Student review [#37735] for History and International Relations
at University of Oxford

Freshman week was informative and engaging, but we worked for two days, which ruined the freshman week vibe. There was also more room to do compulsory seminars on racism and classism, as no one had such seminars until week 2, when the seminar was voluntary, completely defeating its purpose. My accommodation is very large, good value for money and faces the street, but it varies a lot by college. My friends from other colleges are paying exorbitant prices, but this is for rooms normally reserved for third year students. Having such cheap and quality accommodation is a great feature of Oxford. The college library can get busy, but it’s a good place for everyone to work. Large exercise areas are available, and the college gym is small but free. The faculty library is very well stocked and makes books very accessible. Lectures are held in an auditorium, which is resonant due to its size, but is generally a great venue for lectures due to its proximity to me. My studies are structured, but also offer great creative freedom in the first year, which allows me to choose historical subjects that are new and that interest me. Classes are good because they are taught by leading scientists in their fields and you can ask questions after class. City life in Oxford is very different from city life in London – it’s smaller and generally less busy, but busier in a very different way. There can be a lot of traffic jams and bicycles around so you have to be careful when walking as you also have to deal with tourists. There’s not as much variety of shops as you’d expect in a city – no Poundland, Waitrose or Lidl in central Oxford, which can make shopping expensive. Get ready to read much more than ever for GCSE or A level. History at Oxford is uniquely intellectually rigorous. With that in mind, this is an informative and engaging course that you can tailor to your interests more than other universities, so take advantage of this feature. Tutorials and lectures with world renowned scholars are an unprecedented and unique opportunity that should be valued more.