Hi from Oxford! I’ve been studying abroad at Hertford College, University of Oxford, for about 6 months now. Initially, I was here for only one semester, but I ultimately decided to extend my stay and remain for the whole academic year. If you are wondering how things are going, that’s a pretty strong hint right there!
Honestly, I’ve been loving my time here. Oxford is such an interesting, extraordinary, and majestic place to be. It has an almost magical vibe — very academic, intelligent, and meaningful. It seems like it’s just a hub for curious and passionate people to gather and pursue knowledge in many forms. You can have such interesting conversations with other students, professors, and staff members.
I don’t know how to describe it, but it just feels very authentic in the sense that people are going about their days with intention. Everyone has full, productive days, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel like a rush because somehow there’s always time to connect and socialize with each other.
Me and some friends celebrating Lunar New Year!
The main quad of Worcester College
This semester, I’ve been taking a tutorial in Medieval Philosophy, specifically focusing on the work of Thomas Aquinas. Under the tutorial system, I meet with my tutor one-on-one for about an hour each week. I submit one essay (around 1,500-2,000 words) each week, the day before my tutorial. Thus, by the time I get to the tutorial, I already know much of the content and have gone through the reading list.
That way, the tutorial is mostly focused on building on the ideas developed in my essay and discussing more of the context. It’s truly diving deeper. Oxford is known for prioritizing depth over breadth. This has been intellectually rewarding as well as challenging.
I’ve also had time to explore more. I have a list of all the colleges in Oxford (there are over 40 in total), and I’ve been visiting at least 3 or 4 new ones each week. My goal is to visit all of them before I leave. Each college has its own campus and operates independently. (They are even gated, and you can only visit at certain hours if you’re not a student at that particular college.)
It’s really cool to see how each campus has its own vibe and architecture. While some are very similar, others are complete opposites. There is a wide spectrum that includes everything. From small colleges to large, old to new, full of nature to almost entirely stone, each one feels like its own world. Some, like Magdalen College, are surrounded by expansive grounds and deer parks, while others, like St. Edmund’s Hall, are much smaller and only have a main quad. Architecturally, some colleges preserve the traditional medieval and Gothic style that Oxford is famous for, while others feature a more modern design reflecting more recent additions to the university.
Also, much of life at Oxford takes place inside its beautiful libraries. Since week one of the term, you can walk into any of the main libraries and find them completely full. That’s how you can tell that people here genuinely enjoy studying for its own sake.
It reminds me of a city like London. At street level, things can seem calm or even quiet, but once you step into the Underground, you realize that an entire world is moving beneath the surface. In the same way, Oxford’s quads may look peaceful from the outside, but inside the libraries, there is constant energy and focus quietly powering everything else.
Inside the Duke Humfrey reading room
The debating chamber at the Oxford Union
Two weeks ago, I also had the chance to go to the iconic Oxford Union. The debate I went to hear was about artificial intelligence. There were speakers on both sides about whether AI will be humanity’s last greatest invention. It was a great experience to be there in person, since I had watched the speakers’ debates on YouTube before coming here.
Another cool experience last week was attending a special honorary degree ceremony. The university chancellor and the presidents from all of the colleges were there to honor world-renowned scholars, politicians, writers, historians, and scientists who have meaningfully contributed to the betterment of society, each in their own way. For example, John Kerry, the 68th U.S. Secretary of State, was among the recipients. It was so inspiring to see such accomplished individuals in person.
Although academics will always be the center of the experience at Oxford, I’ve also had the chance to travel around a bit. I’ve been to London multiple times. I’ve also been on field trips to Brighton and Stratford-upon-Avon, where I got to see William Shakespeare’s birthplace and school. Now that our spring break is coming up (which will be over a month long), I plan to travel much more around Europe. For now, I have a trip to Madrid, Spain, fully planned.
One of the quads at Keble College
The Radcliffe Camera on the left and All Souls College on the right
Studying abroad has widened my horizons. It has been an incredible experience getting to meet people from all around the world here at Oxford. When I say all around the world, I truly mean it. I am myself impressed by the number of people I have met from different countries, cultures, and academic backgrounds, all gathered in one place.
If you’re reading this post, wondering whether you should try studying abroad, but you are not fully sure if it’s the right choice for you, or you are worried about everything that comes with it (applying, navigating a new school, transferring credits, adapting to a new country, and so on), I encourage you to do it. You will be surprised by how much you can learn and grow as a person during your time abroad. For me, choosing to study abroad has been, by far, the best decision I’ve made during my undergraduate years.
This post was contributed by Maximo Mendoza, Global Ambassador for Spring 2026. Maximo is a College of Liberal Arts Senior participating in an exchange program at the University of Oxford in Oxford, England.
