1 00:00:00,390 --> 00:00:04,680 Hello and welcome to the Queen's Access podcast. It's so lovely to have you here. 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,760 And I hope you find this a useful resource in learning more about life at Oxford. 3 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:15,090 But more specifically about life at the Queen's College. My guests this week are Julia Dudi, a third year historian. 4 00:00:15,090 --> 00:00:18,960 On the previous access and outreach track for Queen's and Jack Wilson, a fourth year, 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:25,680 Medick will have a chat about the access and outreach work that goes on in college and what it's like to be a student ambassador. 6 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:32,970 My apologies for any poor audio. These interviews have all been conducted over Zoome, and the Internet connexion isn't always completely reliable. 7 00:00:32,970 --> 00:00:47,580 For a transcript of this episode, please visit the Queen's website. I hope you enjoy. 8 00:00:47,580 --> 00:00:51,150 Hi, guys. Thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate it. 9 00:00:51,150 --> 00:00:54,840 To get us started. So you tell me a little bit about your queens, Danny. 10 00:00:54,840 --> 00:01:04,350 So how you ended up at college. So, Juliette, you want to talk as well? Hi, I'm Julia, and I'm a third just doing history at Queens. 11 00:01:04,350 --> 00:01:12,600 I'm from Newcastle in the northeast of England, and I originally fall in love with Queens when I saw it on the open day. 12 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:17,940 And I applied here and luckily got in. 13 00:01:17,940 --> 00:01:21,850 And yeah, I really love it here. Oh, fantastic. 14 00:01:21,850 --> 00:01:28,260 And Jack, what about you? I said, hi, Rob. I'm a fourth year in medicine. 15 00:01:28,260 --> 00:01:40,170 Yeah, I came from the northwest, from a state school, and I actually stayed in Queens on open days plus, which I think it's ochola about Leiser Enns. 16 00:01:40,170 --> 00:01:43,860 Yeah, I just I really liked Syndrome's really friendly there. Oh. 17 00:01:43,860 --> 00:01:50,220 And there's also quite light Trinity. So I ended up flipping a coin between them but chose Queens. 18 00:01:50,220 --> 00:01:54,880 And so I applied directly to Queens and thankfully thankfully got an offer. 19 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,190 And here we are. Oh fantastic. And I'm assuming you're happy. 20 00:01:59,190 --> 00:02:04,380 You're happy with your choice. In the end, the coin flip worked out well. The coin flip worked out incredibly well. 21 00:02:04,380 --> 00:02:10,590 Oh, fantastic. Okay, so let's get into some of the access Inari stuff that you've got quite a lot to get through. 22 00:02:10,590 --> 00:02:18,960 So, first of all, I'll start with Julia. So we've all acted as student ambassadors, but what does this actually involve? 23 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:24,690 So basically, student ambassadors are to help people who visit the college. 24 00:02:24,690 --> 00:02:30,930 We give tourists the kind of schools and groups both throughout the year on residential 25 00:02:30,930 --> 00:02:39,240 things and in open days on student ambassadors also gave Q and A's and help in sessions. 26 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:47,670 And we also are top ambassadors, which I think we're going to talk about a little bit more later. 27 00:02:47,670 --> 00:02:54,270 We also provide support during the interview period for students who have come to interview Cremes. 28 00:02:54,270 --> 00:03:02,250 We had to answer any questions and help you through what is generally quite a stressful but hopefully exciting time. 29 00:03:02,250 --> 00:03:09,750 So, yeah, we're just here to kind of represent the college to the world and show everyone that Queens is a really great place. 30 00:03:09,750 --> 00:03:13,110 Yeah. Fantastic. I don't have a very good summary of the role. Yeah. 31 00:03:13,110 --> 00:03:19,370 So Julia mentioned about being top ambassadors. So all three of us are ambassadors for the access platform. 32 00:03:19,370 --> 00:03:23,160 Jackie, you want to explain to listeners a little bit about what this means? 33 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:29,610 So, yeah, the access platform is like an online resource where you can chat to student ambassadors. 34 00:03:29,610 --> 00:03:33,340 So just people like us. And yes, 35 00:03:33,340 --> 00:03:39,480 you can just ask them any any questions you have really about like applications or what like 36 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:47,430 what life is like once you get to Queens and things like that and sort of oxfords in general. 