Student Blog: A Community Like No Other!

I thought I was dreaming. My parents were in tears, but I was absolutely ecstatic when I moved into Brasenose. Two years prior, I had visited Oxford on a school trip, which is when I fell in love with the beauty and serenity of the place. What ultimately drew me to Brasenose, however, was the incredible community that I found there.

I always thought of myself as an introvert and meeting new people initially felt daunting. However, I was surprised at how friendly and welcoming Brasenose was. One feature that made this possible is the college family system, where freshers are paired with ‘parents’ and ‘siblings’. My family made settling in far easier, especially since we all have so much in common. In addition to this, two of my parents do medicine, and they provided me with many useful tips and resources which made my start to the course a lot easier. My staircase is also full of the most amazing people, and with the kitchen at the bottom, it has become a hub of activity. My favourite experience in Michaelmas was making eighteen smash burgers for everyone and then having to explain to my dad why I smelt of mincemeat an hour later.

A great place to chill out in Brasenose is the JCR, where you’ll always find people playing FIFA, pool or table tennis. On Fridays we have welfare tea, but Saturdays in the JCR are the best, because that is when we have movie night—it’s a great way to unwind from all the work you’ve hopefully done over the week. I’ve also spent a lot of time with the Islamic Society. A regular activity I attend is the Friday Breakfast, where we enjoy the breakfasts that other colleges have to offer. I’ve made many friends in the ISoc, and there have been many memorable moments. I’ve also spent too much time on Cowley Road, where all the best food places are. I cannot describe the feeling of tucking into a Pepe’s Rice Box after a two-hour football session!

Of course, being at university carries with it certain responsibilities, including studying. It took some time to get used to the medicine course, but I have received plenty of help from my tutors and peers. I had initially envisioned my tutors to be intimidating, but I experienced quite the opposite. The medical tutors at Brasenose are very supportive and they genuinely want you to excel. They will always check-in with you during tutorials to ensure that you aren’t falling behind in your learning. You should never feel scared to reach out to others and ask for guidance at Brasenose, as there are countless support systems in place to ensure that you have all the help you need.

Next term, my goals are to invest more time into sports such as badminton, cricket and ice hockey, as well as getting more involved in college activities. And of course, focussing on my degree!

From late night poker (no money involved, I promise) to being proposed to with a gingerbread man, Michaelmas (our name for the first term) has been a delight.

Syed Amaan Ahmed, First Year Medicine, formerly of KEVI Camp Hill Boys