The Oxford Experience - Overview of the Third Week

Hi guys! So we're on the third week! Here's a short little overview of what I'm going to be talking about during this blog post! Hope you like it!

Harry Potter sites in Oxford

Restaurants/Trucks/Stores that you MUST go to

King Lear (the play I went to)/As You Like it (the other play I went to)

Blackwells

The Charity Fashion Show

New College is Best College

Do you ever have that feeling when you realize how quickly time has passed? I think this week, it finally hit me that I’m  more than halfway done with this entire experience and honestly, that’s a bit scary. I’ve made so many new friends and I’ve enjoyed myself so much during this trip, I can’t even express how much I love the friends that I’ve already made here. Now that I’ve finally gotten use to the whole “Oxford experience” it’s hard to imagine not being a part of it. (Note: I’m not necessarily saying that I’d LOVE to come back here, because while Oxford is an amazing school with amazing things to do around campus, but it’s so expensive. Honestly, as a college student I’d be tempted by so many cafes that I’d probably be broke by the end of a week) . And because of this realization that everything’s ending so quickly, I think I went into overdrive this week and tried to do as much as I possibly could. While it might seem like I’m not doing anything, it’s important to keep in mind that I’m trying to do homework (like I mean that’s the REAL reason I’m here, everything else is just a huge plus, kind of like the Switzerland flag)  and hang out with friends at the same time so obviously I’m not going to be going sightseeing every day.

Stained glass windows have always been the most gorgeous pieces of history. 

One of the series that’s inspired me SO much as a child and has made me fall in love with actors, avidly watch movies to the point where my mom wouldn’t even ask what movie I wanted to watch because she’d know, that made me cry and laugh all in one sitting, and that made me sad when I realized that Hogwarts FORGOT to send me letter (I’m still waiting for it) is, obviously, Harry Potter. In fact I still remember pulling out all the movies when me and my dad head out to Tahoe every winter. So OBVIOUSLY I was going to take advantage of the fact that Oxford played an important role in the sets of the Harry Potter movies. Price was NO matter (love you mom, you’re a real blessing), but I absolutely HAD to see these places while here.

no big deal, just casually chilling in the hall that HARRY POTTER WAS BASED OFF OF

Christ Church Dining Hall: I actually wouldn’t recommend going to the Dining Hall itself, because it’s a bit difficult to see how it’s the same thing as in Harry Potter, but there’s also THE STAIRCASE from the first movie (ah they were so young and cute :’)) and I honestly do think the staircase was worth it. It’s amazing to see your childhood become real life, and I think those are the emotions that hit me when I got to see the place where Draco and Harry first decided to become enemies. Not only that, but Christ Church is SUCH a beautiful college, the view reminds you of somewhere that the Queen could probably live.

Quite literally the coolest library I will ever have been in

The Bodleian Library  (and the infirmary which was on the bottom floor): THIS IS A MUST. Not only was the Harry Potter library here, but it was also super interesting. This library itself made me WANT to go Oxford just to be able to go and sit in it. The books are so ancient and the actual library is an amazing place to just sit and study for upcoming exams. Not only that, but they overall have around 12 million books in their possession, which means more books for the students ;D (OH AND ON A TOTAL SIDE NOTE, you can see the place where Ron had his dance lessons with McGonagall, and personally I remember being in stitches when I read this part of the books)

I love this college so much #NewCollege

Hi, Buckingham Palace called, they need the gate from New College!

New College (THE TREE WHERE DRACO MALFOY SAT OMG I CAN’T GET OVER IT): Well, I got in for free, since I went with my Neuropsychology class, so I’m not sure how much it actually costs. But this college is somewhere I’d actually want to go because it’s SO beautiful and majestic, and I swear it gives off this queen-ish aura. Whether to curl up under a tree or in the middle of a park and read or to go and visit the tree where Draco Malfoy was transformed into a ferret, I’d definitely give this place a 10/10.

Once in history.... Malfoy turned into a ferret. 

I really want to play the organ now thanks to this.

