Matriculation 2020

By Elizabeth Hotz @ehotzz

As a new fresher at the University of Oxford, whether you’re an undergraduate or graduate student, one of the terms you’ll hear a lot at the beginning of Michaelmas term is Matriculation. A fancy word for a formal ceremony officially welcoming students to the University of Oxford.

This year Matriculation was a little different because of the pandemic. The ceremony was online at 11 a.m., and students were matriculated ‘in absentia’, using a link to access the live stream. Dressing up in sub fusc was optional, a benefit for those who wanted to sleep in. It was short and sweet, only 10 minutes long, but the ceremony still included the usual Latin phrases and the reminder that Matriculation is a long-standing tradition. Some colleges organized small events like socially distanced brunches or dinners or even individual portrait taking, and of course you were welcome to take photos with individuals from your household or socially distant group photos. And even though sub fusc was optional there were plenty of students who dressed up and took photos throughout Oxford. I got together with a few of my course mates and after taking some pictures, we spent a few hours at The Half Moon pub enjoying some happy hour pints. I returned back to my college, took some more pictures and settled in for the night with some delicious fish and chips.

Overall, it was a great day and just being in Oxford you are surrounded by beauty, charm, and years of history. And most importantly, at the end of the day, you are officially a part of an incredible institution and a member of the University of Oxford.