Oil and Water

In many ways, trying to mix academic excellence with the glorious Oxford spring weather is like attempting to blend oil and water. They just don’t mix. And, despite the passion that all of our young minds have for learning, the sunshine has consistently won out over reading in a stuffy library. 

ben's birthday dinner 

Yet, somehow we all managed to submit our first case studies by midnight last night. Until this assignment—the first one that we all shared a deadline for—I had never realised the endemic nature of procrastination in our house, and I think it’s safe to say that most of us were at it until the eleventh hour, literally.

Winchester Cathedral Nave:
we took a roof tour so we got to walk inside the ceiling above it!

Line of Jesse window
....Jesse is at the bottom (in the purple) and his
whole line of descendants, up to Jesus at the top, is
included in this giant, beautiful family tree! so neat!

One benefit of this wonder weather is the chance we now have to explore a bit more of England on field trips with SCIO. Thus far we’ve visited St. Albans (cathedrals, roman theatre ruins…) and Winchester (another cathedral, and an elite English boarding school which has been around since the 1300s…and where our trip leader Jonathan went before Oxford!). Later this week we’re headed to Bath!

picnic time!

Another wonderful highlight has been the opportunity to spend more time out seeing Oxford not wearing 2 coats/gloves/hats etc. Studying in the park, watching cricket and laughing with friends, picnicking on Saturday afternoon, biking through Port Meadow, food fam dinner in the backyard…the list continues to grow. I have been so blessed to form some of the best friendships I’ve ever had this semester, and I am so glad that we have a few more weeks of beautiful spring to spend with each other.

south park picnic!