After three weeks at Lady Margaret Hall College, Oxford University, I’ve completed my first course, which was about the history of fantasy literature. It was truly excellent, some of the best teaching I’ve ever had, and I was also delighted by the passion and curiosity of my classmates. It was really exciting to be in a space where everyone cared about the subject matter as much as I do. On top of that, everyone was very kind and interesting, and I’ve made some lovely friends.

In addition to my classes, I’ve been able to explore much of the city, which I’ve also greatly enjoyed. A particular standout was seeing a local production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Really, it was the best Shakespeare I’ve ever seen, and I was falling over with laughter through much of it. It was so good that my friends and I came back to see the same company perform Twelfth Night, which was also excellent.

Another notable experience was watching the England v. Argentina semifinal football game in a local pub (one of maybe a hundred). I’d never seen an entire game of football before, so that aspect was fun, but what really struck me was how unifying the experience was. Most of Oxford was gathered in a pub somewhere watching the game. Ours was packed shoulder to shoulder. It was really lovely to see a whole city participating in the same culture at the same time—and to be a part of it, too, even if England lost (we got to cheer for one goal, at least).

This week, I start my next course, about the life and literature of Jane Austen! I’m very excited.