Humans of St Peter's

A little bit about this account:
Hello! Sophie here, your access and outreach rep for 2025/2026! This account will be used this year to tell stories of students here at SPC (and past alumni) to highlight that our college welcomes people from all backgrounds. As well as this, I will be using this account to promote outreach opportunities throughout the year. Also, keep an eye out for any outreach events I will be running too (such as the outreach tea this term). If you have any Q’s about access and outreach please feel free to drop a message! Looking forward to working with you all this year.
-Sophie :)

Join us at Catz on Sunday with Worcester for a chill crafty social where you get let your inner designer out making and the opportunity to win some prizes, chat to fellow students and rinse us of the snacks and hot chocolate 🍿🧶💛💚

Hello! My name is Rosie and I am an SPC alum, having studied Archaeology and Anthropology from 2016-2019. I have a YouTube channel where I documented my time at St Peter’s and shared free tips based on my application experience. Currently, I’m halfway through an MSc in Forensic Archaeology and Anthropology at Cranfield University.

I think my "dream" to study at Oxford came about much later than most people who apply to do an undergraduate degree there: I had always imagined attending a local university and living at home to keep costs low. When searching for universities that offer archaeology as a subject, I rejected the idea of going to Oxford because of preconceptions I had about the costs and the sorts of people that ‘fit in’. I was told by a family member that "Oxford isn't for people like you" and had never come across an access event (or been encouraged to attend one) in my region, nor had I ever been to the city - I'm from North West England. For me, things changed when I was recommended to apply to UNIQ, which is a free summer school offered at Oxford by the University for lower income students. If you’re in year 12 currently, I’d really recommend looking into this!

One of my biggest fears when applying to Oxford was not being able to afford it. Moving to an expensive city with high rent prices was daunting, and Oxford’s rule about not working during term was a scary prospect. Unlike many colleges, at SPC, you can actually work on the College Bar, which I loved and would recommend to everyone who’s applying. In my second year I became the Bar’s Treasurer, giving me some proper managerial experience and a position on the JCR Committee to add to my CV. This provided me with a stable income throughout term time during my degree, helping me to afford rent and social events.

If there’s one thing I’d go back and do differently, it’s to actually attend more of the wider degree-related (and otherwise) activities on offer for free. I spent too much time worrying about imminent deadlines alone in my room, and neglected the fact that attending sessions with other people may have been beneficial for both my future in Archaeology, and my mental health. It’s hard to juggle your time at Oxford, but always prioritise your own wellbeing, and take opportunities offered to you without worrying too much about your next essay (though my old tutors may disagree with the essay part - sorry Tim and Amy!).

Hey everyone, I’m Ram.

I was pretty unsure how to go about writing this -- it feels weird talking about my life focusing mostly on certain obstacles I’ve faced when I’ve been fortunate in many other ways than I discuss here. Still, I don’t want to deny that barriers exist and are difficult to overcome. I’ve been really motivated by the amazing people on this page (and those to come I’m sure). If there’s a chance that someone reading this can relate to what I have to say and feel encouraged or less anxious about applying to (or being in) Oxford as a result, that would be invaluable. A nice moment recently was being told by a current student that he applied to SPC because he heard from a mutual friend that I was studying here, so if he were to get in, he would know at least one person from a similar background. He’s a great friend now and thriving in College!

I’m a third-year English student coming towards the end of my degree now. I grew up and live on a council estate in NW London, my dad was a waiter and has since retired while my mum looked after us at home. I’ve got three bros and we’re all similar ages (21, 22, 23, 25), so you can imagine the chaos we caused for my parents growing up. We were on government welfare and struggled financially at times, but my parent’s support and care never wavered and they’ll always be my inspiration. I attended a state school in Camden which had its fair share of dramas, sometimes gang-related, but some great people and teachers made it possible to do really well. I remember hearing that to get into Oxford you need at least 6 A*s at GCSE, so maybe it helps hearing that I ‘only’ got three (though I’ve heard of more variation too). When sixth form came around I was fortunate enough, following my brothers’ lead, in securing a bursary at a nearby private school (UCS, in Hampstead). Life was quite different there, and I remember feeling, as many people do at Oxford, as if I was straddling two different realities. It had a huge impact on me, in terms of my education and aspirations, and it could provide a useful way of crossing otherwise deep-rooted barriers. Saying that, it is of course possible -- and extremely inspiring -- to both dream big and achieve big at state schools, as the wonderful people on this page demonstrate: to echo Abby’s comments, passion and hard work can pay off enormously.

