Thursday 12th February 2026

Lifestyle

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.

Counting Blues

I guess being a fresher means that week 5 blues hit you the hardest. I was sitting in a lecture the other day, a...

The Importance of Lentils

A delicious recipe for lentil bolognese.

Comfort food of China

When my parents and my older brother arrived at the Los Angeles airport in the spring of 1997, their worth became one-tenth of what...

Review: Lincoln College Hall

Lincoln College likes very much to boast about its reputation for the best food in Oxford – something which had me, an unashamedly pretentious...

The Unscheduled Life of a History Student

I round the corner. The door is in sight. I make awkward eye contact with the person coming the other way down the path...

Between a rock and a hard place

This week I went rock climbing at the Brookes Sports Centre. For 9 pounds you get to strap yourself into very hard shoes and pull...

Finding friends: what’s the hurry?

We talk about the rat race: the fiercely competitive struggle for success, the unrelenting battle we rage against our peers to come out on top. But...

Girl not (quite) Goddess

Maybe the myths are true; veganism actually does make you feel like a saint.

An Oxford Supermarket Guide

A student friendly review of where you should do your shopping in Oxford.

A Guide to Oxford College Bars

The best college bars to go to for your different drinking needs

A Definitive Guide to the Falafel and Hummus wraps of Oxford, ranked

1. The Alternative Tuck Shop The sandwich-press finish and unrivalled chat from our much-loved staff members means ATS’s offering is the true pinnacle of chickpea-based...

St. Anne’s vegan hall change

A proper vegan option has finally been added to the St Anne's menu.

Final year blues

All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. I’m inclined to believe that Jack would have had a quarter life crisis regardless of the...

Oxford’s top 10 food stops

They say your second brain is in your stomach. If you’re stuck on that essay or problem sheet, why not let it do some thinking? Try these to get you started.

Food on Film

Food is an important sensual vehicle used in films.

Playing with food: how meals turn political

Food is more than just a means of sustenance; it can take on significant political and social meaning.

Street food: Genuine or gentrified?

Camden Market in Central London has always been famous for its street food. It was the kind of food that was as likely to...

Impossible heights: meat-free meat turns hyper-realistic

Two weeks ago, fast-food giant Burger King hit the headlines with the announcement that customers would soon be able to find the ‘Impossible Whopper’...

Restaurant review: Rick’s Kitchen

Oliver Black writes about his chance encounter with Rick and his kitchen.

Rate my tinny!

It's 2019's first heatwave and that means tinnies in the park. But why settle for lager when you can have cocktails? Ellen Sharman reviews what's on offer.

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