37 00:03:47,430 --> 00:03:53,850 And you can also there's also the capacity Saraj, you like to bring up, bring people up and have a chat with them. 38 00:03:53,850 --> 00:04:00,970 So if one is a one which can be a bit, you know, it can be easier than sort of typing out loads of loads of questions. 39 00:04:00,970 --> 00:04:05,070 There's a lot you can also view frequently asked questions. 40 00:04:05,070 --> 00:04:10,350 So other people have asked questions that we think are quite, you know, that might be applicable to a lot of people. 41 00:04:10,350 --> 00:04:16,920 And so you can see how this is written by lots of different ambassadors on what they what their take is on me, on the questions. 42 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:24,020 So things like, oh, you know, what's the food like? What's you know is can you do spolin things? 43 00:04:24,020 --> 00:04:31,800 So, yes. Perfect. Yeah. So that platform is available on the Queen's website. 44 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,850 If you go to the tablet called Meet Our Students. We are all available that. 45 00:04:35,850 --> 00:04:39,990 And yes, you can tap water anytime with our irresponsive. Yeah. 46 00:04:39,990 --> 00:04:48,590 So number four doesn't path probably the main ways in which people will encounter access marriage generally through Queens. 47 00:04:48,590 --> 00:04:53,450 But Queens also have a link region. So, Julie, if you want to explain what this means. 48 00:04:53,450 --> 00:05:01,350 Yes, so talk it or link regions or areas which each college has that they target that access and outreach to. 49 00:05:01,350 --> 00:05:06,210 So Queens has historic links with the target area of Lancashire and Cumbria. 50 00:05:06,210 --> 00:05:11,190 So will invite students from this area to residential visits. 51 00:05:11,190 --> 00:05:17,910 Sometimes either student ambassadors or the outreach officer will come and visit schools in the area to encourage people to apply. 52 00:05:17,910 --> 00:05:25,880 There's no obligation to apply to the college that has links with your area, and it's just assigned based on historic links or even randomly. 53 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,790 It's all just to encourage people to break down myths about Oxford on the college system 54 00:05:29,790 --> 00:05:38,840 so that everyone gets a fair kind of access and outreach kind of presence in their area. 55 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:44,550 Yeah, and it's also worth mentioning that we also have a Lewisham uncertain as our London carriers. 56 00:05:44,550 --> 00:05:51,000 I can I don't know about land carriers before I can go outside, but then I thinking about that. 57 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:57,330 I remember someone coming in from Maudlin College Cambridge to help my fool about Oxbridge as a whole. 58 00:05:57,330 --> 00:06:03,710 It doesn't matter that you don't have to apply to the college that has a link region, which is the region in which you live. 59 00:06:03,710 --> 00:06:09,240 Yeah. So I got you mentioned before about Open Day Plah. 60 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:13,200 What was that and what was your experience like. I say yes. 61 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:22,690 It's four year olds who are thinking about applying to to university and the next of the next cycle. 62 00:06:22,690 --> 00:06:29,280 And you and I did. This is year twelve because Queens I live in the link region for Queens. 63 00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:36,990 I live in Korea. And you basically just stay in stay in Queens for a few days and you sort of stay in student bedrooms. 64 00:06:36,990 --> 00:06:42,040 You you sort of live like a live like a queen student. 65 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:46,050 And this is around this time of the university open day. So it fits in with that. 66 00:06:46,050 --> 00:06:54,590 But you got a bit if you got some extra stuff. So there's like workshops related to applications to Oxbridge in general. 67 00:06:54,590 --> 00:07:02,640 And you also got sort of mock tutorials with some Queens tutors who are who kindly volunteer. 68 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,750 And yet you sort of. Yeah, you just you're around college for a few days. 69 00:07:06,750 --> 00:07:09,780 You eat your meals and things like that, and you can explore the city. 70 00:07:09,780 --> 00:07:18,090 So it's just a way of getting a bit more experience of the city rather than just coming down for open day and sort of, 71 00:07:18,090 --> 00:07:23,670 you know, not having maybe enough time to to explore. Which is nice. 72 00:07:23,670 --> 00:07:28,050 Did you find that experience to be helpful when you have an application process? 73 00:07:28,050 --> 00:07:32,850 Yeah, I thought it was really good, actually, because it's quite a long way for me to come down to Oxford. 