Merton Alternative Prospectus

We lcome!
Hello and welcome
to the
Merton Alternative Prosp ectus!
This prospectus is written by us
(the current students) for you to give an informal
and independent view of what living and studying at
Merton is really like, from the accommodation and
facilitie s to the social life.
If you’ve had a chance to visit Merton, look around,
and talk to any of the students then we’re pretty confiden t
that you won’t need any more convincing to apply
here, but please take a look through the prospectus
anyway and let us show you why we think there’s
no other place like Merton.
There are a few things in particular
which Merton likes to boast:
Welcome
p1
Accommodation
p3
Facilities
p5
Entz
p7
Equal Opps + Welfare
p9
p11 Societies
p13 Sport
p15 Student Stories
p17 Inte rnationa l Student
p19 Tim e Cere mony
p21 O xford Lingo
p23 Merton facts
p25 College Map /And that’s all folks
. We pride ourse lves on being a frien dly
and tight-knit commu nity
. We have amazing social events organised throughout
the year and a jam-packe d Fresh ers’ Week,
and our Bops are the most frequ ent and
longe st in the University
. We have central and spacious accommodation
for every year of your degre e
. We have some of the best quality meals at the best
a week)
value in Oxfo rd (and Forma l Hall six times
. The college was founded in 1264 and has some of
the oldes t and most beautiful quads and
gardens in Oxfo rd
I could go on (easily!), but overall, whether
it’s the welcoming atmosphe re or the
stunning grounds, the delicious and
reasonab ly-price d food or the central
location, Merton will have something
for you.
1
Enjoy!
llon
Am b er Ta
tiv e)
ep res en ta
(Acc es s R
2
In your first year, you’ll live really close
to the college site, either on Merton Street
or in Rose Lane, both a 2 minute s’ picturesque
walk from the JCR, the Hall, and other
college facilities. Most second-year studen ts
Holywe ll Street
live on Holywe ll Street, and in your third
or fourth year, you might live there again
or on the main college site in one of the
historic quads. Holywe ll Street is about 5-10
minute s’ walk from college, and each house
there has a has a well-equippe d kitchen,
although you’ll probab ly want to invest
in some induction pans for for the hobs
if you want to cook often.
All Merton bedrooms are wellequipped with a sink, plenty of storage
space, Wi-Fi and Ethernet access, as well
as basic furniture (desk, chair,
coffe e table, shelve s, drawers etc.) and most of them are very spacious.
All the house s have enoug h bathrooms
to keep every one happy! Some rooms
in Holywell Stree t and in the quads
come as a set, so you might get a
study separate from your bedroom,
and mayb e your own en-su ite bathroom
Rose Lane Room
Merton Street
In first year, you’re allocated a
room randomly; afterwards, there
is a ballot system which gives you
some choice over where you live and
who you live with. You’ll find that
because the Rose Lane and Merton
Street accommodation is divided into
smaller groups (houses of about 12
people, with 3 or 4 on each floor) you
get to know the people you live with
in first year very quickly, meaning
it’s easy to make friends.
if you’re lucky.
Written by
Aman da Thoma s
Every one at Merton agree s that
we have great accom modation.
The colleg e can provide you with
your own room for every year of
your cours e, meaning that you
don’t have to worry about
dealing with landlords or utility
bills. An added bonus is that the
accom modation is very reasonably
priced and cheap er
than most universities.
3
Holywe ll Room
Rose Lane
Accom modation
4
Fa cilities
MOB Library
Hall
While most Oxford colleges will
o-none,
claim their facilitie s are secon d-t
ni to
alum
ent
cont
of
ons
rati
gene
has
Merton
hens are
conf irm our claim . Our comm unal kitc
rumoured
their
to
due
hy
wort
note
rly
particula
n Princ e
Crow
the
by
ed
status of being fund
Room
es’
Gam
our
and
s,
1970
the
in
n
of Japa
is the envy of all Oxon ians since it
the
contains the only free pool table in
whole of Oxford.
college bar;
Howe ver, our crowning glory is the
Merton’s
ges,
colle
an entity pres ent in most
mention.
