Before the start of term, members of our ACS committee chose to revisit and reflect on time as freshers. Below are their profound and poetic words, fueled by lessons and advice garnered over the course of the previous year.

Not the 10 Commandments – Sam Bankole, President

Enjoy life as a Fresher. You will never ever EVER have another time like it with so many new opportunities.
Get into some semblance of a routine as soon as possible, that is the only way you can survive this place.
You can only enjoy Oxford by stepping out of your comfort zone – it’s an amazing place with lots of people and an endless number of things to do so try as many as you can!
BUT remember that you can say no to things too – there will always be another motive.
Do not overpack, remember we are only here for 2 months at a time.
Do not get stuck going to the same places over and over; tour the city as much as you can, try to visit every library or college and as many landmarks as you can – people fly from across the world to do the same!
Contact your tutors or lecturers whenever you are struggling with ANYTHING. They are world-renowned academics that are literally an email away.
Try not to get stuck in the Oxford bubble. Visit friends or family outside of the city a couple times a term.
First year exams do matter – but don’t die for them.
Do not forget the reason you came to the top academic institution in the world.

Connections – Chelsea Iwunze, PR Officer

The Year Abroad has been the part of my degree I’ve been looking forward to the most since before I’d even fully decided on my course. 7 months in, I can safely say it has not only met but surpassed my expectations. I have been in Paraguay, first working with various churches and community groups and now teaching English. Out here, I’ve made friends for life, grown in independence and enjoyed a whole new culture and way of life, all alongside honing my Spanish abilities. I’ve enjoyed documenting the journey with journals, vlogs on YouTube and LOTS of photos, which I would also recommend.

For anyone embarking on their year abroad, my main advice would be: Immerse yourself. Get involved in everything you can. Maximise your time away. Have a rough idea of what you’re doing but be ready to go off piste as new opportunities arise. Don’t just surround yourself with English speakers; your language and cultural development will suffer. That said, it is nice to have fellow students/English speakers around too. Speaking another language 24/7 can actually give you headaches at first lool. Be prepared to face yourself. Miles away from friends and family, you have the time to reflect, revive and reinvent, a process that can also occur without you even realising by being faced with so many new inputs. Trust God. Call home. Embrace the unknown. The year abroad serves as a beautiful reminder of the world outside of Oxford, the UK, or even, if you so choose the Western world. It opens your eyes and broadens your scope if you allow it to. Get the paperwork done as soon as possible, secure funding, insurance etc but most importantly, have fun. A wonderful adventure awaits.

Through the ACS Lenses – Aliyyah Gbadamosi, Treasurer

Looking back on my first year at Oxford feels somewhat surreal. I remember the bittersweet feeling of starting this new chapter in life, but also leaving behind all the characters that had formed my story. Leaving my family was difficult, but little did I know I would find another family here at Oxford.

Despite my separation anxiety, I was over the moon - after years of focusing on my studies (mostly) and working to build up experience, I would finally reap the fruits of my labour at the best university ever! Yet, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of fear that I would not live up to the high expectations of such a prestigious place, that I wouldn’t fit in. Thankfully, I was very wrong. Here’s what I would say to day one Aliyyah:

Firstly, you’re going to meet a girl (or two) that makes you feel at home. You’ll laugh, relate, you’ll feel slightly worried about the fact that you’ve overshared for more than an hour and concerned that you’ve scared her away for good. Again, you’ll be wrong, and she will be the first of many friends you will make, because there’s someone here for everyone.

Secondly, you’ll love your course! Some days you’ll be stuck on a problem sheet or have nothing to say for a 2,500 word essay, but other days you’ll remember why you chose it. The tutorials will feel strange at first, but you’ll meet a guy (or two) that doesn’t mind exchanging ideas to help you improve. And you will improve!

Thirdly, you don’t need to fit in. In fact, you will stand out! Your friends will know you for your Pokémon charms and being a serial society joiner. Some will laugh at your London slang or at the passion in your voice when you sing Last Last in the club.

Lastly, you’ll have so much fun. You’ll meet new people every day, you may sometimes skip a lecture, but you’ll catch up. You’ll give your all in your classes and exams. Most importantly, you’ll carpe diem. You’ll keep being the go-getter that you know you are despite the fears and anxiety.

So… to the freshers joining us in October, the best advice I can give you is to firstly give yourself the time and grace to adjust, be open to meeting new people and lastly seize every day!

Reflections – Suleqa Warsame, Access Officer

My first year was a rollercoaster, to say the least. I first arrived at Oxford through the Opportunity Oxford programme and to say I found my people there is an understatement. I met two of the loveliest girls I could’ve ever asked for - each of us from a different college. As everyone else started moving in, I took one look at my almost all-white college community and thought “yeah, no”. Coming from a state-school in London where everyone looked like me, to an Oxford college where I stuck out like a sore thumb (being one of the only black people and the only girl wearing a hijab in the entire undergraduate body) I decided maybe it wasn’t that important to make college friends. So, I didn’t attend a SINGLE event in Freshers’ week. Please don’t do what I did.

