Many friends of mine have brought it to my attention that I'm a people pleaser. Sometimes and grin and nod, and just listen to what people have to say, other times I'll go out of my way to do something for people who I love and respect, or... it's just too plain hard to say no.
In this case, though, I found it hard to say no to myself, so now I find myself playing on both the Rugby and Football (to Americans...Soccer) teams for New College.
I first wanted to do Rugby so I could participate in an activity that is very "British". It's been a great learning experience, I really enjoy it so far, not to mention I get to play with a great group of girls and really feel a part of Oxford student life. Today was our first set of games together at the Touch-Cuppers College Rugby Tournament at the Exeter sports grounds, and boy was it a tiring day! First and foremost, I was impressed how well we came together as a team and actually played good & challenging matches. After two practices, we had only learned the techniques and basic rules and never really worked together before. Today's tournament was a great turning point for us all though, and we realized how much of a chance we really could have in winning the next tournament in November. At the end of today, the New College girls barely came in fifth out of ten teams, just missing the semi-finals. The next step is learning coordinated plays, setting them in motion, and learning more physical defense, not to mention perfecting our passing and tackling skills. All in all, today was quite satisfying and I look forward to what I have to report next!
Second, I mentioned above how "I can't say no", well that's where the football comes in. In case you already didn't know, football/soccer is my athletic passion, and when in the heat of the game, I'd live, die and even sacrifice my body for the sport. I know it sounds a little intense or even extreme for me, but that's just how my mind works when I get caught up in the game. (For future reference, I will call soccer, football, because that is it's true and original name, but its also what I've grown used to over here.) So that's where the "no" part comes in, I couldn't resist playing football while over here, and now I find my self doing two sports, two tutorials, and too much socializing. It's a nice balance, though, and I'm going to really miss all this energetic activity when I return to the 'dale.
So I officially began football yesterday. Funny thing, I literally joined the team as they were walking towards the pitch for a match. It all began when I crossed the street to say hello to Lydia, an OSAP friend. In conversation, I found out they were short a player, simply changed direction and joined the team. My exhaustion from two previous hours of Rugby practice seemed to vanish at the thought of playing soccer, and I never felt so welcomed to join a team at the last second.
It was New College's first game of the season and we played Magdalene College. It was your stereotypical football movie scenario. We looked so rag-tag with mismatched uniforms and equipment, all straggling in at various times and never had a practice all together, whereas Magdalene looked so professional and experienced, even their players physically looked like pro-athletes. It turned out to be one of those incredible underdog stories, in a way, and despite all our flaws we won the game 7 to nihl. I played keeper the entire game, and loved every single second of it. Not gonna deny it either, but I had some pretty good saves. One was a glorious slide that just barely knocked out a penalty kick on me. But a team does not win with just one player, and I came away thoroughly impressed with how the rest of the team brought things together. They exhibited great passing and teamwork; a great start to the beginning of a season. I also look forward to acquainting myself with my teammates more. The Rugby girls are a wonderful group but we're actually half English, half American. My fellow ladies of the New College football team however, come from far and wide: three Americans (including me), one Kiwi (New Zealand), one graduate student from South Africa, and the rest all from parts of the United Kingdom. I think we all hit it off really well as a team primarily because we share the same priority, that is, to keep alive the love of the game and have fun playing. So enough of my passionate ramblings, now that my weekend of sporting is over, it's time to return to the books.
All the Best,
Lindsay
Adventures, thoughts and reflections of a year studying at Oxford and traveling abroad.
Sunday, 21 October 2007
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
Blood, Sweat and Tears
No, my first Rugby practice was not exactly THAT dramatic, but it was enough of a workout to leave with little wet droplets running down the sides of my face. To be honest, I am thrilled to be telling people that I have joined the New College Women's Rugby team. At the mere thought of Rugby, the mind conceives images of concussions, deathly blows, grins with several teeth missing, exhausting work and American football like skills. It makes me feel tough inside to be a rugby player and suddenly capable of conquest anywhere in my life.
