by Jerric Chong

ORIGIN – early 16th century:
from French origine, from Latin origo, origin-,
from oriri ‘to rise’. [Oxford Languages]

So here you are at last, donning your sub fusc and gown and traipsing up the steps of the Sheldonian with hundreds of others to hear some unintelligible Latin muttered at you, before filing out into the streets again to drink yourself silly for the rest of the day. At least that’s how it normally goes. Who knew that Oxford student life could be so … original?

Matriculation shenanigans aside, chances are that you’ve left your first lecture or tutorial with a feeling of dauntedness, of being tested in a new way that you aren’t used to. Oxford is serious business, and while you might well feel yourself unworthy at first, each of us are here for a good reason, chosen to take up the challenge. All there is to do is rise to it – make your time at Oriel the origin of something new, something great and unique to you. You’ll thank yourself eventually.

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