Every morning in Oxford began the same. I would walk to my bedroom window, then slowly stretch my arms above my head. As I stretched my arms, I would reach for my curtains, pull them open, then look out at the weather for the day, which was usually overcast. On the few occasions where the…
The Other Place
On a cold Saturday in November I took a trip to Cambridge. In Oxford, Cambridge is widely acknowledged as “the other place”, given its frequent comparison to Oxford. I was looking forward to the adventure, nonetheless. I decided to read my latest reading assignment, Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys, on the bus. I hadn’t…
At the Eagle and Child
This Thanksgiving was a bit untraditional for me. It was the first year that I spent any major holiday away from family. It was all the more odd because I was spending it in a country that did not celebrate Thanksgiving. That day I had a tutorial session. I spent some time in a café…
Look Right
As my time in Oxford is drawing to a close, I often find myself looking back on how far I have come, how used to the city I have become. When I first came to Oxford, I almost got hit by bicycles, a lot. Even though I knew that vehicles would be driving on opposite…
Windsor Wonderland
I had the opportunity to visit Windsor Castle back in November. As I got ready that morning, I was intentional in selecting a skirt. I had to look my best- you know, in case I happened to bump into the Queen… The morning was nothing but pouring rain. But I was persistent in each step…
Dancing in Oxford: An Evening with Ilya Kaminsky
Before coming to Oxford, I assumed that I would be spending my weekends off on exhilarating adventures, tramping across half a dozen countries. I anticipated having a schedule that would provide free time for such activities. But it didn’t happen. This was partly due to the intensity of my academic requirements but also due to…
The Odyssey Landscape
I had the opportunity to take a trip to Bath a couple weekends ago. Caught up in an essay that was due that following Monday, I had told myself that I would not be going on the trip. I needed more time to write. I was getting a cold anyway. I came up with as…
Lessons from the Stacks
I am already halfway through the term and I feel as though I have never learned so much in such a short time frame. There is a saying here when talking to someone about your academics. Rather than asking “what are you studying?” you ask, “what are you reading?” The reason for this is because…
Habits Thus Far
I have been in England for a full seven days and am going through orientation. My experiences thus far have been a blend of incredulous epiphany and simple diversion, brimming with a newness I have struggled to elucidate until now. I realize that I cannot always wait for a spontaneous onset of heavy literary inspiration…
Notes from the Appalachians
Throughout my time being homeschooled, I always sprang into action when my family took an educational field trip out of town. I would minutely research museums and unique places for us to visit, discover where the best parking was located, map out how to travel from our hotel to the restaurant, and back again (when…
A Scholar Wanders 