The New College team is composed of about 13 or 14 Oxford Univ. women, and most of us actually have never touched a Rugby football. After one practice I haven't really had the opportunity to get to know the other players really well, but we have the whole term ahead of us for that. The first practice, therefore, focused on techniques and basic football skills in the game. No heavy tackling, just two hand touch tackling to start out with. I learned to pass the ball, rules and how the ball moves in play, as well as offense/defense formations and plays. It was one of the most intellectually overwhelming athletic practices I think I've ever had in my life. By the end of the two hours though, I was beginning to catch on.
The hardest part to get used to is you basically need to pass the ball behind or laterally while also moving forward and looking around to dodge tackles. It's really quite a fascinating game to participate in. Our coach drove the point home that this game is all about taking risks, and in rugby, taking a risk and trying a new move is more likely to get your team closer to ground the ball rather than standing like a deer in the headlights. It was kind of liberating to be taking risks in my decisions. As a student in college, you all too often fit into a daily routine, complete assigned tasks, socialize with the same people, and fall into a comfortable lifestyle. Now that I've been at Oxford for almost 5 months, I too have assumed a regular routine of events. The fresh mindset I've learned from Rugby in just one practice, really has made this new fall semester even more exhilarating than I imagined it would be.
Already I've begun to make new, strange decisions in my life and found every moment to be rewarding. For example, I've decided to pursue my passion for culture despite the high cost at times, and spent a magnificent evening at the Opera in London; a night I will always remember. I've been more bold socially and experienced some of the most incredible moments with both friends and strangers. Who knows what else the rest of this year has in store for me? I have no clue but I am anxious with the mystery of it all. The one thing that I certainly know is coming next is my first rugby game on Sunday after a couple more practices! So we'll just have to wait and see how that goes. Until then... Carpe Diem!
The New College team is composed of about 13 or 14 Oxford Univ. women, and most of us actually have never touched a Rugby football. After one practice I haven't really had the opportunity to get to know the other players really well, but we have the whole term ahead of us for that. The first practice, therefore, focused on techniques and basic football skills in the game. No heavy tackling, just two hand touch tackling to start out with. I learned to pass the ball, rules and how the ball moves in play, as well as offense/defense formations and plays. It was one of the most intellectually overwhelming athletic practices I think I've ever had in my life. By the end of the two hours though, I was beginning to catch on.
The hardest part to get used to is you basically need to pass the ball behind or laterally while also moving forward and looking around to dodge tackles. It's really quite a fascinating game to participate in. Our coach drove the point home that this game is all about taking risks, and in rugby, taking a risk and trying a new move is more likely to get your team closer to ground the ball rather than standing like a deer in the headlights. It was kind of liberating to be taking risks in my decisions. As a student in college, you all too often fit into a daily routine, complete assigned tasks, socialize with the same people, and fall into a comfortable lifestyle. Now that I've been at Oxford for almost 5 months, I too have assumed a regular routine of events. The fresh mindset I've learned from Rugby in just one practice, really has made this new fall semester even more exhilarating than I imagined it would be.
Already I've begun to make new, strange decisions in my life and found every moment to be rewarding. For example, I've decided to pursue my passion for culture despite the high cost at times, and spent a magnificent evening at the Opera in London; a night I will always remember. I've been more bold socially and experienced some of the most incredible moments with both friends and strangers. Who knows what else the rest of this year has in store for me? I have no clue but I am anxious with the mystery of it all. The one thing that I certainly know is coming next is my first rugby game on Sunday after a couple more practices! So we'll just have to wait and see how that goes. Until then... Carpe Diem!
Sunday, 7 October 2007
Michelmas Term Begins!!!