al
speci
a
ves
deser
hole
ring
wate
The kitchens
flavours, a
With demo cratically decided toas tie
y
ndar
lege
rous
free juke -box and nume
beho ld.
to
t
sigh
a
is
bar
ge
colle
our
barm en,
blue
usly
curio
a
,
As is the ‘Merton Powe r Pint’
only
the
e;
recip
t
secre
a
with
conco ction
it will
certainty abou t this beverage is that
t.
nigh
e
rabl
memo
a
e
guarante
Chapel
Bar
Games room
Written by
Sophie Terrett
When students aren’t relaxing in the TV
Room (equipped with a screen large enough to
accommodate sizeable gatherings for top TV
programmes from the big games to Doctor Who)
or brushing up on their piano skills in the Music
Room overlooking the lawn, they might be found
throwing themselves into college
politics in the ‘Junior Common Room’.
This JCR is the home of free newspapers, comfy
sofas and assorted hot drinks, with the venue
playing host to both fortn ightly ‘Ordin ary
Genera l Meetings’ and pre-Bop festivities.
The beautiful garde ns and groun ds of
the colleg e must count as a facility in and of
themse lves; the dedica ted garde ners
produc e wonders every season that,
thanks to the colleg e-wide Wifi, can be
appreciated by studen ts working on the lawns.
With dartboards, a colleg e cat,
historic cherry trees and a compre hensive
selection of channe ls in the TV room
Merton truly has someth ing for everyone.
5
OWL Libra ry
6
Entz
Written by
Rhys Clyne & Pete Hanks
Uni is not all about work.
Oxford is packed with an exciting
and diverse array of entertainment opportunities,
and our Entz team work tirelessly to bring
you the greatest of these experiences to Merton.
With term cards that ensure multiple weekly events,
there is sure to be something that will get
you excited about the unrelenting roller
coaster that is Oxford life.
Our Bops (themed nights out held by most
colleges throughout term), for example,
define the community spirit that makes
Merton College so special. They are
renowned for their great music,
outrageous fancy dress
and their unhealthily cheap bar.
7
Included in these other events, we also
organise trips at greatly discounted
rates such as ice skating, bowling,
go-karting and paintballing, to name
but a few.
On top of that, the nightlife in
Oxford is surprisingly varied for
such a small city. You will not
be disappointed.
Christmas formal
Freshers’ Week
ea
With our exte rnal venu e, we can ensur
Bop
ge
colle
e
rabl
late r and more memo
than you will get anywhere else.
Going on until 2am, we hold
ed
the long est- lasting and most talk
a
have
also
We
ord.
abou t Bops in Oxf
by
ed
creat
s
event
vast array of othe r
our Entz team . Be it casin o nigh ts,
l
kara oke, wine & chees e and a plen tifu
the
s,
event
olic
supp ly of non- alcoh
have
Merton calen dar will undoubte dly
your
make
will
some thing that
time here the best you can imagine.
8
Equal Opps
Written by
Elizabeth Milne
at Merton, and many
There are lots of welfare positions
Equa l Opps Rep
that focu s just on equa lity, but the
your ques tions or
specifica lly can help answer any of
ity at Merton
conce rns abou t equa lity of oppo rtun
.
and in the wide r unive rsity comm unity
This could be about disability
Your Equal Opps Rep can raise issues
requirements, religious provision
with college on your behalf, or help
or anything else you may be
to point you in the right direction
worried about, and whatever it
to overcome any problems you might
is there are support networks in
have. Our Equal Opps provision at
place at Merton to guide you
Merton is always changing and improving
and give you a voice.
so that the students can be supported in
the best possible way.
Gender
Written by
Hamish Forbes
9
Merton is a community which prides
itself on a culture of acceptance,
respecting each individual’s gender
identity and expression. It is a
college which places importance on
gender equality, but knows that the
fight is not yet won. The activity
around gender issues has grown in
Merton, with great transformation
over the last few years in both the
college and JCR’s structure, such as
the introduction of a
committee for equality and a JCR
gender equality representative.
This rapid development is continuing,
which means that how gender
equality is promoted within the
college when you apply may be quite
different to how it is at the time of
writing, and it is worth speaking to
a student or looking online for what
we’ve been up to.