Pitt Rivers Museum (remember the heads???): I went here the first week I got back and I didn’t really know it was relevant to Harry Potter, but now that I’m looking back on it.... If you like museums, then you should definitely go! You can see shrunken skulls! (That’s literally the extent of my knowledge about this museum)

Every time I look at Adam and Eve it kills me. (Note: Madonna is the all veggie pizza)

Hummus or humous, you take your pic

Cafe Nero is actually so good, it's the Starbucks of UK (even though they have a Starbucks)

Grocery store food has never looked so good

How do you actually drink this?

So while you’re here, you might ask, WHERE DO I EAT? (I can confirm, because that’s literally the biggest adventure of all). Never fear, Super Ipsita is here (literally)! I’d honestly recommend the PIZZA TRUCK (I believe it’s called Artisan Pizza or Pizza Artisan or something like that) which is outside Pembroke every night from 7 in the evening! Despite the long wait, the pizza was so mouthwatering and delicious that I almost cried. (Oh and the names of the pizzas are really punny, so that’s a plus!) If you like your meat, then make sure to hit up McCoy’s, the kebab truck (please don’t be like this one kid who said kuh-bAb, remember it’s kuh-baHb) because I’ve heard some really great things about the truck from my friend. While we’re speaking of trucks, the first place you should probably go if you come from a tiny little city like I do is go to.... the CREPE TRUCK. Oh my god, the crepe truck was heavenly, Nutella crepes are honestly the most mouth-watering/lovely/EPIC sight I’ve ever laid my eyes on. But you really can’t survive on pizza, kebabs and crepes for an entire month can you? (Well... if you were trying to put on 200 pounds, this is the way to go). If you’re sort of indecisive about your food, you can head to the covered market, where there are multiple restaurants to go to (personally my favorite was Sasi’s Thai, because of their cheap and delicious Thai ice tea), but there are other cafes and restaurants to go to if you just don’t like Thai food. They even have this GREAT milkshake stand, MooMoo’s, where you can get practically anything made into a milkshake (I’d recommend taking your Ben’s Cookies and making them into a milkshake). I also have to give a shoutout to Formosan (or whatever the milk tea place is ACTUALLY called) because when it was pouring outside they provided shelter, wifi and a drink (and they have this cute little tea room, oh my god, coming from the milk tea hub of the Bay Area this was like a little blessing).

Sasi's! I'm honestly addicted to Thai iced tea.

Old Tom's (I'm not even sure what the rest of the name is)

One of the greatest places, in my opinion, in Oxford was.... Blackwells, the ever-famous bookstore. I’m not even kidding, the amount of books there ASTOUNDED me (can’t compare to Barnes and Nobles), and they were even selling cute geeky book shirts (I personally wanted the Great Gatsby one). Honestly, I could probably live in there; they have all the essentials: food and books. Although they didn’t have my favorite book, Gone with the Wind, I did find my other favorite, To Kill a Mockingbird, and I curled up in the reading area with a cup of hot chocolate, and I swear it was the best experience of my life.

New College has the cutest little flowers ever.

Also to get a little bit out of the status quo of life in California, I participated in a charity in the program that helped to support The Book Bus, which is a charity that helps to deliver books to underprivileged children in South America, Africa and Asia. Personally, I couldn’t imagine life without some of my favorite books, and as one of my new friends said (and this is a direct quote) “I know that without Harry Potter, I’d probably be much less of a nerd and I’d probably have gone outside more.” (PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS TOTAL SARCASM SHE’S THE BIGGEST HARRY POTTER FAN I’VE EVER MET) Because of the important role that books have played in my life, I was extra-inspired and devoted to the charity, and I wanted to do my best to aid the cause by winning the fashion show. Although we didn’t win, we ended up with third place, and to be honest, the feeling was pretty dang amazing. And I can confirm that even though we didn’t win, the designer of this dress is going to end up famous, because even though she just worked with a stapler and a couple of books, she created an amazing Project Runway worthy dress.

THE DRESS from the fashion show! #modelstatus

Once again I bid y’all (I have southern friends okay, this has now become a thing) farewell. Until next week!