By Millie Drake
If you're anything like me you went to Freshers' Fair and signed up for every club imaginable. I just couldn't believe how much was on offer. There were the ones I'd targeted like netball but then I've always loved singing and wow there were so many musical groups, theatre shows and choirs and I just couldn't decide, so I wrote my name down for everything. Then some of the stands were just really persuasive and I found myself suddenly a member of the board game society and historical battle re-enactment!
And then it hit me just how busy Oxford was going to be. Freshers' Week was so full-on and that was before work properly started. By the time I was heading to lectures, my first tutorial, having tea breaks with my new friends and going out in the evenings, it was all getting very busy and I seriously needed some time to chill. I ended up being offered a part in one of the many plays I'd signed up for and when the rehearsal schedule came through I was in panic mode...there were so many rehearsals, there was no way I would be able to fit it all in.
Something had to give and at that point in term it felt like the worst thing ever to turn down an opportunity but it really wasn't...I'd been to one rehearsal, I'd realised the commitment and afterwards I emailed the play to say I couldn't do it. I cried afterwards, feeling like a failure but this was later followed by a HUGE sense of relief.
And that is my advice to you, these decisions may feel so big and stressful at the time but on reflection, they'll be so insignificant but following what you know is right for you, to stay on top of your stress is really important to enjoying your first and subsequent Oxford terms!