We are always striving to
improv e, with curren t projects
including change s to the harass ment
policy, an improv ement in the number
and quality of resources availab le
for survivo rs of sexual violenc e,
and worksh ops to develop a culture
of consent to ensure the safest and
most enjoya ble univers ity
experie nce. Merton is a great
place to get involve d with gender
issues, either throug h the JCR or the
wealth of univers ity events,
societies and zines which discuss,
educate on and challenge issues
of gender liberation.
Welfare
Written by
Musashi Jacobs-Harukawa
Merton’s excellent academic reputation has
led to the idea that that Tutors and
other college staff have a draconian
approach to student study-pleasure
balance. This could not be further from
the truth: they are incredibly
understanding and supportive and they are
always willing to lend a hand. Merton’s
great welfare system facilitates this.
are
On the lowe st level, JCR student welf
nise
orga
’
,
Reps
are
representativ es, ‘Welf
en
(oft
ation
frequent events for relax
ly
invol ving lots of free food!). The week
to
ents
stud
for
e
‘Welfare Tea’ is a plac
fill of
take a break from work; eat their
and
a
pizz
ls,
cake, fruit, humm us, bage
are
Welf
lise.
frie d chicken, and socia
ned peer
Reps also act as conf idential, trai
with
deal
ents
supporte rs, helping stud
life. You
the various stres ses of unive rsity
for
day
of
time
can count on them at any
and,
its,
biscu
tea,
of
an expe rtly brewed cup
ear.
e
ortiv
supp
,
most importan tly, a kind
At a higher level, Merton has a number of
staff in welfare-specific roles. If you
are finding your studies difficult, or life
stressful, they are available to coordinate
the adjustments you may need so that
you can focus on enjoying your time at
University, and the College Nurse is on-site
seven days a week for a chat or for any
medical support you might want.
LGBTQ
Written by
Alex Beech am
Merton provides a friendly and
welcoming environment for people
of different genders and
sexual orientations, and you’ll
be sure to feel safe and able to
express yourself freely here.
There’s an LGBTQ rep on the
JCR comm ittee trained in peer
supporting who’s always
there to talk to and whos e
role is to orga nise events, support
students and work for equa lity
with in the college and the
wide r unive rsity.
e
The unive rsity as a whole has an activ
s
ight
clubn
LGBTQ socie ty, as well as
and
catering to LGBTQ students
indep ende nt groups like the Quee r
Studies Circle. In the past year or
so, there have been join t brun ches with
othe r colleges, crewdate s, drinks
events, film nigh ts and more, so
there’s no shortage of stuff
to get invol ved in.
Furthermore, Merton has a Hardship fund
to help students that face unexpected
difficulties, such as illness or bereavement,
which helps both emotionally and
financially to ensure a sense of security
at Merton.
10
s
e
i
t
e
i
Soc
Written by
Amber Tallon
There are a large number of societies on offer at Merton
from subject societies to choirs and sports’ teams and
you will always find something to interest you!
And if, for whatever reason, there’s something missing
then it is worth checking out what the university
has to offer or you could even set up a brand new
society at Merton (if you can find enough likeminded participants).
Quad party
A community you will automatically be a
part of when you arrive is your subject society.
This is a great way to meet everyone else doing your
subject in your year and the years above and also in the
wider university through ‘crew dates’.
Don’t worry, you will be well acquainted with
these soon enough!
One of the highlights of the
year for these societies is the annual
formal subject dinner which
normally takes place in
Hilary term. You will also find that
throughout the year there are many
other social and networking
events taking place as well as
plenty of opportunities to attend
talks and debates relevant to
your subject.
The Neave Society and Bodley Club offer a
wealth of events too.
Neave is Merton’s politics’ society which
organises weekly debates and talks from
well-known politicians and public speakers.
11
We have had people speak from Sir Jonathan Phillips
(Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland
Office from 2005 to 2010) to Matthew Rycroft
(Private Secretary to Tony Blair at the time of the
Iraq war) and the society generally is a
fantastic forum to practice debating and to voice your
opinions. The Bodley Club is a historic college
society founded in 1894 and is a general speaker
society. We have been lucky enough to hear engaging and
distinguished speakers ranging from the author P.D. James
to ex-Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. The only
criterion for inviting guests is that they are
“fabulously interesting”.
