Last week we took a day trip out to the city of Oxford to explore the city and the university, tour the Oxford University Press, and attend a lecture by Helen Oyeyemi, an author we had read in class.
We took the train from London in the morning; it was quick (120 mph!) and easy, getting us there in just under an hour. Throughout the trip I’ve been comparing the things I like better in the US or the UK, but this was the most obvious plus in the UK column I’ve thought of so far-get it together, America.
Once we were there, we spent the morning exploring the town. Immediately upon disembarking from the train it was obvious that the scale of history in Oxford is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. There is evidence of teaching in Oxford as early as 1096, which makes it the oldest university in the English-speaking world.
While my group waited for our tour of the university press museum at 2 p.m., we grabbed lunch at a small bistro and then decided to go punting. Punting involves a shallow, flat-bottomed boat and a pole, which is used to push the boat along the river. After looking at several boathouses, we decided to go with one that didn’t supply a “chauffeur,” thus saving us £7.
It was determined that I would attempt to “drive” this punt, and I’m proud to say that not only did nobody get wet, but the boathouse worker even complimented me when we got back (which I’m definitely not still thinking about, why do you ask?).
We got back just in time for our tour at 2:00, which was a look back at the history of the Oxford University Press (the largest university press in the world, and one that will soon feature a book by our own esteemed professor, Peter Miller!) as well as the Oxford English Dictionary. During the tour we learned that roughly 4,000 new words are added to the OED each year, roughly 11 every day.
We spent the rest of the late afternoon walking around and exploring some of the cool architecture in Oxford, as well as checking out some famous landmarks, like The Eagle and Child pub, famous for hosting the Inklings writers group, which featured the likes of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and undoubtedly other authors who used initials for their first names.
We wrapped up the day with a lecture from Helen Oyeyemi at Trinity College, one of the 39 colleges that make up Oxford University. Oyeyemi talked about names, the power they hold, and why she changes her name on Facebook every 60 days (because she can).
We had read “The Homely Wench Society,” a short story by Oyeyemi, and compared it to works by Zadie Smith and Virginia Woolfe that we had read earlier in class. Getting to attend a lecture from Oyeyemi was a great way to put a cap on our readings and tie everything together.
With that, our day at Oxford had come to a close. We headed back to London on the train, once again marveling at the ease of use and overall pleasantness. A quick underground ride later and we were back at St. Athans, our hotel.
Our day at Oxford was fun but very full. I was left looking forward to the upcoming days which include time at the British Museum, a day of rest, and attending a performance of “Much Ado About Nothing” at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Tyson Miller is a junior journalism major and English minor from Syracuse, Indiana. Next year, Tyson will serve as the student station manager for 91.1 The Globe and the executive editor for The Record during the spring semester.