The last three years have been a whirlwind of a time. I feel very grateful to have an amazing group of course-mates and friends alongside me in College. Personally, I’ve never felt or been made to feel self-conscious about my background, even across the social divides here, which is testimony to the genuinely kind community SPC has going for it. If you either feel uneasy at the prospect of standing out or are currently struggling to relate to friends at Oxford -- which is completely natural -- these profiles hopefully go some way to relieve your worries. Reach out if you want; it’s so important to feel like you have someone to talk to about these things, and maybe because I’ve been through it over the last few years I could have some words of wisdom (which isn’t usually what I’m known for). Sorry for dropping an essay, it seems I’m still in finals mode ;) Stay confident! Rambo x

Bonjour! Tim here.

I first came to St Peter’s as an Undergraduate and stayed on for my first postgraduate degree. I did go away for a little bit, for my doctoral studies. It was alright, but I don’t think I’ll try it again. I met my future wife when we were both students at the College and we now have two children and a dog.🐾
Outside of work, I’m usually with them and usually enjoying it.

In recent years, I have tended to focus my teaching on the Philosophy of Religion and Value Theory. I teach for ‘The Philosophy of Religion’ paper and the ‘Ethics’ and the ‘Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Criticism’ papers. I also teach an introductory course on Moral Philosophy, based on Mill’s ‘Utilitarianism’, to our first-years and such visiting students as wish to take it up. Most of my students are from St Peters, but I also do some teaching for other colleges, either in exchange for SPC students sent out, or for the BPhil in Philosophy or the MSt or MPhil in Philosophical Theology.

I have quite broad interests within Philosophy – I have written five books and about fifty papers on a wide range of topics, though most fall within the general area of the Philosophy of Religion. At time of writing, my most recent work has been on the question, “What is the meaning of life?”
This is arguably a question that most lay-people would think must form a chief focus of the work of all of those who style themselves professional philosophers. But, until relatively recently, hardly anybody who called themselves a professional philosopher had worked on the question “What is the meaning of life?” at all. Why was that? And why did it change? Because it has changed. The meaning of life is currently one of the fastest-growing areas in the discipline. How is the question, “What is the meaning of life?” now understood? How might our understanding of it be improved? If there were a God, would that make a difference to life’s meaningfulness? If so, how so? If not, why not? In a series of works - the most substantial of which was my 2016 book, ‘God and the Meanings of Life’ - I’ve been charting the answers to these and related questions. It may not surprise readers who know me that I haven’t yet plumbed the depths of the topic of life’s meaning. It may surprise some that I haven’t even yet plumbed the relative shallows of what it is that I think I might helpfully contribute. In any case, because of this, I anticipate that I’ll continue to work in this area for at least a little while yet.

Hello! My name is Richard and I’m the Archivist and Records Manager at St Peter’s. I’m also a Research Fellow in Medieval History.
I’ve been at St Peter’s since May 2015, having first arrived in Oxford in 2009 as a Junior Research Fellow at St John’s. I’m originally from Suffolk, a county with great natural beauty but few opportunities for its young people (what tourists find bucolic is for residents very often isolating – my nearest bus stop as a teenager was six miles away – and most who can do, leave). All my grandparents left school at 14. My dad got his O-levels and my mum her A-levels, but she turned down an offer from the University of Reading to get married instead (my mum eventually retrained as a social worker, a journey she began as a cleaner for the local county council).

I was therefore the first in my family to attend university (in Glasgow), but never imagined myself being in Oxford in an academic sense and certainly not in the capacity that first brought me to the city. I’ve therefore definitely had moments of so-called ‘imposter syndrome’ during my time here, but have learned two things over the years: one, you should never let such feelings determine what you do; and two, you are not alone, in the sense that not only is Oxford typically a supportive place (in my experience, this is particularly true of St Peter’s), but that everyone (and I mean everyone) will at some point have felt the same. I also quickly came to realise that Oxford, while it can always do better on this front, is home to a diverse group of largely ordinary people who just happen to be incredibly passionate about what they do.