Pre-Bop
Masquera de Form al
As well as these, there is a choir (the Kodaly Choir
which is the oldest non-audition ing choir in Oxford) and an
orchestra run by the Merton College Music Society who organise
termly concerts and put on performance s throughout the year.
Theses are open to anyone who can play an instrument and are
normally free for members of the college to attend.
The recitals give people a chance to play in front of a small
audience no matter their skill or experience level. There are
also several Mertonians who are involved in Oxford’s
busy a cappella scene which is well worth a look
(and potentially an audition!). And for any budding thespians:
the Merton Floats (the Merton Drama Society) is the place for you!
This college society stages termly theatrical
performance s with the play in Trinity term out on Fellows’
Garden so that you can enjoy the sun at the same time.
In terms of sport, this is covered in more detail in the
following pages, but for something more relaxed than
football or rowing, Merton also offers a weekly Yoga class at a
very reasonable price. The JCR has been known to organise sporadic
ballroom dance classes as well so keep an eye out for those!
12
t
r
o
p
S
Written by
Freddie Money
A healthy mind in a healthy body
ow,
- an impo rtan t philosophy to foll
emic
acad
ar
and the college’s stell
e of
record is matched by a grea t choic
all
at
ed
enjoy
sports which can be
ate
levels, inclu ding the thril ls of Ultim
de
er
Walt
of
Frisb ee - sure ly part
Merton’s vision 750 years ago.
Merton sees consistent success
in Cuppers (inter-collegiate)
competitions. We came a mighty
first in kayak water polo
in 2014, our tennis team is in
the top division, and our able
seamen, four of whom were in
the university team in 2011, are
ever-threatening in sailing.
Of course, like any true Oxford
college, Merton offers those
willing to try it the chance to
wake up before dawn several
times a week and head down to
the river to partake in the ageold Oxford rowing tradition.
Whether you are already a keen
rower or completely new to the
sport, there are opportunities
for all to try it.
Mertonians enjoy fantastic
facilities and venues to train and
play at. The Merton Pavilion, is
set at the centre of football,
rugby and cricket pitches;
there are also four tennis
courts, not to mention the
historic Real Tennis court just
next door to the library.
13
The college owns a boat house and
the requisite fleet of boats for
the rowers, and all can enjoy
a brilliant gym equipped
with cardiovascular and weights’
machines. The JCR plays host to
table tennis and the college
games room has pool, table
football and darts (all of
which, unlike at plenty of other
colleges, are entirely free).
As if all of the above was not
enough, Trinity Term sees the
annual sports day, featuring
barbecue, copious volumes of
Pimms and, naturally, a
bouncy castle.
All colleges will claim that
theirs is best, however weak the
arguments may be. But at
Merton, each student can say,
with no hesitation, no need to
justify it, and with absolute
sincerity, that Merton comes
second to none (except
perhaps at Rugby…).
14
Student Stories
what living at Merton is like from
the students themsel ves
English by Alannah Jones
I’m Alannah, a first year
studying English. From
the outset I felt a
little daunted by the
prospect of attending
Oxford; by the prospect of packing
up my life into boxes and suitcases
and moving 200 miles away from home.
Nevertheless, since about halfway through
my first week at Merton I have felt at
home here.
Admittedly the workload took a little
getting used to, but living in such a
beautiful place, surrounded by
kindred spirits and great people,
I have never regretted for a moment
applying to Merton. As an English
student I am expected to hand in,
on average, one and a half essays per
week, which at first seems like a lot
but I enjoy rising to the challenge each
week and work is always completed in
the end. Merton can be fun and quirky;
it sets itself apart from other
colleges by its pervading homeliness
whilst managing to provide, through its
enduring commitment to tradition, the
quintiseential ‘Oxford’ life.
Music by
Charlotte Robinson
I’m Charlotte, and I
study Music.
Our timetable’s relatively light
in terms of contact hours, but we
usually have one or two tutorials a
week, plus lectures, so there’s
plenty of freedom to
manage our time in between.
