by Beary McBearface

Beary McBearface, treasured Oriel mascot and JCR staple, is here to help you with your troubles. In this column,  Beary will attempt to find solutions to your little college worries; trust him, he’s seen it all. All you need to do is email thepoorprint@oriel.ox.ac.uk with the subject line ‘Dear Beary’, and if you’re lucky your problem will be solved in our next issue.

Of course, if you’d like to remain anonymous – and Beary encourages naming no names, we don’t want any beef here – just drop a note with your Beary concern to one of the editors’ pidges. And please do, Beary needs a hobby in his twilight years.

[If you’re really struggling, or if your problem contains sensitive information, be aware that Beary has received no formal Welfare training; please message Sophie Irving or Monim Wains, our beloved Welfare Officers, or the peer supporters, for more information, or get in touch with the Welfare Deans or the College Nurse.]

1) Dear Beary, it’s already halfway through Trinity but I’m finding it hard to get motivated. What do I do?

It could be challenging to stay on task when you’re pretty much at home all the time, but one really effective way is to work together with your friends! There are many initiatives posted on the JCR Facebook group, such as a library Zoom link and a mock exam Zoom link.

To get some college vibes, you could attend welfare yoga (via Zoom), JCR open meetings (via Zoom), and check out contributions from Oriel Choir on YouTube and of course The Poor Print! Perhaps afterwards you’d remember that you actually need to do work…

2) Dear Beary, is it okay if I use a virtual background from my favourite anime for online tutorials?

As far as I know, tutors at Oriel are well-trained in keeping a straight face. (They have to do that all the time when you bluff your way through tutes, you know.) If that can keep your spirits up and it doesn’t affect the tute, why not? Mental health is very important after all.

(Editor’s note: current welfare events include weekly tea and toast (via Zoom), as well as weekly welfare drop-ins on Tuesdays and Fridays. Don’t hesitate to get in touch, Peer Supporters are always happy to help!)

3) Dear Beary, you must dream (and daydream) a lot. What dreams have you ever had?

I’m a simple bear, sometimes I just dream of resting on the Third Quad lawns and watching people play croquet. Or I dream about going punting – I can’t do it in real life because I can’t swim and I might fall into the water. But of course, I most earnestly dream of seeing all of your lovely faces in college again!