It's been quite a while since my last post. After my return from Europe, I had some days of rest and peace, sleeping in, reading, and cleaning around the apartment for the arrival of my parents. About a week after I returned, I welcomed my wonderful parents into my new home and spent a unique 10 days with familiar company. It was so good to see them and I was so pleased to spend quality time with them. Unlike our past experiences in England together, this time we skipped the sightseeing activities and took our time exploring Oxford. Part of our lackadaisical schedule was due to the fact that Mom was nursing a broken foot, but it lent to some wonderful conversations in tea rooms, my living room, at dinner tables and of course the traditional pub. It wasn't too much later, when it was time for them to return to the states and I was once again left to my own devices until the rest of the OSAP gang started to arrive.
Once Tuesday rolled around, I was very excited to once again have fellow students my age surrounding me day in and day out. Living alone really can make a person possessive of how the house is kept, so I honestly had mixed feelings when my lovely, spotless apartment was suddenly invaded by 5 people of different lifestyles, but my enthusiasm to have company again certainly overcame any irritation on my part. What a silly thought on my part...but it is true! I'm completely over it now though. So now there are 6 of us at 24 Cranham. Bin bin, the British tenant is a Grad Student in Chemistry doing research at Linacre College. She lives in the room next to me and is a very quiet house mate but one of the sweetest girls. If I could pick a second study to be good at it would be chemistry...her stories about research in the lab can be quite amusing and sound really fun at times. Down the hall is Emily Clise, a junior from Carnegie Mellon University. I know nothing about her college, but she is studying something about Islam while she is here for an entire year. She is a very outgoing girl and is a great instigator of lots of group activities among us OSAP kids. In the other upstairs room is the lovely miss Caitlin McCallum, my good friend from Hillsdale and sorority sister. I don't know what I would do without her familiar company; she is such a comfort to me at times and being around her with other students allows me to be myself more and less reserved. Having Caitlin here is truly a blessing! Downstairs are the two Andreas, both from Gonzaga University in Washington state. Andrea Crow is also a quiet house mate and a dedicated worker. We hardly see her around but when we do, she seems to be enjoying herself...I guess; it's hard to read her sometimes. Andrea Westwood, on the other hand is the life of the party! A spunky and hilarious personality, she truly is a joy to be around. I am truly impressed how she seems to be able to look like she's having fun out all the time, but also a dedicated student as I catch her studying just as much as when she's out having fun!
So the first week after all the kids arrived, we were busy with countless orientation lectures and it seemed like we were always meeting new kids from the program every day. I've met so many students it would take a good while to describe them all so I will list the name of my peers I see the most and list one or maybe two adjectives I think most applicable to their diverse personalities. Katarina is dynamic and boisterous; Aaron is mellow and jovial; Claire is lively and sophisticated; Stephanie is smart and quirky; Katie is friendly and confident; Angela is loving and mysterious; Camilo is cultured and avant-garde; and I could go on and on. There must be a good 25 to 30 peers I know now.
The city of Oxford has also come alive with the activities of student life as well. It's a different experience going around town now. One of my most exhilarating activities I've enjoyed so far was the Oxford University Student Union's "Fresher's Fair". Located in the examination schools, the freshers fair was a collection of probably around 400-500 tables and booths set up decoratively advertising various student clubs, sports teams, honoraries and organizations students can involve themselves in. I was so overwhelmed by the possibilities that are available to students. When you first walk in you are hounded by the various political and activist groups. The was the Oxford University Labour party, OU Liberal Democrats, anti-animal testing rights activist group and even a pro-animal testing right group! Next, on the left side the room was filled with all sorts of nationality groups: Korean Society, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Greek, Spanish, German, French, etc. On the right were several religious societies. I found the Oxford Inter-collegiate Christian Union, there was also a Catholic society, Islam society, Buddhist, Quaker, etc. In the next room were all the sports and athletic groups: Water Polo, Baseball, American Football, Karate, Tae kwando, Men's & Women's Rugby, Polo, Running, Walking, Rock Climbing, Gliding, Dancesport (Competitive Ballroom, Salsa, Tango, et.), Football, Cricket, Hockey, Croquet, and Lacrosse just to name a few. I joined the New College Rugby team and the Croquet club, so we'll see how that goes. I'm really excited about the Rugby especially because it is a small team of about 14 British girls that's somewhat competitive but really there to have fun together. So I'll definitely have more to report on that at a later date. Oh, and Mom & Dad...You really don't have anything to worry about. If I can sideswipe a Kappa into a puddle of mud in soccer without hurting myself, I think I can hold my own in rugby. Maybe I'll bring some mad rugby skills back to the dale for Pi Phi sports in the future!