That feels like a challenge at
first, but it’s not as
daunting as it seems, and I found
it relatively easy to settle into a
pattern. My tutorials are usually
with one or two other students, and
we mainly go in with the
students at University
College - it’s great to have
a small group of people I
know really well and know I work
well with. Apart from work, I tend
to prefer quiet nights in to going
out partying, but I also
do lots of folk music with the
University Ceilidh Band and in
the Oxford pubs.
Maths by Andrew Macarthur
Ea ch week: 10 lectures run by the University (where the course
(where
materia l is presented) and 2-4 tutoria ls held at Merton
ns
questio
lt
difficu
d,
reviewe
l
materia
solved,
problem s are
what is
posed, and the tutoria ls try to help you think beyond
at every
strictly on the syllabu s). This is pretty much the same
study Maths at
college, but Merton is a particu larly good place to
college is high,
the moment. The profile of Mathem atics within the
the senior tutors
with a large number of Maths Fellows. What’s more,
are also friendly and
are very experien ced and (while brillian tly clever) they
your studies. Finally, you
during
need
you
support
the
with
you
provide
to
keen
and then!
also spot Sir Andrew Wiles wandering about every now
15
and the Maths’ course gives
There are lots of other things going on at Merton
orchestra and played hockey
the
run
helped
I’ve
.
involved
get
to
time
you enough
Affairs Rep also gives me a
ic
Academ
of
role
The
.
example
and cricket here, for
itself.
college
the
in
chance to make a differe nce
Biology by Suzie Marshall
Hi, my name is Suzie, and I am in my first year
studying Biology. Typically, I have two lectures
every weekday, one at 9am and one at 2pm.
These are always in the Science area, which is a
10 minute walk from college. Around lectures
the day is free to structure yourself,
though for three days a week Biology students
have three-hour practicals from 10am, also in the Science
area. The labs are done in pairs (you can choose your
partner), and complement the lecture course.
I usually have lunch in college with friends, and work
through the afternoon reading for an essay. We have one
tutorial scheduled each week, and the workload for this is
one essay. I often go swimming in Iffley gym during
the day as well, which is about a 15 minute walk or a short
bike ride away. In the evenings, I always make time to see
my friends and to either go out to a pub or club in
Oxford, or to chill in the JCR or TV room (the latter
predominantly for Game of Thrones).
Ki
ng
of
th e No rth !
Languages
Portuguese and
Linguistics by Amanda Thomas
I’m in my second year, studying
Portuguese and Linguistics.
Unlike Merton students who study French or Spanish,
all my tutorials and classes take place outside college, with
students from other colleges, which means I get to
meet lots of different people. The amount of contact time for
languages varies a lot, but for Portuguese I normally have about three
hours of lectures a week, and about four hours of language teaching,
including translation, speaking classes, and grammar classes.
Linguistics has much more lecture-based time but not as many classes.
I have one or two tutorials a week, and I write an essay
before each one. There’s also reading, translation and language work.
It’s hard to say how many hours I work in a week, but because a lot
of it is in my own time I can organise my schedule around other activities
and work in the hours which suit me best. I’m also involved in the JCR
committee, the music society’s choir and orchestra, and the rowing club,
meaning every day brings something different.
16
In te rn ation a l
Stu de n t
Written by
Theo Kwek
You’ve cleared your Skype interview and explored
Oxford via Google Streetview, but the moment you
step off the Airline from Heathrow, you realize
you’re grossly underprepared. You spend ages
converting prices into the currency you’re used to,
cars drive on the wrong side, and you already miss
food that doesn’t involve potatoes. The air smells and
the sky looks different. To top it off, you’ve flown
halfway around the world, and the jetlag’s only
just setting in.
on Me rton Stree t
roun d th e corner
Th an kf ul ly, you
po rtive col leg e
most secure an d sup
to find on ly th e
s take
pf ul secon d-ye ar
com mu nity eve r. Hel
to your
u
yo
lodge an d show
your bags at th e
th roug h
ut
t th e sho rt-c
room - pointing ou
ed sligh tly
riv
e way. Ha ving ar
Logic La ne along th
e
th
er
itish students, ov
ea rlier th an th e Br
to
ity
un
rt
u ha ve th e oppo
sub seque nt days yo
by th e
d
an
rd
th at is Oxfo
exp lore th e wonder
e
on
e
th
e
arriv es, you’r
tim e eve ry on e els e
nd.