I’m saying this because, as incoming freshers, you may not be the only black students or Muslims, but it's still entirely natural to feel out of place (honestly, it would be strange if you didn't). However, make the most of your college community. Two terms later, I’ve realised that my college community is actually really nice and full of down-to-earth people who may just come from different walks of life to me, and that’s fine. Be comfortable in your identity and please remember there are spaces for you, both within your college and out, and if there aren’t, make them.

Now, let’s talk about the workload at Oxford. I read Law and… It’s a lot to be honest. There have definitely been times I’ve thought the time constraints were impossible and I just wanted to press pause on everything. I went through periods where I completely burnt myself out by doing way too much for tutorials in order to show that I’d earned my place here (fyi: your tutors do not care that much). Overall, this hindered my performance more than it helped it. If there’s anything you take from this, remember your tutors haven’t picked you because you’re black, or from an underrepresented group. They picked you because they thought you were capable of succeeding at the best university in the world. You will constantly battle with imposter syndrome. And guess what? So will everyone else. That’s simply the Oxford experience. It’s important to remember that you are just as intelligent (if not more so) as the other students in your cohort.

My advice to you is this: embrace whatever your journey is at Oxford, make the most of your college community, come and visit societies (like ACS) that provide comforting spaces for you, and please don’t burden yourself with unrealistic expectations. You have what it takes, so keep moving forwards and enjoy what’s ahead of you.

Psalm 46:5 - a letter to younger naomi – Naomi Ololuo, Access Officer

Dear silly fresher Naomi,

You are about to start your first year studying Law at one of the best universities in the world. So young, so blessed, but so stressed. Take a step back and look around – you are living in your prayers. Every aspect of your life – academics, friendships, faith, family, health – bears the fingerprints of the Holy Spirit. Slow down. Stop expecting everything to happen at once, and instead let every day be another chance for you to be kind to yourself and to the people around you.

First year was hard – the story of everyone’s life. Cramming for Mods (first year Law exams) worked, but honestly it would have been better if you were consistent throughout the year. My advice: never start a new month, week, or even day, without making a plan and setting yourself some small, achievable goals. Do this before you start uni! It will help so much with your academics and career, as well as your social life.

Do not neglect your friendships. Hilary was a beautiful time, despite Mods. This is because you made such wonderful friendships and memories you will cherish for life. All you had to do was say “yes” more when your anxiety tries to tell you “no” - you will not regret it. You also nurtured existing friendships, which was equally as important. Thank you for not forgetting about the people who have kept you going all these years – you got two cute girls trips out of it! Should’ve booked three though ;)

In Hilary you also realised that you cannot do this without the help of your Father. It took a minute to get back on track, you wondered why everything seemed 10x harder than it should, but you were silly to think you could do university without the faith that got you there in the first place. I’m not sure how this works, but if you can change our story, please try to find Him quicker lol (RPF is where it’s at, I thank God every day for His helpers). You spent so much of this year full of fear for nothing in particular. Don’t be scared - God is within you, you cannot fall.

On a lighter note, you spent way too much on junk food - the owner of the food truck outside of college is lovely but no, he does not need to see your face as often as he does. Walk to Tesco because Sainsbury’s requires deeper pockets, and please cook more.

Finally, in every aspect of life, do not be afraid to ask for help. University is not a punishment. Go to Jesus, go to your friends and family. Go to your tutors – you will not get in trouble for asking for an extension, so stop killing yourself for those deadlines. Take pride in all you do, and do not forget to be grateful for this amazing opportunity.

Psalm 46:5. God is within you, you cannot fall.

I Deserve to Be Here – Larissa Calume Eduardo, Events Officer

Looking back on my first year at Oxford, I wish I would have had more self-confidence. I started Michaelmas with so much self-doubt and insecurity. Before even stepping foot in Oxford, I had concluded that I would make no friends, that I would not enjoy it, and that I was not smart enough to be here. Nevertheless, I was proved wrong in every single way.

Despite the intense terms, I began (in a slightly sadistic way) to enjoy the challenge. I saw myself grow academically as I became more confident in challenging historians on my reading lists and my tutors' opinions. I even began to create my own reading lists, daring to read further and further.

In college, I made friends from a range of backgrounds and, though our lived experiences varied, we shared tears and laughter together. Still, something felt different. Before attending Oxford, I knew black people were a minority, but my whole life I had never felt like one. All my schools were majority Black and Asian, and so was the area I lived in. At Oxford, I became conscious of my blackness for the first time in my life. It was present in the way I spoke, my interests, the music I liked, my cultural references, the jokes I made, the food I ate. Sometimes this awareness made connecting feel like a chore. It was with the ACS that I felt the true comfort that I was longing for. For an hour or two, I could relax. There was no need to code-switch or explain myself. Here, I could just be.

Overall, first year is challenging. There were times when I felt like I was drowning in essays and readings, times where I was exhausted, homesick, and jealous of my friends enjoying uni in the Midlands. But Oxford so far has been such a valuable experience. Although I have aged about five years, I have met many incredible people and become highly self-sufficient, and I have every hope that you will too.

