Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Oxford

What do I need to do in Oxford, UK?

justalisteningman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:01:36 -0800

What do I need to do in Oxford, UK? I'm a 19 year old student from the Pacific Northwest who is flying to the upcoming Oxford debate tournament this weekend. I've never been to England, and I want to make sure I see everything I should. Oxford seems like a place that has a lot of hidden secrets that the hive mind could inform me of.

We'll be arriving Thursday morning, and adjusting to jet lag that day. So I'll have Thursday during the day, Friday and Saturday after rounds/dinners end, and all of Sunday. We leave Monday morning.

Also, any extra UK/Oxford specific information that might be valuable (like don't order Irish Car bombs in Irish Pubs) would be appreciated.

My hair looks ridiculous.

Eumachia L F — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:48:59 -0800

I just moved to the UK and desperately need a haircut. Do you know a good salon and/or stylist in either Birmingham or Oxford that can do well with short, very thick, straight hair? (I am a girl) I'm looking for somewhere moderately priced and stylish (but not too trendy or too snooty). I'm accustomed to a place that did well with modern haircuts and always made good recommendations for my hair and face. I am usually happy to try out new styles, but have no idea what would actually look good on me specifically. I never know how to answer when they ask me what I want done. I loved my old place because I could sit down and ask the stylist what she would do with my hair if I gave her free reign (and I usually did).

Mostly, I need to find a stylist I can trust to suggest and execute a good cut that will complement my face and grow out well. I know these are basic salon requirements, but I'm new around here and have no idea where to begin. Any suggestions? I will be traveling between Birmingham and Oxford all week, so suggestions in either location are welcome. Thanks.

*Bonus question: what should I expect to pay for a woman's cut in a salon?

Oxford in literature

Ginkgo — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:52:33 -0800

Do you have any recommendations for interesting fiction about/taking place in/somehow related to Oxford? I'll be starting a Master's at Oxford in a few months without ever having been there. I'm looking for good novels or short stories, etc. that have to do with Oxford, as a different sort of way of learning about the place and maybe snippets of its history or experiences of living there. I'm currently reading Brideshead Revisited, part of which takes place at Oxford, which I suppose is what put the bee in my bonnet. I like all sorts of fiction, not just things like Waugh, though I do love him and that era (let's say first half of the 20th century) in general. Any ideas?

Dear Abby, I'm looking for a good witch doctor. Yours, anxious in NYC.

grumblebee — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:02:00 -0800

I need a good psychiatrist / neurologist in NYC. Oxford Health Plan. All my life, I've suffered from anxiety. It's low grade. I don't have panic attacks. I function as I'm supposed to and perform well at my job. I come from a family of Woody-Allen-esque Jews, so I figured that anxiety was simply my birthright. Most of my relatives are worry warts.

At 43, I've had an epiphany: I don't have to -- or at least I shouldn't have to -- live that way for the rest of my life. It's not fun or romantic or funny. I'm tired of walking around with a slightly queasy stomach all the time. I'm tired of constant what-if thoughts and sleepless nights. I want to be able to truly relax.

I've done the talking cure before, and I think it can be effective for some things, but that's not the route I'd like to go now. (Though if an MD suggests it as part of a treatment regime, I'm open to it.) I've also tried meditation. So far I've failed with that, but I'll keep trying. I'd love to try biofeedback some time, but that's another story.

What I've never tried is meds. I suspect that my life would be better if I was on some sort of anxiety medication. I want to explore this option (and other options) with an expert. Who should I see?

How to get started with surfing in the UK?

tomw — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:40:52 -0800

How to get started with surfing in the UK? I want to get into surfing. I did it once, about 15 years ago. Now I'm willing to spend some cash if needs be. I'm based in Oxford so I'm looking for suggestions on where to go, how to get started, is it worth going to a 'surf school' (I've heard it's not).

Thanks in advance for the beginners tips...

Because I want to drink orange juice after brushing my teeth.

chorltonmeateater — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:13:07 -0800

Where can I buy Euthymol in Oxford? I could buy it in Morrisons in Manchester, but it doesn't seem to have made its way down South. I'm finding it hard to go back to mint-flavoured toothpaste!

