I’m not entirely sure what I was supposed to have gotten out of Oxford—why, that is, some generous Princeton alumni decided to send me here. It certainly wasn’t a degree: this was clear to me two days after I was informed I received the scholarship, and proceeded to awkwardly explain that my chosen course wasn’t… Continue reading Words of (Imagined) Wisdom
I have never been to a truly “authentic” British pub. As far as I am concerned, this is true by definition: any pub that a twenty-four year old American studying abroad can find, enter, and safely drink a pint in simply can’t be properly English. Nonetheless, if I were to ever swear allegiance to the… Continue reading The Nostalgia Series, Part I: Bookbinders
If I ranked how I’ve spent my time this term, I’m almost positive that my first place activity would not be preparing for finals or writing my thesis. In fact, I’m certain it would be rowing. It is a pretty stupid way for me to be occupying myself. In two months, I’ll be back in… Continue reading On Failure
This week, Oxford’s homeless population will be eating hot dog buns. I’ve said on this blog before that one of the high points of my week is my work with Food Justice, a non-profit in Oxford that diverts nearly-expired supermarket food from the landfill and gives it to organizations that provide meals for the needy. … Continue reading On Hot Dog Buns and Capitalism
Finally, I can leave Oxford knowing that, although I may leave England in body, I will live on in spirit. Yes, the great deeds of Worcester College Boat Club have been immortalized in the Oxford Student newspaper. And I thought the Daily Princetonian printed some pointless stuff.
Behold! I have created a thesis! Minor existential angst aside, I’m proud of how it turned out, and hope to write about some of my findings some time soon. In an early attempt to get some of it out there, I’m sending my thesis out into the wilds of the internet. Those interested to see… Continue reading From Yasuní to a PDF Near You
To my surprise, even after a year of sporadic posting (and nearly nine months without a picture of a monkey), there are still people reading this blog. While, in general, I find this flattering (if a little confusing), it’s a bit unfortunate to have a readership anytime my writing is terrible and I say deeply… Continue reading Poor Writing and Ethical Hangovers
It’s summer time in England. I know it’s only April, but there are two weeks of decent weather a year on this island, and we’re currently burning through them. The Thames River is particularly fantastic right now: there are adorable ducklings everywhere, all manner of flower is in bloom, and Christ Church tower looms crystal… Continue reading Chavs, Class, and Christ Church
When I run hard, the world collapses around me. External concerns which often to be circulating endlessly in my brain disappear, and my thinking narrows into calculating splits, sizing up the next hill, and willing myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other. As soon as the run ends and the endorphins… Continue reading Once (Again) a Runner
It’s been a month of déjà vu. My junior year of high school, my parents decided that my spring break would be spent visiting universities on the east coast. Now, seven years later, I have spent my last spring break in Oxford—that is to say, the last period in my life where Prague will be… Continue reading Part IV: Stanford
Alex V. Barnard - Sociology 