So, my advice to the incoming freshers is to come without any expectations. Instead of making unfounded conclusions, be open to new things and then decide. Also, remember you are intelligent! You deserve to be here. If you weren’t, you would be at Cambridge (jk).

Here's to The Magic of First Times – Antonio Gato, PR Officer

When you make it through the challenge of A-Levels and finally become an adult, you might believe that life will settle into a predictable routine. Or, at least, that's what I thought. Don't get me wrong, university was going to be a completely new world for me, but I thought I could foresee the challenges and plan for them. If there’s anything I’ve learnt from this year, it is to let go of your expectations and enjoy as your journey unfolds.

Moving out and into college seemed daunting, but it turned out to be far smoother than I anticipated. On the day I arrived, I immediately formed friendships that have lasted throughout the year. Contrary to the stereotype of "stuck-up" Oxford students, everyone I met was (genuinely) incredibly friendly. I even connected with older students who mentored and supported me academically as well as emotionally. Although adjusting to the new rhythm, study styles, and teaching methods was initially challenging, my tutors were so supportive. Just like that, my first term was full of new experiences, from traditional ceremonies like matriculation to formal dinners, witnessing fireworks, and discovering more about myself.

Interestingly, Hilary was the most challenging for me. When I least expected it, the academic workload increased, with multiple essays and complex readings. Socially, I felt more isolated too. It was a term of adjustments, patience, and personal growth, but I'm grateful for the supportive foundations I had formed with friends and tutors in first term who I could lean on later.

Thankfully, Trinity painted a brighter picture. The highlights included making new close friends even so far into the year, improving academically, taking on leadership roles in college and societies, enjoying the beautiful weather, and attending networking events. I continued actively participating in the ACS’s vibrant community, which has grown to feel like a second family to me.

Starting uni exposed me to the magic of first times. The first steps into independence, the first friendships that feel like family, and the first encounters with new experiences. These moments now hold a special place in my heart. No matter how challenging the journey may become, they serve as a reminder of the magic that life has to offer overall.

So, savour these moments. Do it all. Embrace the unknown, because within it lies the potential for extraordinary friendships, unexpected opportunities, and a life filled with the kind of magic that only ‘first times’ can bring.

Finding Your Feet – Ayaat Hassan, Welfare Officer

The main thought I remember having when I first moved was that I felt, for the first time, like an adult. The freedom and independence I felt was almost overwhelming because I had to learn to navigate a new environment with a new set of people. Looking back, it’s difficult to think of advice I would’ve given myself then, even after having gone through the whole year. It’s nice to be reassured and told that you will settle in after a little while, and trust me you will, but that initial fear of not finding your feet is difficult to dismiss. Also, as a non-drinker, I had the additional worry of feeling left out, because at first glance it felt like having fun at university revolved solely around drinking.

After a few weeks, when everything started to calm down, I felt a lot more comfortable. I got used to the daily grind and got to know the people I was living with. It was only towards the end of my first term that I started to look outwards and join societies like ACS where I could meet people outside of my college. Even though I initially felt like I was late to it, I quickly realised how warm and inviting being in those environments can be. One of the things that stopped me from feeling off-kilter was being around people who I could relate to and who reminded me of home. Reflecting on my year overall, I really enjoyed my time in first year and got the chance to meet lots of people and have experiences that I wouldn’t have otherwise had. Good luck to all of you starting this year, have fun and enjoy your time here!

Lessons from First Year – Anita Okunde, Vice President

Oxford is definitely an experience! The good, the bad, and the ugly form together to create something that, upon reflection, can only be described as the culmination of joy from a newfound independence, struggle in a forever changing environment and the grace of God. Here are the two main things I believe I’ve learnt:

Firstly, I must begin by mentioning that, although this is meant to be the place for intellectuals, you are bound to meet some people who are very very dumb. Nearly all of my year group has heard my horror story of being called “exotic” at the club during Freshers’ Week and the many mind-altering conversations that have allowed me to see that money doesn’t buy class (or style - they can’t dress over here!). It is maintaining your integrity that will make your life easier and ensure you don’t get caught up in the chaos.

Second, I have found an even deeper appreciation than I could’ve ever imagined for Burna Boy’s line “I can’t come and kill myself”, because I really can’t! The memories I have made belly laughing with new friends, trying new experiences, and committing to new societies would not have been worth a miserable year with a higher grade than the one I got.

So now, as I tackle the next year (I can’t believe I’m a second year student), I look forward to continuing to make new memories, pull faces at the most absurd white people nonsense you’ll ever hear in your life! and give myself grace because I am human before I am a student, but will remain your VP before all else! (Sam said he’d revoke my membership if I didn’t add this in).

As you spend time within the ACS, I hope we can make it a home away from home for you in the same way it was for me. The ACS is the place where I have met my closest friends and have made my most epic memories!

Edition 5: Reflections on First Year