Preparing for a 85-mile bike trip

WalterMitty — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:11:39 -0800

A few unprepared 20somethings are going on a cycling trip from Oxford to Cambridge. Hilarity ensues. Or it will, if we don't prepare. Help us avoid unplanned-for hilarity by answering a couple of questions about preparation and what to expect. We'd really be thankful. We're organizing a cycling trip from Oxford to Cambridge this weekend – a journey of about 135km (or 84miles). The trip's supposed to taken over a weekend, and there will probably be about 3-5 cyclists involved.

None of us are sportsmen or have undertaken a cycling trip of this length before. We have a few questions regarding preparation for the trip and what we can expect.

- What kind of training, if any, should we undertake prior to the trip?
- Should we invest in cycling gear? If yes, what kind?
- What's cycling in the UK countryside like?
- Will the weather surprise us?

We all usually cycle within Oxford, and have basic cycling gear (e.g. helmets, reflective thingamajigs). All the bikes have front and rear lights (since it's illegal to bike around at night without lights in the UK), but are in varying states of repair. All are fairly basic mountain bike models (costing £100 or less).

Additionally, there is talk of pooling our funds to rent a car for a day and use it as a "safety car". Considering our general lack of conditioning and unfamiliarity with the country (none of us being British), it's probably a good idea – is there a car rental agency (national or, at least with an Oxford branch) you'd recommend?

My main worry is that a bunch of college-age, completely unconditioned 20somethings will not be able to complete the 130km trip, especially since England's side roads aren't necessarily flat - the unceasing undulations can really wreck an untrained cyclist's day. The organisers claim it won't be a problem and say the distance isn't that far. Who's right?

Thanks!

Previous relevant topics on AskMe:

1. Planning a California Road Bike Trip
2. europe bike trek questions
3. Bike accessories, without going overboard?

NHL hockey shown in Oxford?

Fat Charlie the Archangel — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:00:07 -0800

Is there anywhere to watch live NHL hockey in Oxford? On Saturday there are afternoon NHL games in North America, which means during standard pub opening hours in the UK. Anywhere that shows some of the games? Alternately, does some Canadian/American expat group organize a screening?

So after we've ______'d the Cotswold sheep, then what?

robocop is bleeding — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:38:45 -0800

We will be spending one week in a rented cottage in Brize Norton, UK this coming May before heading over to ATP. We'll be close to Oxford, which is covered nicely online and in travel books, but are looking for additional activities and adventures that may be off the beaten path. Do you know of any online resources for locating cool things in that general area? Do you have any recommendations as for things to do or avoid?

It seems like most of the village-type online resources are of the 'not updated very often' variety for obvious reasons. This makes planning tricky, though. Since this is the Cotswolds, a lot of travel sites handwave and say "it's all good." We'd hate to find out we missed something super-awesome on our way back.

My wife and I are in our late twenties, will have a car, and have a penchant for: Old Things (ancient, medieval), Haunted Things, Pub Things, Bookish Things, Charming Things, and so on.

Bonus points for telling us the best location to try for a short ramble followed by a nice picnic lunch.

Hons, Dons, and one smoking MA Oxon

rhinny — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 14:57:37 -0800

Help me be accepted to Oxford University. I am not concerned with academic requirements (my grades are excellent). I need to know what I can do to set myself apart from all the other ambitious and overeducated nerds who will be fighting for my place. I have exactly two years to make myself amazing. I’m 25, back at University, and I’ve finally figured out what I want to do with my life. My desired career is competitive (way more brilliant academics graduate with art history degrees than find curatorial jobs in prestigious museums). I want to do my MA at Oxford for several reasons: a) I’m a serious snob b) I value quality of education c) I know the networking possibilities are endless and c) I’m cynical enough to know that ‘Oxon’ on the resume receives more attention than ‘Milton Keynes Poly’ does.

