Degree
English and Spanish
Hometown
Tunbridge Wells
What do you enjoy the most about LMH?
So hard to choose! I’ve got to say the people because I have met the most incredible friends in LMH, and it is a college full of welcoming and lovely people. The gardens definitely come in second though, they were the reason I applied here, and I have had countless beautiful walks, sunshiney picnics, and highly competitive games of table football in the grounds.
What has studying at Oxford been like so far?
Intense and exciting. I love how much freedom we’re given academically to pursue our own interests, and to write slightly weird and niche essays – our tutors treat us like real academics which is very cool. Plus, it never fails to blow my mind that the lecturers and tutors who I spend hours working with are world experts in my subjects. It is definitely busy: Oxford is famous for the high workload, but I always like to remind prospective students that I take literally every evening off to hang out with my friends! I work hard, but I also need rest and fun, and Oxford life is much more than hours spent in libraries.
What do you enjoy most about your course?
My specific course, English and Spanish, is quite an unusual one, and being a joint schools student comes with its own organisational challenges, but I love the variety it offers me. It also gives me more freedom to control what I study: because I’m only doing half of each of the two degrees, I get to pick and choose my favourite bits from each. My degree is like an excellent buffet plate! I also get two sets of course mates and two sets of tutors to support me, and both communities are lovely.
What’s your best advice for a prospective applicant?
You don’t have to know everything! You are going to university in order to learn, and as long as you show enthusiasm to do so, that’s what matters. When I was applying, I was told that Oxford wouldn’t want an English student who hasn’t read the Brontës, and I definitely felt insecure about how few classics I’ve read. Looking back now, I know that what matters was that I wanted to read more. Don’t feel ashamed of what you don’t know, feel excited about how much there is to learn!