74 00:07:32,850 --> 00:07:38,100 So it was nice to have just a couple of days where I didn't feel like it was it was too rushed. 75 00:07:38,100 --> 00:07:39,510 And yeah, it was it was really useful. 76 00:07:39,510 --> 00:07:46,410 And so was the application process and things like the boxes oriels was really helpful when it came to solvency time. 77 00:07:46,410 --> 00:07:50,910 Yeah, fantastic. So I kind of managed option Julia. 78 00:07:50,910 --> 00:07:58,290 I was curious. I came after Julia as a actress and outreach rep, acquaintance as a dealer with our outgoing rap. 79 00:07:58,290 --> 00:08:05,070 So she started the Humans of Queens project. So can you tell us a little bit more about that? 80 00:08:05,070 --> 00:08:15,470 Yes. So humans are queens is a contract that ISIS last year as part of the wider Humans of Oxford project and its Facebook page, 81 00:08:15,470 --> 00:08:25,890 and you can find it on Facebook with profiles of current students, which basically describes their journey to Queens and their experiences here. 82 00:08:25,890 --> 00:08:30,150 And it aims to kind of break down stereotypes and share the range of people that 83 00:08:30,150 --> 00:08:35,430 come to Queens to break down the myth that we're all kind of privately educated, 84 00:08:35,430 --> 00:08:40,500 very rich kids, when actually we're not what we're a range of very normal people. 85 00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:46,830 And it's to encourage people that really Oxford students aren't so different from the rest of the world. 86 00:08:46,830 --> 00:08:55,590 I think it's a really great initiative to show people that obviously Oxford is so achievable and Oxford students are just like everyone else. 87 00:08:55,590 --> 00:09:01,560 And it's not like in the movies by the Road, kind of massively brainy, crazy people. 88 00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:07,350 And they yeah, it's a it's a really great project. And if you cheque it out. 89 00:09:07,350 --> 00:09:11,100 Yeah, you definitely should. I wrote a profile. Clearly I have a profile. 90 00:09:11,100 --> 00:09:17,190 It's all very good. It's a lot of good comes on my profile from that. 91 00:09:17,190 --> 00:09:21,450 Julia was the original creator over a as the Queen. Yeah, I wrote my own profile. 92 00:09:21,450 --> 00:09:25,800 I was like, wow, let let's start this project. I love it. 93 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:31,080 I love it. So we also run a north west science residential every year. 94 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,890 So what can you tell us a little bit more about what that is? Yeah. 95 00:09:34,890 --> 00:09:43,920 So I've, I've, I didn't come on this as a student, but I've volunteered to serve on this. 96 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:53,020 So, so showing people around. So it's for you. Twelve's like Julie was saying about, you know, making Oxford seem achievable and things I buy. 97 00:09:53,020 --> 00:10:01,100 So it's for students who are on track to achieve the grades, the offers from typically so more underrepresented groups. 98 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:05,190 And you just get to spend a few days doing some. Again, it's sort of similar. 99 00:10:05,190 --> 00:10:11,880 So I can do this. Plus, you spend a few days doing sort of what you saw eels living and eating in Queens and things like that. 100 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:19,650 And also, you got to go visit sort of museums and things around the city and just see what Oxford is really like. 101 00:10:19,650 --> 00:10:26,580 And, yeah, it's it's it's a nice chances of live, live like a student and chat to current students as well. 102 00:10:26,580 --> 00:10:33,210 And there's, again, some similar sort of sessions. They, they plus where you have like Q and A with students and things. 103 00:10:33,210 --> 00:10:37,530 So yeah. Yeah. Again it's. Yeah. Just making it you know. 104 00:10:37,530 --> 00:10:43,170 Obsolete is isn't isn't this? Yeah, like you said, it's not novels walking around. 105 00:10:43,170 --> 00:10:51,730 Crazy, crazy, intelligent and so fairly normal. And it just yeah I think it just helps to so to see that first hand, you know. 106 00:10:51,730 --> 00:10:54,390 Yeah, definitely. So we've mentioned the Northwest quite a lot. 107 00:10:54,390 --> 00:11:05,670 So it's worth noting that the Queen Quinn College is part of the North West Consortium, which encompasses Queens and I think three other colleges. 108 00:11:05,670 --> 00:11:09,270 Last year we had a Northwest drink. 109 00:11:09,270 --> 00:11:17,250 This year, we set up a Facebook group for people to kind of scoff by Barranca, then hopefully meet up outside of Oxford. 110 00:11:17,250 --> 00:11:24,550 That's a really nice way of connecting people from what sometimes can be like an underrepresented group within college. 