I survived the first week at Oxford!

by Natalie Ilott, Edith Cowan University

Sunday 8 August

It’s Sunday evening and I am on my third cup of tea for the day as I relax in a comfy chair in one of the High Street cafés and attempt to make a start on my essay. I frustratingly write and rewrite the first paragraph several times before I decide instead to update my blog…


Well what a week it has been. My days have been filled with thought-provoking seminars on African politics, plenary lectures given by Oxford scholars who are leaders in their respective fields followed by four to five hours of self study in the library. The Oxford ethic is intense and the amount of information you are expected to take in is, at times, a little overwhelming. But if I am feeling somewhat challenged then I am also feeling immensely inspired. The professor is impressively accomplished, although I am learning as much fromthe regular dinner table conversations as from the seminars (well not quite as much!). My classmates are themselves an elite bunch, completing their Masters, PhDs, working in government positions, for NGOs and a range of other interesting occupations.

St Antony’s College is easy to settle into and the college library, at least, is starting to feel like home. The weather has been pretty average, and by that I mean grey skies and drizzle, but today the sun was out in full force and the skies were blue for most of the day (my prayers have been answered!). After a fairly routine and focused week I have managed to get out and explore Oxford this weekend, along with all of the other tourists who seem to have invaded the city. It is quite a small, quaint place with the different University Colleges scattered throughout. Carfax Tower, the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Castle, the Alice Shop and the Botanic Gardens are just some of the sites that I have taken in, as well as a quick punt up the Oxford canal, a typical English afternoon tea of jam and scones and a ½ pint of lager at the Eagle and Child pub. I am feeling like a right Brit!

Although I still have a paper to hand in and a presentation to give, I am proud that I have made it through this first week, and on that note I finish my cup of tea and turn my thoughts back to my essay…





Natalie Ilott is the Study Abroad/Exchange Officer from Edith Cowan University. She travels to the University of Oxford summer school courtesy of the University of Oxford, AirAsiaX and AIM Overseas. 

 Read Natalie's other posts about her Oxford experience:
And off to Oxford I go
Welcome to Oxford
The last day in Oxford
Lessons from Oxford