Jan Apolín

As my second term (Hilary term, as they call it in Oxford) slowly draws to a close, I stop to reflect on the state of things. While all our lives are affected by the pandemic by varying amounts, it is safe to say that somehow, Covid-19 is still fundamentally shaping our present and the near future. To avoid how gloomy this situation can seem, I will try (from now on) not to mention the virus any more than is absolutely necessary in this post, because I do not believe my current experiences are too different from anybody else in this regard.

Big changes, big expectations, independence, a foreign country, and a completely new environment: those are just some of the things that come to mind when I think of the first couple of weeks at university. The current situation is not exactly what I would like it to be, yet I was still able to see for myself some of the many qualities that the University of Oxford can offer.