Hello! I'm Esme, and I've just finished my second year studying English Language and Literature at Corpus.
Studying at Oxford was always a dream for me, and I can really say the reality has been everything I hoped for. Coming from a state school background, the prospect was definitely a bit scary, but over my time here I've discovered that Oxford can be what you want it to be. You can be very involved with university traditions if you want, but you can also follow your own path.
While the English course at Oxford has a more restricted curriculum than at some other universities- everyone studies the same papers in first year, with a choice of two different courses in second year- I've really enjoyed every module I've studied in the last two years. That's included a lot of branching out into genres and time periods I wouldn't have otherwise explored, such as Old English in my first year (don't be afraid- it's fantastic), as well as, of course, returning to some familiar favourites. I'm in the middle of my Shakespeare coursework right now and the support my tutors have given me to follow my own interests has been wonderful- there's nothing better than hearing “I can tell how much you enjoyed writing this”!
From the very beginning of my time at Oxford I was determined to branch out in other areas of my life, too- I've explored all kinds of societies, from Dungeons & Dragons to folk music to comic opera. When I arrived, I was terrified about making friends, but between society socials and all the great people I've met at Corpus it's been much easier than I anticipated. Being away from home helped me build up so much confidence to make my university experience my own. You might be excited for all the jargon and formalities of Oxford, or you might feel a bit nervous about it; either way, though, the best path at Oxford is the one which excites and interests you the most.
Please feel free to email me with any questions about Oxford, Corpus or English!
Resources
Resources categorised by subject and by Key Stage, as well as materials for applying to Oxford and finding out more about Corpus, can be found here.