I’m presently in the early stages of my BA at a good Canadian university (UBC). Once I finish here, I’ll have the following:
-BA Hons* in art history (focusing on either classical period Greece or late Roman Britain – I haven’t decided yet)
-Minor in classical studies (double major if I have the time – I’m doing this in 2 years)
-Languages: English, French, German, Latin

*Canadian universities don’t have a system of firsts, seconds, and thirds.

Here be the problem: I have to work to finance my education, so I don’t have a lot of time for extracurricular activities. I can do some volunteering, but I really do not have the time to get heavily involved at school. I also do not have the time or funds to do a semester abroad, though I am quite well-travelled already (in Europe, at least).

(I'm a British citizen, but not a resident. I'm planning on moving to the UK permanently.)

Oxford: Parking for myself and a car?

MasonDixon — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 05:35:29 -0800

Oxford UK: Want to know where I can park myself at an inexpensive B&B and my car. (There is an older AskMe B&B Oxford question, but it is two years old.)

Looking for an inexpensive B&B for myself --as a student I always liked the cheap ones where I got to stay with an "old" couple whose kids had moved out or somesuch. Needn't be in city centre, but I would like it to be no more than a half hour by foot, bus, train or car.

As for the car, I know this is somewhat dependent on where I lodge, but will I be ticketed without a permit for street parking? How is parking generally in Oxford? Are daily or weekly car parks available for a reasonable rate?

Why do students at Oxford University wear carnations to exams?

geeky — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 09:50:12 -0800

Why do students at Oxford University wear carnations to exams? I learned today that Oxford students wear carnations of various colors to exams (thanks, Wikipedia), but I can't seem to find a reason why or an explanation of how the tradition started.

When's best to get the train home for Christmas?

caek — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 02:20:21 -0800

When will the UK passenger rail service, particularly journeys on Virgin Cross Country via Birmingam New Street, be quietest: Thursday evening or Friday morning? I'm getting the train home for Christmas from Oxford to Sheffield, and am keen to avoid the annual ordeal of fighting for seats and sitting on the floor outside the toilets.

How can I pay for Oxford's Mst. in creative writing?

scarylarry — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 19:31:20 -0800

Is there any way for me to fund Oxford's Mst. course in creative writing? Or will I need to suck it up and decline their offer? I'm an American, and I've been accepted in Oxford's Mst. course in creative writing (outlined here). The total annual fee is 4,890 GBP. Estimated additional living expenses are 9,250 GBP per year. It's a two year programme.

For a variety of reasons, this is my top-choice graduate-level course in creative writing; as they're not especially relevent to this question, I'll leave them aside. Suffice it to say that I'd be thrilled to accept their offer if I can.

My problem is that I don't see how I can possibly fund my study. I only have a few thousand dollars in savings, and that isn't likely to change any time soon.

I am happy to take out substantial loans, and to send out as many applications as possible for grants or scholarships. The programme website, linked above, lists a few bursaries and grants, but I am only eligible for one of them, and it's a very small offer.

I am a bit apprehensive about contacting the programme head directly, but I plan to do that tomorrow. Apart from pleading my case to Oxford, and maybe requesting a year's deferral, are there any other venues open to me to apply for loans/grants? The programme's webpage links to prospects.ac.uk, which I'm scouring. Anything else out there?

Thank you very much!

Help me buy my mum a mac

grahamwell — Thu, 04 May 2006 04:50:08 -0800

My mum wants to buy a Mac. What's the best option right now (in the UK)? Her six year old IBM laptop is creaking to a halt. We (the loving children) want to exchange photographs, videos, e-mail etc and it's getting frustrating - opening a jpeg is a real trial for her with the antique version of AoL she's using. She wants to be able to write, get a digital camera and seems very keen on handwriting recognition, so a tablet's on the shopping list too. I'll sort out the broadband - that I can do - and I know that she will *love* an iPod (but that's for later).