As for what I do at St Peter’s, I’m responsible for looking after the college’s historic papers, its semi-current records (some of which will one day enter the Archives), and its artwork and chattels. Being in charge of such things is a fantastic privilege, as it allows me to get to know the college like few others ever do. St Peter’s has changed a great deal since we first opened our doors over ninety years ago, but I’m always struck by the various ways in which so many have dedicated themselves (and continue to do so) to making the college the fantastic community it is. As for my research, this concerns the history of medieval Normandy, and while I don’t get to spend time on this in quite the same way as I would in a full-time academic post, I still find myself plenty busy!

Outside of work, I don’t really have any hobbies as such (my wife, Mikal, has enough for the two of us). That said, I’m a US politics ju**ie (I worked on Capitol Hill in my early 20s) and, on that front, will happily talk the ears off anyone willing to listen. I also enjoy reading contemporary literature (I get through around 130 novels a year – humble brag!). 2021 is still young as I write, so it’s a little early for ‘Fiction of the Year’ recommendations. But, if you haven’t yet picked up Patricia Lockwood’s "No One Is Talking About This", you should!

Here's some Wednesday Wisdom for your feed. 🔰

Taken from Abbie's Humans of St Peter's post, she is quoting Milton Berle about taking things into your own hands.

Make sure you check out the post if you have not yet!

We are so glad to have our first ever (exciting isn't it?) Humans of St Peter's post.

This is from Abbie, a current undergraduate in college. Please like and comment to show your support!

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Hi, I’m Abbie. I’m a second-year student studying Earth Sciences (Geology) – you could argue that I’m very ‘down-to-Earth’.
I love studying Earth Sciences at St Peter’s. We have a brilliant cohort of Earth scientists and whenever you find yourself stuck in the mud (sometimes quite literally), they’re always there to lend a hand.

Unlike many Oxford students, I come from humble beginnings. I grew up with my twin brother and my sister in a financially-challenged region of North Wales and was educated in an average state comprehensive. Following my parents divorce, my mum became my sole provider which added to the financial hardships I faced growing up. When I was applying to Oxford, I worried that my personal circumstances would affect my application; I couldn’t afford to get extra tuition, extra interview prep, travel to places like London where I could talk to current students and professors. In other words, I didn’t believe I was “good enough” for Oxford. This, however, didn’t stop me!

I worked hard with the limited resources and supplies my school could provide, attended as many workshops and residentials for state school students as I could and kept on working towards my goal, despite multiple people telling me that Oxford was a ‘fever dream’. I left my sixth form with the highest grades the school had ever seen, an offer to study Earth Sciences at St Peters, and a scholarship to help me financially in Oxford. Regardless of your background, race, socioeconomic circumstances, religion, sexuality, gender, or what makes you different from the “model Oxford student” (of which there isn’t), if you work hard and persist you can achieve anything!

So, what do I do with my Oxford life? Well, when I’m not learning about rocks, volcanoes and earthquakes in the Earth Science Department or studying fossils in the field, I run an outreach Instagram account called ‘Sisters at Oxford’ with my sister (who studies biochemistry at Oxford). Do check it out! I am also an interviewer for a podcast called Oxford from the inside – a scheme which tells “the good, the bad but always the truth” about Oxford. I am also the Publicity and Collaborations officer for the ‘Insight Outreach’ Oxford hub and I loving working at Oxford's UNIQ!

St Peter’s is a great college, with a really inclusive and welcoming community, a vibrant JCR and – to leave the best till last – THE best bar in Oxford – you just can’t ‘fault’ it!

I wish you all the best in these Covid-19 times and in the wise words of Milton Berle – “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” If you dream to go to Oxford, then you can achieve it – all you’ve got to do is keep working hard.

Hello and welcome to the Humans of St Peter's official page, we are so excited to start this and share so many stories with you.

On our page, you will hear from the students and staff of the college, and we hope you will enjoy this journey with us.

So ... keep an eye out for the coming posts, and as ever, be supportive of those who are sharing their words with you!

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