Lifestyle

The art of reaching out to old friends

Coming to university, I realised that the stable, effortless reliability of my friends from home was, all of a sudden, precarious and difficult to maintain.
Lifestyle Ilya Rosenbaum -

The only thing missing from this bean was chocolate

If there were a smell I could capture, bottle up, and treasure forever, it would be the toasty and heartening smell of cacao roasting in the morning.
Lifestyle Minnie Mertz -

Hidden in plain sight: the bakery behind Oxford’s café counters

You may not know the name, but you have almost certainly eaten the pastry. Does the bakery behind Oxford’s favourite cafés hold its own at the counter?
Lifestyle Priya Burrow -

Why are we so afraid of being bored?

We’ve come to think of boredom as an inevitable but unpleasant gap between activities, or as space to fill, but we’ve stopped seeing that space as worthwhile in itself.
Lifestyle Jessie Jukes -
Latest

Gen Z and Oxford: Nihilism inside the bubble

We all know that Oxford can feel like a bubble. Every day brings new challenges and new deadlines, to the extent that a week can pass in an instant and there is just no time to peek outside of the blinkered existence of tutorials and the occasional pub trip. But this tunnel vision can become restrictive, and even self-perpetuating.

The (family) stories hiding in plain sight

Like many people, I used to zone out when my parents started talking about family history.

A body of one’s own: Medical mystery in the modern age

Recently, I found myself marooned in that most demoralising of places, the NHS waiting list. I was soon falling down the rabbit hole of catastrophisation, after succumbing to the inevitable temptation of googling my symptoms (it wasn’t looking good).

Loaf actually? A guide to Oxford’s sourdough

Sourdough is a simple pleasure. A perfect loaf should have a chewy, light, tangy, and springy crumb. On cold days it’s a reliable and simple comfort – the kind that makes Hilary term feel a little less bleak.

It’s 2016’s world, and we’re just living in it (or are we?)

Barely a month has passed since we made our flustered entry into 2026. But it seems like the verdict is already in: your honour, we’ve had enough. Bring back 2016.

All buttered up: Broche, and the art of the perfect croissant

During these cold winter months, in which – thanks to that pinnacle of British construction, breathable walls – I wake up in a freezing room, I find great solace in hiding beneath my blanket.

The case for doing nothing (on holiday)

My best memories of gallivanting around Europe were of parks. They were found in the tranquility of self-reflection as I enjoyed the serenity of nature, clutching my too-expensive coffee and watching the ducks swim about in the river as the cold winter wind whipped the fallen leaves off the ground beside me.

Why you shouldn’t finish your reading list

On being accepted into Oxford, everyone warned me about the reading lists. “You’ll be reading eight hours a day,” they said. At the time, it sounded almost romantic.

Kilts, Ceilidhs and Calling: Inside the World of Oxford Reeling

It's Thursday night in New College's Long Room, and several dozen students are desperately trying to master The Plough Speed, which, for the uninitiated, is a mind boggling routine of side-steps, spins and shuffles.

Moving cities, keeping home

l've moved cities enough times to know that leaving is never just about packing boxes. After spending eighteen years in London, I found myself applying to a number of different cities, including Oxford, for university.

The dating bio’s obsession with Oxford

As Michaelmas drew to a close, a dramatic conversation about Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor of New York City, finding his partner on a dating app prompted my friend and I to try a dating app for the first time in the UK.

A love letter to authenticity

Mirrors often occupy an uneasy place within the collective consciousness. A reflected replica of this world, not quite false, but not entirely real either.

Not on the tour: An unconventional journey through Oxford

All tours are fundamentally flawed. Though they might be detailed and student-focused, they are utterly incapable of expressing what it is like to love Oxford.

In defence of the default order: The Alternative Tuck Shop

There is no place in Oxford that my muscle memory takes me to more reliably than the Alternative Tuck Shop. This happens regardless of my state – still half-asleep, perhaps slightly hungover, or already late for class.

Faith in humanity restored: Taste Tibet, reviewed

It might have something to do with the freezing January rain outside, but when I arrive at Taste Tibet in East Oxford it seems a lot like paradise.

Why you don’t need a “winter arc”

This winter, social media encourages us to embark on the journey of the "winter arc": a self-optimisation quest which leaves little room for hibernation.

The ick factor

Not all icks are created equal, and of course, they shouldn't be treated as such. Either way, they undeniably speak volumes about the person you're with.

Discovering neurodivergence: late diagnosis at Oxford

I always knew I was a bit of a peculiar child. But I was deeply surprised when a friend seeking a diagnosis herself suggested that I might be autistic.

Going analogue: exploring the aesthetic of curation

If you’ve been paying attention to any kind of media recently, you’ll have noticed it already. The next trend, apparently, is “going analogue”.

The ghosts of the King’s Arms’ past, present, and future

Ever felt a supernatural presence hovering over you in what claims to be Oxford’s oldest pub, the King’s Arms? And no – not the...
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