Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from December, 2024

What on Earth Is an Oxford Uni Crewdate?

The history and traditions of Oxford University range from terrifying to hilarious, sometimes both, and usually absurd. Going back a few centuries, some examples of this are several murders (one of which led to the creation of Cambridge University in 1209), the constant consumption of beer, the escapades and controversies of the infamous Bullingdon Club , and more. The Oxford “Crewdate” is no exception to this rule. It can best be described as an excuse to drink copious amounts of cheap wine, livened up with interesting traditions to call it Oxonian. When I registered for a crewdate, I had no idea what it would entail, except for hopefully some yummy food (they're usually held in Thai/Indian restaurants) and the instruction to bring my own bottle of wine. Walking into the cozy-looking Thai restaurant, I was pleased with the ambiance... until we were guided to the basement. There, I was shocked to find a tiny room packed with 30-ish stools around a large table set with plastic wine...
2 comments
Read more


Popular posts from this blog

IKEA Yearly Midsummer Buffet 2024 Review

Every year around June, IKEA hosts a Midsummer Buffet full of fish, meatballs, salad, and more. You have to be an IKEA Family member (which is free) and buy a $25 ticket in person on a previous day. I attended the Calgary buffet, and here is my full review!
3 comments
Read more

5 Things to do Before the UCalgary Semester Starts

I know, I know... summer is almost over already and it feels like it's barely started. Regardless, it's only a bit more than a week before classes start again (less if you're doing Block Week, which I tried last year ), so here are some reminders before the school year begins. Set up your calendar For UCalgary students, download your class times through the D2L portal and  import your them to your preferred service (mine is Outlook) : Personally, I like to colour code and label lectures/tutorials/labs separately on my calendar like so: Of course, many people also just take a screenshot of their timetable and set it as a wallpaper or save it somewhere easy to access; that can work too :). Put in your Course Overload Request(s) This is a pretty urgent and important one: make sure you check your degree requirements. If you're still waitlisted or not enrolled for a course that you need  to take this year, then you should submit a course overload request ASAP. At UCalgary fo...
2 comments
Read more

9 Not-So-Obvious Dorm Essentials

These aren’t necessarily things you need to pack in advance (you could buy them after moving in), but they are things that I personally found useful which aren’t usually listed in traditional packing lists. Earplugs or Sleep Sound Machine Dorms unfortunately often have the issues of noisy neighbours and loud garbage trucks or snow plows at strange hours. If you find this bothering you, invest in some earplugs (much cheaper at Shoppers or Amazon than in the on-campus pharmacy) or a sound machine. If regular earplugs are uncomfortable for you, you can try “women’s” earplugs (they might fit better for you regardless of gender). Humidifier
3 comments
Read more