Freshers' Guide - Work

The OWL library – you will probably be seeing a lot of this over the next few years. Not quite as scary as it looks from the outside!

With apologies to all of you who were quite enjoying all the talk of BOPs, sports teams and cups of tea, it is, alas, my heavy duty to remind you that we are all supposed to be here to get a degree. This is Oxford, indeed, this is Merton College, Oxford, one of the highest achieving colleges! I’m afraid this does boil down to quite a lot of hard work.

But don’t panic! Both Oxford and Merton are renowned for their (truly amazing) academic provision, and I’m sure you’ll thoroughly enjoy whatever course you’re taking. You should do a sensible amount of work to get you through your first year, but you won’t have to do so much that you can’t feel a part of our community. Use the intelligence that got you here to strike a sensible work-life balance; it will be a shock in the first term as you haven’t been working for a while and it’s very different to school. Don’t worry if you find it difficult, at first – it is Oxford, after all – it wouldn’t be interesting if it was all easy, and you’ll soon get into the swing of things! It’s also worth trying to settle down quickly into your own work pattern. At university you don’t have a structured timetable for the day, you have considerably more free time, and will have to motivate yourself to meet deadlines. Everyone approaches work in different ways – whether you prefer late-night epics in libraries, or slow, bite-size chunks – try to find what works for you. Bear in mind that terms are only eight weeks long, and it’s best to get into a rhythm sooner rather than later.

The Bod – because sometimes the OWL just isn’t enough.

Teaching at Oxford is a mix of lectures, classes, seminars, labs (of considerably more use to scientists), and the famous tutorial. Although the idea of intensive discussion with some of the most eminent intellectuals in their respective fields can seem a tad scary, it’s a great opportunity for stimulating and stretching debate with a great thinker – and probably some other undergrads too. The trick is to give it a go – try not to be shy; every tutor has a different style, and you’ll soon find which ones bring out the best in you.

In terms of facilities, Merton is very well-equipped for all your studying needs. There are two college libraries (the OWL, pictured above, and one in Mob Quad), together containing about 70,000 books (and about 350 medieval manuscripts – although you’re unlikely to refer to these regularly); they also have computer rooms with free printing facilities, although I warn you these are liable to get busy and therefore unreliable at times. For the times when the college doesn’t have that book you’re after, you’re only a few minutes from the Bodleian (a.k.a. “Bod”).

Finally, there is that little issue of exams (I know I said I wouldn’t refer to them again, sorry!). You’ll have collections (College exams) at the start of most terms – these are really quite informal, and honestly nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, (Mods or Prelims, at the end of your first year, or halfway through your second if you do Classics) are somewhat more important, but they don’t count towards your final degree class, and it would require a stupendous effort of laziness to fail them. Everyone at Merton supports each other through exams; Above all, enjoy your course, but enjoy Merton and all the other opportunities here as well.