HCR information for Freshers

Dearest HCR Graduate Freshers,

It is with the greatest joy that I welcome you to Brasenose College and to the Hulme Common Room, which we hope will quickly become your home in Oxford. Before we dive into all the exciting details, I want to pause and say a huge congratulations. You have worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and every ounce of that effort deserves to be celebrated. October feels like it is taking forever to get here, because we truly cannot wait to meet you all in person. Now, some of you might be wondering, “What exactly is this HCR everyone keeps talking about, and why does it sound like such a big deal?” Let me take a moment to explain. For all you newbies joining us for a graduate degree at Brasenose, you automatically become a member of the Hulme Common Room, which we affectionately call the HCR. In most other colleges, this would be known as the Middle Common Room, or MCR, but here at Brasenose, we have our own special name for it. Our physical space is located on the right side as you enter the college from Radcliffe Square. Every graduate student, fresher or older, is always welcome in the HCR. This space is run by a dedicated committee whose passion is to keep the heart of our community warm and vibrant through a wonderful variety of activities designed to suit all kinds of interests. Our mission is simple but meaningful: we want the HCR to be a place where every single person feels seen, heard, and included. If you are someone who loves getting involved and shaping the community, we would absolutely love to have you on the HCR Committee. It is a fantastic way to make your mark and meet people. Come and have a chat with me, Mario, or Josephine when you spot us during Freshers’ Week, because we would be thrilled to answer your questions. We will be holding elections right at the start of Michaelmas Term, so do keep that in mind if you are interested.

I know that Oxford can feel like a whole different universe at first, with its extraordinary traditions and its very own way of doing things. To help you navigate this exciting but sometimes bewildering new world, I warmly encourage you to get your hands on our incredibly detailed Freshers’ Handbook for 26/27. Please think of it as a dictionary for all our quirky terms, and a guide for where to turn when you need is help. We use so much fancy-sounding jargon that even we have to stop and think. It is enough to make anyone outside Oxford scratch their head in confusion. But honestly, do not let that worry you for a second. You will pick it all up faster than you expect, and the handbook will be your gentle, reassuring guide as you step into this wonderful new chapter. If in doubt, you can always message us as well.

There are a few pieces of important information I really want to highlight for you, so please do take note. First, we have created a WhatsApp Group Chat just for you, and we strongly encourage you to join. It is the perfect space to connect with fellow incoming graduates, coordinate plans, ask questions, and offer help to one another as you settle in. We will be reaching out to you through two main channels: email will be our primary and more formal method of communication, especially for initial announcements, while WhatsApp will be used for follow-ups, friendly reminders, and informal chatter. You will also be assigned to a college family, and we will be in touch with more details about that soon. These families are a beloved and essential part of Freshers’ Week, because they help new students like you feel at home and find their footing in college life much more easily. Finally, do not forget to explore our website, which is packed with useful information. We will also send out weekly updates about upcoming social events, feature them on the term card, and announce them on the WhatsApp community, so you will never miss out on the fun.

Before I say goodbye for now, I want to take a moment to speak directly to those of you who might be feeling a little anxious or overwhelmed as your arrival draws closer. Perhaps you are worried that you will not fit in, or that Oxford will be too intense or too foreign. I want to reassure you, from the bottom of my heart, that these feelings are entirely normal and so many of us have been exactly where you are right now. I remember feeling that way myself, and I was so pleasantly surprised to discover that the Oxford I experienced was nothing like the intimidating place I had built up in my imagination. The reality is much warmer and much more human. Brasenose College, and especially the HCR, is filled with kind, approachable, wonderfully ordinary people who will welcome you with open arms. I truly believe, with all my confidence, that you will settle in beautifully, that you will find your tribe of friends, and that before long, this place will genuinely feel like a second home to you. Until the day we finally get to meet you in person, please travel safely, look after yourself, and know that we are all so excited to welcome you. Take care, and see you very soon.

Yours truly

Sanskar Ranglani

HCR President 2026/2027