Oxford Day Trip
Hi! My name is Alyssa Karasek and I am entering my senior year as a psychology major at the University of Kansas. Prior to this trip, I had never traveled outside of the United States. This study abroad program presented the perfect opportunity to experience life in the United Kingdom. Besides the chance to spend two weeks in London, I chose to participate in this course so I could widen my perspective on cultures outside of my own.
Today, we had the opportunity to take a day trip to the town of Oxford. This trip was filled with an hour-long bus ride to and from Oxford, a walking tour of the town, and the chance to explore shops located within Oxford.
Our walking tour began at Balliol College, a smaller college within the University of Oxford. I was very interested in learning about the history of women at Oxford. Oxford University was founded as a male-only institution and did not admit women until the year 1878. From the years 1878 to 1920, women were permitted to take courses at Oxford but were only able to earn certificates of attendance instead of earning college degrees which were offered to their male counterparts. In the fall of 1920, both women and men were admitted to Oxford University with the opportunity to earn a college degree. I think it is important to reflect on how admitting women into secondary educational institutions has impacted our world today due to the contributions made by women who had the opportunity to further their education. Because of this change in the academic world, we were able to take this trip as an all-female group.
Learning about the history of women at Oxford was my favorite part of the tour, but there were other stops that stood out to me along the way including Grand Hall, which is now used as a dining hall, the Bodleian Library, and a Memorial Garden that commemorates World War I. To finish off our day in Oxford, we spent a couple hours exploring the town, eating lunch, and hunting for souvenirs.
Today, we had the opportunity to take a day trip to the town of Oxford. This trip was filled with an hour-long bus ride to and from Oxford, a walking tour of the town, and the chance to explore shops located within Oxford.
Our walking tour began at Balliol College, a smaller college within the University of Oxford. I was very interested in learning about the history of women at Oxford. Oxford University was founded as a male-only institution and did not admit women until the year 1878. From the years 1878 to 1920, women were permitted to take courses at Oxford but were only able to earn certificates of attendance instead of earning college degrees which were offered to their male counterparts. In the fall of 1920, both women and men were admitted to Oxford University with the opportunity to earn a college degree. I think it is important to reflect on how admitting women into secondary educational institutions has impacted our world today due to the contributions made by women who had the opportunity to further their education. Because of this change in the academic world, we were able to take this trip as an all-female group.
Learning about the history of women at Oxford was my favorite part of the tour, but there were other stops that stood out to me along the way including Grand Hall, which is now used as a dining hall, the Bodleian Library, and a Memorial Garden that commemorates World War I. To finish off our day in Oxford, we spent a couple hours exploring the town, eating lunch, and hunting for souvenirs.
Pictured is the view from the entrance of Balliol College. On the right-hand side of the photo is the chapel located within the school, and on the left-hand side is the student library that connects to the chapel.
This picture was taken inside Grand Hall at Balliol College. This hall is used daily as a dining hall for students but is also commonly used for meetings or lectures.
Pictured above is the Radcliffe Building of the Bodleian Library. This building is the home for all science literature located at the Bodleian.
This picture was taken at the end of the tour, located in the Christ Church War Memorial Garden.
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