The rest of the rooms were various other clubs that had such a diverse range. I'll list all that I can remember, because I think that would best give you a good idea of all that is available here. There was a gastronomy club, a beer club, a wine tasting society, a Big Band, a Gregorian Chant choir, the various college choirs, Jazz Bands, an Anime club, 5 film societies, 3 magazines and newpapers to work with, C.S. Lewis club, a Tolkein and Middle Earth society, Entrepreneur's society (which I signed up for), Traveler's clubs, Chemistry Club, Finance and Investments Society, as well as fencing and a Hound & Hunting Club (which I signed up for too...pretty darn cool and quintessentially English).
So apart from the Fresher's fair, I've started my tutorials as well and I'm already feeling the pressure of juggling socializing with work. I'm hoping that the added Rugby practice will help eat up time so I'll have more concentration and efficiency in the time I have left to work. I'm studying with the wonderful Dr. Michael Hurst again and this time I'm doing two tutorials with him. Course One is: Foreign Diplomacy and Alliances between the great European Powers 1866 to 1914. Pretty much, all the mess that happened between the countries that set the world up for the Great War of 1914. Course Two is: The Inter war years, the Armistice of 1918 and buildup to WWII. So I've already written my essay for Course one on France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 and the shift in the Balance of Power afterwards as well as begun readings for Course two's paper. All I can say at this point is....the work begins! In other words, I'll be lucky if I can spare an hour here or there to update my posts, but I will try my utmost & I look forward to informing you all about my new adventures here as a full time Oxford student!
All the Best, LH
Once Tuesday rolled around, I was very excited to once again have fellow students my age surrounding me day in and day out. Living alone really can make a person possessive of how the house is kept, so I honestly had mixed feelings when my lovely, spotless apartment was suddenly invaded by 5 people of different lifestyles, but my enthusiasm to have company again certainly overcame any irritation on my part. What a silly thought on my part...but it is true! I'm completely over it now though. So now there are 6 of us at 24 Cranham. Bin bin, the British tenant is a Grad Student in Chemistry doing research at Linacre College. She lives in the room next to me and is a very quiet house mate but one of the sweetest girls. If I could pick a second study to be good at it would be chemistry...her stories about research in the lab can be quite amusing and sound really fun at times. Down the hall is Emily Clise, a junior from Carnegie Mellon University. I know nothing about her college, but she is studying something about Islam while she is here for an entire year. She is a very outgoing girl and is a great instigator of lots of group activities among us OSAP kids. In the other upstairs room is the lovely miss Caitlin McCallum, my good friend from Hillsdale and sorority sister. I don't know what I would do without her familiar company; she is such a comfort to me at times and being around her with other students allows me to be myself more and less reserved. Having Caitlin here is truly a blessing! Downstairs are the two Andreas, both from Gonzaga University in Washington state. Andrea Crow is also a quiet house mate and a dedicated worker. We hardly see her around but when we do, she seems to be enjoying herself...I guess; it's hard to read her sometimes. Andrea Westwood, on the other hand is the life of the party! A spunky and hilarious personality, she truly is a joy to be around. I am truly impressed how she seems to be able to look like she's having fun out all the time, but also a dedicated student as I catch her studying just as much as when she's out having fun!
