robert) on our study abroad journeys. Here’s to three more weeks of many more memories to come!


With gratitude,
Hannah

Alice DeCoteau: Oxford Abroad

My time at Oxford has been full of incredible academic and social experiences. I have had the great fortune to live in a beautiful house with a group of young women who quickly became great friends. Before the term started, we had the opportunity to travel to Italy as a group, which was a rich cultural experience. We visited iconic architectural sites, saw world-renowned art, and ate (a lot) of excellent food!

Once the term started, most of my attention was on my coursework, and I have become well acquainted with the New College and Radcliffe Camera libraries. Although it has been a lot of work, I have learned so much, and I feel grateful to study in a place with such a rich history of academic excellence. I’ve built strong relationships with my tutors and have had the opportunity to engage in dynamic discussions with other OSAP and Oxford students. I also got to attend lectures by famous philosopher Slavoj Žižek and author Yanis Varoufakis.

I have also had the opportunity to swim with OUSC, Oxford’s swim club. The team has been so welcoming, and having a practice schedule has helped balance my work and take care of my mental health. I have attended team socials and race at dual meets, and I will enjoy a team Christmas dinner during week 7.

Overall, Oxford has been a fantastic experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life. But the work isn’t done yet. I’m motivated to finish the term strongly and look forward to sharing what I learned when I return to Tampa!

-Alice