showing th em arou
d with
’ We ek will be fille
Ce rtain ly, Fresh ers
d
ere you’re from an
pe op le asking wh
d
on
bey
t
Bu
is.
e
langu ag
wh at your first
el
fe
to
e
ng
lle
a cha
th at, it’s actua lly
th e
eve ry on e is new to
se
au
bec
ace
pl
ou t of
at
e you kn ow it, th
col leg e. An d befor
an odd
be
ll
wi
ce
ren
fe
initia l sho ck of dif
bit of th e pa st.
17
It’s not unusual to feel homesick. We all experience bouts,
even those who live just a short car ride from Oxford.
Your first solution is, of course, Skype - and Merton has pretty
great internet facilities all round so that shouldn’t be
a problem. On top of that, your new friends will quickly
become (college) family. The International Rep and Welfare Reps
(peer-support trained) are ready to offer their
shoulders or ears as required.
The wider international community at Oxford is,
furthermore, lively and lovely if you decide
to get involved. National and cultural groups
put on a whole smorgasbord of activities
throughout the year - with combined events
such as the Asian Food Fest in Michaelmas
(first) term - and cater to both nostalgia
and curiosity.
Theo
Merton’s internationa ls also go on crewdates with
internationa ls from other colleges, which are
a great chance to explore a community that’s as
established and diverse as Oxford itself.
All in all, I’d say Merton is the place to be if
you’re an international fresher. Not having been
an international fresher at any other
college, perhaps it’s hard to compare - but
my own experience, at least, has been quite
incomparable.
18
Time
Ceremony
by Freddie Money
Have you ever wondered what happens when the
clocks go back in October? Have you ever considered
that it is actually a group of Merton students who
save the space-time continuum every year? Is this not
something you want to be a part of?
Well all of that is at least partly true. Although
we have only been saving the universe since 1971
(clearly the space-time continuum didn’t need our
help before then), every year Mertonians
selflessly take one for the team. From 2 AM BST to
2 AM GMT on the night the clocks change in October,
we walk backwards in sub-fusc (academic dress)
around Fellows’ Quad, rotating anti-clockwise at the
corners, sipping port the whole time. The science involved
in this solution is hugely complex, but to put
it simply, this modest act prevents the disruption to
time and space which would otherwise have
disastrous consequences.
Since 1971, Mertonians have marke d the change back
to GMT by donning their gowns and spinning for the
necessa ry hour around Fellows’ Quad. With the rise in
the world’s popula tion, it has been necessa ry for
almost the whole colleg e to get involve d, and, of
course, for the volume of port to rise as well. So there
you have it: throug h the Time Ceremony, Merton
continu es to guara ntee that civilisa tion can go on.
Top that!
ers,
(A reflection on Time Ceremony by one of its found
the
it?),
(did
tolled
bell
the
y,
Garth Fowden : ‘Anywa
mist swirle d (inevitably), much port was imbibed (with
mathem atical certain ty), and the lonely shadowy
figures revers ed round the hallowed quad. They must
surely now be revolving in their graves or their
bath chairs at the thoug ht of what it has become .’
[2014])
19
20
Oxford
Lingo
Battels: Your college bill for your
accommodation and a few other bits
and pieces, which is kindly waiting
for you when you arrive back in
Oxford for a new term.
Bodleian: Oxford’s main library and
where you will find all the books
you will ever need (and a load of
others you won’t…). It holds a copy
of every publication printed in the
UK, and you can find or request
any of them but they are never lent
out (this rule even stood for King
Charles I in 1645!).
Bod card: Your student card. This
little rectangle of plastic is your
everything at Oxford so guard
it with your life! You need it for
books, student discounts, to enter
some of the university buildings,
and most importantly at Merton,
this card gets you your food. How
many more reasons do you need?
Bop: A “breach of the peace” and
the college-based fancy dress
parties which take place roughly
once every two weeks at Merton. We
boast some of the best Bops in the
University at our Sports’ Pavilion
which, being off the main college
site, means that they can go on
until 2am.
