William Bai: Oxford Study Abroad Program
his past summer, I used funds from Newcomb-Tulane College towards a summer study abroad experience in England.
I attended the University of Oxford during the 2022 Trinity Term, hoping to experience Oxford’s college and academic tutorial systems, the city’s rich culture, and unique student life along the way. The university comprises of 39 colleges, each with its own students, housing accommodations, faculty, sports ground, greenspace, chapel, and dining facility. Instead of attending lecture-style classes, undergraduates typically meet with a professor one-on-one or in small groups once a week to discuss course material. I was a student at New College (founded in 1379, so not very “new” per se) and took a practical ethics tutorial under Dr. Aksel Sterri, a research fellow at Linacre College. Over the course of six weeks, I explored contemporary issues in ethics, including the non-identity problem, the moral status of animals, and the commodification of bodily organs, writing a 2000-word essay for each topic and elaborating on my beliefs during my tutorials. Through excellent feedback from my tutor and plenty of hours reading and editing in the library, I learned how to craft philosophical arguments, how to defend them succinctly, and how to use academic literature to substantiate my theses.
I also experienced much of what student life at Oxford has to offer. From attending college formal dinners, cheering on at boat races, watching live plays, sneaking into other colleges, socializing at balls, basking in the sun at garden parties, there is more than enough to do in Oxford in four years—let alone six weeks. I spent much of my leisure time rallying on clay and grass surfaces at Oxford’s tennis club as well as listening to talks at the Oxford Union by guest speakers such as Bear Grylls and Chuck Hagel, secretary of defense under former President Obama.
Between the rigorous schedule of my academics, I also visited areas of South England that had been on my bucket list. I found time to attend The Championships at Wimbledon, arguably the most prestigious tennis tournament in the World, and spectated just meters away from tennis greats, such as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, whom I only have seen on television. A huge association football (or soccer) fan, I attended an English Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester City. I also went to TankFest, the largest moving display of historical military armored vehicles, at The Tank Museum in Bovington. Other travels outside of London include visiting the Cambridge pub where Watson and Crick announced the discovery of DNA, touring the Roman Baths in Bath, strolling through the gardens of the palace where Winston Churchill was born, exploring the location that inspired The Imitation Game, punting along the River Cam, and getting lost in the English countryside near Stonehenge. Other travels inside London include visiting the tallest building in Western Europe, riding all but three of the London train networks, walking through at least half a dozen museums, seeing the Magna Carta at the British Library, trying a range of cuisines at Borough Market, and taking peaceful walks through Hyde Park and Regent’s Park.
I have realized how much I appreciate British culture through this trip, and after staying for nearly two months, I have begun having thoughts about returning either for a master’s degree or extended travel. The generosity of Newcomb Tulane College helped make this unconventional study abroad opportunity possible for me, and for that, I am more than grateful. Thank you to the donors and administrators who made this funding possible.