So the first week after all the kids arrived, we were busy with countless orientation lectures and it seemed like we were always meeting new kids from the program every day. I've met so many students it would take a good while to describe them all so I will list the name of my peers I see the most and list one or maybe two adjectives I think most applicable to their diverse personalities. Katarina is dynamic and boisterous; Aaron is mellow and jovial; Claire is lively and sophisticated; Stephanie is smart and quirky; Katie is friendly and confident; Angela is loving and mysterious; Camilo is cultured and avant-garde; and I could go on and on. There must be a good 25 to 30 peers I know now.
The city of Oxford has also come alive with the activities of student life as well. It's a different experience going around town now. One of my most exhilarating activities I've enjoyed so far was the Oxford University Student Union's "Fresher's Fair". Located in the examination schools, the freshers fair was a collection of probably around 400-500 tables and booths set up decoratively advertising various student clubs, sports teams, honoraries and organizations students can involve themselves in. I was so overwhelmed by the possibilities that are available to students. When you first walk in you are hounded by the various political and activist groups. The was the Oxford University Labour party, OU Liberal Democrats, anti-animal testing rights activist group and even a pro-animal testing right group! Next, on the left side the room was filled with all sorts of nationality groups: Korean Society, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Greek, Spanish, German, French, etc. On the right were several religious societies. I found the Oxford Inter-collegiate Christian Union, there was also a Catholic society, Islam society, Buddhist, Quaker, etc. In the next room were all the sports and athletic groups: Water Polo, Baseball, American Football, Karate, Tae kwando, Men's & Women's Rugby, Polo, Running, Walking, Rock Climbing, Gliding, Dancesport (Competitive Ballroom, Salsa, Tango, et.), Football, Cricket, Hockey, Croquet, and Lacrosse just to name a few. I joined the New College Rugby team and the Croquet club, so we'll see how that goes. I'm really excited about the Rugby especially because it is a small team of about 14 British girls that's somewhat competitive but really there to have fun together. So I'll definitely have more to report on that at a later date. Oh, and Mom & Dad...You really don't have anything to worry about. If I can sideswipe a Kappa into a puddle of mud in soccer without hurting myself, I think I can hold my own in rugby. Maybe I'll bring some mad rugby skills back to the dale for Pi Phi sports in the future!
The rest of the rooms were various other clubs that had such a diverse range. I'll list all that I can remember, because I think that would best give you a good idea of all that is available here. There was a gastronomy club, a beer club, a wine tasting society, a Big Band, a Gregorian Chant choir, the various college choirs, Jazz Bands, an Anime club, 5 film societies, 3 magazines and newpapers to work with, C.S. Lewis club, a Tolkein and Middle Earth society, Entrepreneur's society (which I signed up for), Traveler's clubs, Chemistry Club, Finance and Investments Society, as well as fencing and a Hound & Hunting Club (which I signed up for too...pretty darn cool and quintessentially English).
So apart from the Fresher's fair, I've started my tutorials as well and I'm already feeling the pressure of juggling socializing with work. I'm hoping that the added Rugby practice will help eat up time so I'll have more concentration and efficiency in the time I have left to work. I'm studying with the wonderful Dr. Michael Hurst again and this time I'm doing two tutorials with him. Course One is: Foreign Diplomacy and Alliances between the great European Powers 1866 to 1914. Pretty much, all the mess that happened between the countries that set the world up for the Great War of 1914. Course Two is: The Inter war years, the Armistice of 1918 and buildup to WWII. So I've already written my essay for Course one on France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 and the shift in the Balance of Power afterwards as well as begun readings for Course two's paper. All I can say at this point is....the work begins! In other words, I'll be lucky if I can spare an hour here or there to update my posts, but I will try my utmost & I look forward to informing you all about my new adventures here as a full time Oxford student!
All the Best, LH
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)