Crew date: A dinner (and usually
a night out at a club afterwards)
where one team or society meets
up with one from another college,
normally of the opposite sex.
Collections: College exams which
take place in 0th Week of each term
for most subjects.
Cuppers: Any intercollegiate
competition.
Finalists: Students in their last
year at Oxford who, funnily
enough, will be taking their Finals
at the end of the year. Try to be
nice to them, they’re very stressed.
21
Formal Hall: An excuse to dress up
and have a lovely meal in Hall (and
Merton have them six times a week
if you’re that keen!).
Gown: The slightly ridiculous
black garment which most
undergraduates have to wear to
exams and normally to Formal Hall
as well. The term ‘Gown’ is another
name for students of the University
as opposed to the “normal” people
who actually live in Oxford and
spend more than eight weeks at a
time there.
Pidge: Short for Pigeon Hole. Where
all of your mail is sent, as well
as countless flyers and leaflets
which almost always go straight
in the recycling bin (yes, we’re very
eco-friendly!). It can also be used
as a verb if you are planning to
“pidge” a letter to someone else.
Hilary: The name of the second term.
Prelims: The end of first year exams
which most subjects have. Don’t
worry about these at the moment
(and try not to panic about them at
all - you only need 40% to carry
on to second year).
Hustings: A group interview/
debate held before elections in which
candidates attempt to win your
vote (with the questions getting
steadily more ridiculous!).
RadCam: Short for the Radcliffe
Camera, which is part of the
Bodleian libraries. It is the big round
building which is one of Oxford’s
most iconic structures.
JCR: The Junior Common Room. You
and all your other fellow Merton
undergraduates are automatically
part of the JCR, in which you can
vote for the members of your JCR
Committee. The acronym also stands
for the Common Room itself which is
a perfect place to go to whenever
you are in desperate need of
procrastination.
Scout: The wonderful individual
who comes round to your room five
times a week to empty your bins
and even cleans your room for you
once a week. The Merton Scouts are
absolutely lovely so be nice to them!
Matriculation: The odd ceremony
held early on in Michaelmas Term of
first year which, with only a couple
of lines in Latin, formally makes
you a member of the University.
MCR: The Middle Common Room.
Where all of the graduates hang
out.
Michaelmas: The name of the first
term.
Mods: Short for Moderations.
Formal University exams which
some subjects have (essentially
equivalent to Prelims).
OUSU: The Oxford University
Student Union.
Oxford Union: The debating society
which boasts a wide range of famous
speakers and interesting debate
topics. Students have to pay to
become members.
Oxmas: The Oxford celebration of
Christmas in mid-November (the
short terms mean that we’re never in
Oxford for long enough to truly
celebrate Christmas).
Oxford Lingo
Cross-Cross sheet
Fill the grid with the words provided.
Simple as that!
There are countless other funny Oxfordspecific words which you will probably
encounter over the course of your degree,
but here are a few just to get you going!
( See the back page if you get stuck!)
J
C
R
SCR: The Senior Common Room. Where
all the Tutors and Fellows hang out.
Sub Fusc: Essentially your uniform
for exams: white shirt with
black skirt or trousers and your
gown. You also have to take your
mortarboard with you, but you are
not allowed to wear it… Don’t ask
why.
Trashing: Covering your friends in
confetti after they have finished
their exams.
T
U
T
E
Trinity: The name of the third and
final term of the year (and the
perfect time for BBQs, Pimm’s,
punting, and garden parties - as
long as you’re not a Finalist…).
Tute: Short for tutorial. The main
form of teaching at Oxford with
you, and sometimes one or two
others, and a tutor.
22
Merton facts
1
7
Mark Thompson,
former Director
General of the BBC,
studied English at
Merton.
Thomas Bodley, a Fellow here
in the 17th century, founded
Oxford’s Bodleian Library.
Summ er Ball
Winter Ball
2
In 1515, Warden Rawlins was
sacked for leasing the land to
our west, on which Corpus Christi
is built, instead of finishing the
college chapel. He was fired by
the Archbishop of Canterbury
for being “not only useless to the
college, but damnably so”.