She's not that troubled about money, knows that a Mac will cost more and is prepared to pay for simplicity and good design. She needs to get various Word 6 documents off the laptop and work on them, I'm hoping that a pen drive and Open Office will do the job (I don't really want to buy MS Word). Her main worry is that she will be bewildered by a lot of novelty after ten years on Window95 and AoL (neither of which she ever really 'took to'). Finally she would like to be able to simply and easily connect the computer to an LCD TV - a Sharp Aquos - in the family room although most of the time the machine will live in a bedroom so portability is a plus (but not, we think, a laptop).

What's the best buy right now - and where is the best place to buy it? She is in Oxford in the UK and there doesn't seem to be an Apple Dealer there. All advice gratefully received and quite probably acted on.

Can't I please take long-term vacation from this place?

PhatLobley — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 21:53:46 -0800

Is it realistic for me, as an American, to entertain thoughts (read: dreams) of attending law school at Oxford? I've got a pretty good GPA from a pretty prestigious American university. Haven't taken the LSAT yet, but am expecting a good score. My question has two parts: Do I stand a chance of getting in? Could I attend Oxford and still practice in the USA?

My question applies to any other prestigious British law schools as well, although Oxford is the only one tickling my farfetched fantasies at this point.

Oxford English Trickionary

grumblebee — Sun, 08 Jan 2006 17:17:45 -0800

The online version of the OED (subscription required) uses an ASCII version of IPA, and I can't figure it out. I need to know how to pronounce the word "succous," which means "containing juice or sap." The OED says it is pronounced "sA.k[e]s." What does the upper-case "A" mean and why is it italicized? What is [e]?

Could someone (a) look "succous" up for me in the PRINT OED and (b) tell me where I can find a guide to the ASCII symbols used in the online OED, so when I run into this problem in the future, I don't have to post here.

Having done some online searches, it SEEMS like the OED uses a system called SAMPA to represent IPA symbols, but SAMPA guides (that I've found) don't contain [e] and they seem to give various meanings to A.

Irritatingly, the OED's own help is not helpful.

NOTE: I've referred to [e] here, but in the OED it's less-than-symbol, e, greater-than-symbol. I forget how to render less-than/greater-thans on AskMe (apersand codes don't work on preview. How does one achieve this?

Electronic OED?

odinsdream — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 13:05:43 -0800

Electronic version of the Oxford English Dictionary? I'd like to get an electronic copy of the complete OED. Does such a thing exist for free? Various online discussions talk of a split that occurred a few versions back. Most seem to indicate that the actual text itself isn't copyrighted, but has anyone actually made a digital version freely* available?

The real version you can purchase from Oxford University Press seems to come with unacceptable copy protection, and is not available in any kind of "normal" file. Seems to also be Windows-only. I'd like to use it on Linux, Apple, and Windows machines.

What are my options?

*free in both senses of the word - I'm not interested in downloading one from thepiratebay. I considered it, but I'm not at all interested in the hoops I'd have to jump through just to use the weird file formats with copy protection.

Temporary housing in Oxford, England

darsh — Mon, 21 Feb 2005 08:59:34 -0800

My boyfriend will be spending 4 months in Oxford, England as a visiting researcher. He needs to find a place to stay He's looking for a sub-let, or a room in a boarding house -something like that. It needs to be near the city center (he'll be working at John Radcliffe Hospital), with access to public transport. More specifically, as he will have to travel with his laptop and expensive photographic equipment, it needs to be somewhere safe (i.e. not the Y, unless I have an inaccurate image of the Y). What resources exist for searching for sub-lets etc, and what are the areas should he be looking at?

Restaurant in Oxford

sueinnyc — Thu, 14 Oct 2004 23:58:42 -0800

Special/unique/great restaurants in Oxford? (of course there's more inside) A good friend will be visiting the UK for the first time in a few weeks with her mother (who will also be there for the first time). They plan to spend a day in Oxford and the friend would like to treat her mother to a really memorable birthday meal while they are there. Any suggestions/ideas?

Broadband providers in Oxford, England?

Mossy — Wed, 01 Sep 2004 08:35:05 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good broadband company for a 1Mbps connection on 1 year contract in Oxford? We don't want to have a phone line and will probably stick it on a wireless router to 5 computers around the house.