I am here! It hardly seems real in some senses, but in others it's all too real. Having never done what people consider to be a typical "college lifestyle," the whole cooking and maintenance thing is quite foreign to me. I hope I shall be adjusted promptly, otherwise I may run into problems when dealing with both rigorous academics and the confusion accompanying living in a small city.
Pictures of my flat will come later, as will a general rundown of the first full day's activities!
Yesterday my aunt, Libby, helped me find the right place and get where I needed to be, giving me a crash course in Oxford Colleges as well as grocery shopping in the UK.
I moved in and met my roommates after perusing our student handbook which deals with everything from defrosting the freezer to how to write a good tutorial paper and RSVP to formal invitations. My flat is right on the River Thames which has swollen with all the recent rain and flooding, but luckily I'm on the fourth floor so all is good.
The roommate I share a room with, Duncan, is from Canada, which makes things "aboot" as interesting as they can be. The other flatmates are from California (Kyle who goes to Wheaton in Illinois) and Michigan (Patrick who goes to Ogelthorpe in Atlanta). They're all good guys and it will be fun to see how everything works out between us as the semester goes on.
Today I get my Bodlein Library card, which I am greatly looking forward to! I'm excited to start studying and learning (as nerdy as that sounds) and can't wait to see what I'll find out about education this semester!!!
Sincerely,
James McManus
The Oxford Observer
Sierra Company, Class of 2016