3
4
23
Randolph Churchill, a Conservative
politician and father of Winston
Churchill, studied at Merton.
Mob Quad is the oldest quadrangle
in Oxford and is supposedly so
named because it was home to the
“mob” of undergraduates.
The Crown Prince of
Japan spent two years
here in the 1980s
researching the history
of transportation on the
Thames.
In F. Scott
Fitzgerald’s
modern classic,
The Great
Gatsby, Jay
Gatsby names
The JCR Monkey isn’t
just a mascot (imagine his library ‘The
the PG Tips Monkey in Merton College
Library’.
a t-shirt which says
‘Sidekick’ on it - just
go with it…). He’s stood
in JCR elections in the
past… as a cheese &
ham toastie…
12
Roger Bannister, who ran
the first four-minute
mile at the nearby Iffley
Road fields, is an honourary
fellow of Merton College.
The Upper Library
in Mob Quad is the
oldest, continuously
functioning academic
library in the world.
14
6
17
JRR Tolkien, author
of The Lord of the
Rings, was Professor of
English Language and
Literature at Merton
from 1945 to 1959.
The table in
Fellows’ Garden
is said to have
inspired C.S. Lewis
to create the
Stone Table in the
Narnia Chronicles.
13
In the mid-20th century,
Merton briefly kept white
peacocks in Fellows’ Garden,
but their mating screams kept
the students up and they had
to be removed.
15
Basil Blackwell, who
attended Merton
college, founded
the famous Oxford
bookshop Blackwell’s.
5
9
The symbols of the horoscope
are carved into the vault
of the fifteenth century
Fitzjames Arch but the
appearance of the scorpion is
questionable to say the least…
To be fair, not many people
had seen a scorpion in the
1400s.
8
11
10
16
Andrew Wiles, the
mathematician who proved
Fermat’s Last Theorem, was
an undergraduate at Merton
Henry Savile,
and returned to the College
Warden in the
as a Professorial Fellow in
16th century,
Mathematics.
was Elizabeth I’s
Ancient Greek
teacher.
18
William Harvey,
who discovered the
circulation of the
blood, was once Warden
of the college.
19
Legend has it, the large
playing field to the south
of the college was lost to
the Dean of Christ Church
in a game of cards.
24
by Ella Bucknall
Train
station
Park End
and Bridge
(clubs)
College Map
An d th at ’s a ll
folks!
Westgate
Shopping
Centre
As I’m sure you’re now absolutely
set on coming to Merton, for more
information on applying visit:
http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/
undergraduate/advice-forprospective-applicants
Cornmarket Street
Broad Street
Covered
Market
Alte rnative
Tuck Shop
Radc liff e Came ra and Bodl
eian
Christ Church
Meadow and
Merton Boathouse
Holywell Street
High Stre et
Exam
schools
Merton Street
Merton
Sports Field and
Pavillion (plus
punts, kayaks,
and Bops!)
Iffley Road
Sport Centre
25
Or contact our Schools Liaison and
Access Officer with any questions
about your application:
If you would like to attend one of
our Open Days, check the
University website to see when the
next one is happening:
And there is also some
information on Open Days
on the college website:
[email protected] or
http://www.twitter.com/
MertCollAccess
http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/
undergraduate/open-daysschool-visits
http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/
undergraduate/
open-days-school-visits#open
For more direct information from the students themselves (aka the
wonderful people who put this prospectus together and the other
fantastic members of the Merton JCR!), then check out our Merton
Twitter accounts!
These are running for most of the major
subjects offered at Merton and can be found
by searching @Merton[insert subject here],
e.g., @MertonHistory or @MertonEconMgmt
This is a great way to ask us questions directly and to get a
sense of what life at Merton is like through the
eyes of a student by following our daily tweets and antics.
Hope to see you soon!
Amber Tallon (Access Representative)
26
.
All imag es and text by Merton JCR..
Desig n: Andy Wella nd
Proces sandp roduc tion.com
College website:
http://www.merton.ox.ac.uk
JCR website:
http://www.mertonjcr.org
Address:
Merton College
Merton Street
Oxford
OX1 4JD