It was only around 18 months ago when I received my Hogwarts letter calling me to a year of rich tradition, history, self-reflection and development.
This past year has been just that. From being an absolute wreck overwhelmed with the idea of traveling and moving continents in the middle of a pandemic to a year later where I feel that I belong and have claimed space in this town of dreaming spires. It’s not every day you find yourself in a city where every step you take, you find at least five cheery faces waving to you while you ride your bike hustling towards the next class or event.
I cannot be more grateful for all that the year has given me and I hope the experience is even better for the incoming cohort. Sharing a few tips and tricks (mind you I don’t think I knew each of them from day one) that might come in handy for my juniors.
Some of these are personal while others gathered from observation and conversations with people I met through the year and before:
- Experiment, experiment, experiment! – something I learned from my seniors – do not come with a lot of rigid plans and don’t be shy to explore as much as possible in terms of careers, leadership roles, friendships, events and social activities. For example, I did not imagine myself landing a co-chair role in the impact OBN right at the start of the program and it remains one of the most valuable leadership roles that I took on this year.
- Try doing something absolutely new this year – be it going to a crazy costume party, finding a new hobby like polo or horse riding, joining the Oxford Blues sports teams, learning a new language, rowing to London, or exploring a long-since forgotten hobby. For me, it was rediscovering my love for poetry.
- Do not underestimate the value you bring – be it your experiences, your culture, your career trajectory or even your age. It’s very easy to look around in Oxford and feel overwhelmed and have imposter syndrome. But remember, the school does a brilliant job of bringing a diverse perspective into the classroom, and your opinion matters!
- It’s cliché but so true – Time is scant so learn to prioritise. You will have a multitude of options for friendships, classes, and social activities so do try to strike a balance between what is comfortable and what pushes you out of your comfort zone.
- Become friends with the School staff, career advisors, college porters and generally, just engage with a lot of people. On off days, a happy message or a cheery hi, or even a free cookie in the cafeteria have done wonders for my internal energy.
- Food – Ok, coming from Asia, I am not a fan of the British food served in most places including college dinners but some spots that have saved me include School cafeteria (value for money too), Najar’s in St Giles, Tse Noodles on Ship Street, Dosa Park, Kebab Kid in Cowley, Peppers Burger in Jericho and Dancing Dragon in Summertown. Pub food is great but you will tire soon, trust me!!
- Long walks – I can do a whole post on the importance of mental well-being but make this a priority. At least an hour each day on something that energizes you is so important and even during the dull winter months. My long walks in Port Meadow and University Parks were the highlight of most days and the ducks and swans only added to the tranquil silence and sanity I felt afterward.
- Partake in balls, formal dinners, weird speed dating/networking events, and college Middle Common Room parties – I have had the most interesting conversations with people outside the MBA through these events. Like a lot of my classmates would say, sometimes conversations beyond pure ‘business’ or ‘sustainable business’ like we call it at the business school can be really therapeutic.
- Engaging with a diverse student body can sometimes make you feel lonely and a misfit. It is important to keep consistency in communication with family or friends away from Oxford to keep the sanity in place. Also, discuss how you feel with your classmates, student council, or the counsellors for support. I have time and again realized how there were more than just myself who were facing similar issues and reaching out always helped.
- Do not be in a hurry to figure out your post-MBA plan. Really soak and enjoy the exploration process. You’d rather take time to make more informed choices and that only happens after Spring or in some cases, during late summer. Be comfortable with the ambiguity of it all.
To conclude, let me take the liberty to quote something I wrote recently:
'Ox of U is an emotion unexplained
Truly magical, nothing parallel can be named
The city of dreaming spires they call it
Will be part of tales to be told, songs to be sung'
Follow my poetry on my Instagram handle @inkoverscrolls
