I’m sitting in my bed at Exeter College as I write this. I’ve had two glasses of wine and a glass of champagne, and I made at least three new friends!
Today was move-in day at Oxford, which is an insane thing to say. I settled into my new little dorm, which feels quite a bit like just a small hotel room. A wooden wardrobe, a teapot, a large desk by the window, and a small private bathroom and shower make up my new home for the next month. Up three long flights of stairs, coming up and down is most definitely a workout.
The lack of air conditioning once again prompted me to open up my little windows, which revealed a view most stately: the steeple of the Exeter College Chapel and a panoramic view from above of the front quadrangle. Quickly after discovering said view, it began to rain. I wanted to cry from sheer awe and happiness!
Tonight was the formal dinner and reception as well—if you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know I was looking for a dress for these events, and I did manage to find the perfect one from Princess Polly: a pale yellow gown with embroidered flora and a laced corset-style back. It is in this gown that I mingled in the Fellows’ Garden, with a gorgeous view of the Radcliffe Camera, as I drank champagne and socialized with new friends.
We were then ushered into the great hall for dinner. Parts of Exeter are rumored to have been the inspiration for some of Hogwarts, so this dinner was especially important to me, and upon entering the great hall, my eyes truly did water. Regal paintings on the walls, checkered floors, long dark wooden tables with lamps, and artful wooden beams decorating the ceiling were everything I could have dreamt of and more.
We were told to stand when the tutors and administrators made their way inside, and silently watched their procession down the aisle in their robes. When they made it to the high table, one tutor said grace in Latin, and we all responded with a choral “amen,” and finally sat. Our meal was then served to us in three courses, accompanied by wine pairings, followed by coffee and mints. What else can I say, except that it was a gorgeous meal and I got to chat with so many new people!
We were formally welcomed to Oxford University over coffee, and then excused to enjoy the rest of our evening. The little group of girls I have befriended decided to sit out in the courtyard and drink from the college bar, and we drank and talked until the sun finally set and darkness tucked us cozily behind Exeter’s walls. Laughter rang from our table near the lawn, which slowly grew more crowded. A cigarette butt glowed in the dark, smoke pushed through laughing lips invisibly into the night air. Common ground was found in small details and little comforts of familiarity, and once it began to grow cold, we decided to part and go our separate ways.
So now, here I sit, taking in my quiet dorm room, with the distant sound of the chapel bell ringing from across the quad, signaling to me the passage of time with every hour that I cannot slow down, no matter how hard I will try this summer.
This is so precious <3