111 00:11:24,550 --> 00:11:31,440 So that's really nice. And it's a nice way to meet people from all the colleges as well who come from similar areas to you. 112 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:40,740 So moving away from specifically access within college, Julia, you're involved quite heavily in a scheme called Inside Uni. 113 00:11:40,740 --> 00:11:45,000 Can you tell me a little bit more about the work that you do as part of that? Yeah, sure. 114 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:50,620 So I got involved with Inside Uni last year when it expanded to Oxford. 115 00:11:50,620 --> 00:11:55,830 And it's a non-profit website which aims to make Oxbridge applications fairer 116 00:11:55,830 --> 00:12:00,330 and more transparent by providing free resources to potential applicants. 117 00:12:00,330 --> 00:12:08,070 So we're trying to stop the gap between private school students who get quite a lot of tutoring and support 118 00:12:08,070 --> 00:12:17,730 with their education and state school students like me who perhaps felt a bit lost when they were applying. 119 00:12:17,730 --> 00:12:21,870 I remember when I started to apply and I had no idea how to go about it. 120 00:12:21,870 --> 00:12:32,010 I walked into my application test basically blind. So it's it's really a great project to try and stop that gap. 121 00:12:32,010 --> 00:12:36,390 The resources include things like guides with resources for different courses 122 00:12:36,390 --> 00:12:41,040 and subjects to help you with further reading and finding out your interests 123 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:49,680 and also interview experiences from thousands of current students at Oxford and Cambridge to help you know what to expect and get tips and advice. 124 00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:58,980 We've also recently started a Q&A session series on what it's like to study at Oxford and Cambridge for a range of different groups of people, 125 00:12:58,980 --> 00:13:07,920 which allows you to ask questions to current students about their experiences. We're on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. 126 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,270 So I would really cheque this out. It's a really, really great project. 127 00:13:11,270 --> 00:13:17,700 And if you're interested in applying to Oxbridge, it's it's a really great thing to get resources. 128 00:13:17,700 --> 00:13:22,640 A websites inside. You need dog and you should be able to find us the. 129 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:32,760 It's amazing. Thank you, Julia. Yeah. I'm also going to quickly plug Zero Gravity, which is a scheme for which I am the ambassador for Clean's. 130 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:38,940 So that is a kind of platform for mentoring for students who are about to start. 131 00:13:38,940 --> 00:13:45,630 Yes, 13. And they can be matched as somebody who studies their dream course at their dream university. 132 00:13:45,630 --> 00:13:51,030 And we'll help them with that application. We'll run mock tutorials. We'll do mock interviews. 133 00:13:51,030 --> 00:13:53,670 And then even after they've got their offer, 134 00:13:53,670 --> 00:13:58,830 we continue to help support them throughout their a level period and then throughout preparing to go to university. 135 00:13:58,830 --> 00:14:01,140 So that can be a really, really great resource, 136 00:14:01,140 --> 00:14:09,480 especially if you're a first gen student or if you're from a school which doesn't normally send many people see Russell Group universities. 137 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:13,440 That can be a really, really, really great way of building a whole bunch of experience. 138 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:20,660 So I'd like to ask you both a question you may not have prepared for, but I just think that it might be interesting. 139 00:14:20,660 --> 00:14:25,770 So if you both would mind telling me a little bit about what a standard week looks like for you in Oxford. 140 00:14:25,770 --> 00:14:29,820 So, Jack, do you mind going for us? Yes, sure. 141 00:14:29,820 --> 00:14:35,020 So the. So my week. 142 00:14:35,020 --> 00:14:39,970 Is saying 30 years, it's been a bit different to the first two years medicine, but they're in third year. 143 00:14:39,970 --> 00:14:44,140 It's sort of odd maybe how four or five lectures a week. 144 00:14:44,140 --> 00:14:50,650 So now usually in the morning and then in the afternoon, it'll be. 145 00:14:50,650 --> 00:14:55,750 I'll often do things I say preparing for. So she's oriels. 146 00:14:55,750 --> 00:15:05,860 Which in in third year for me once every two weeks I said I'll be writing an essay that's, you know, 1500 words or something like that. 147 00:15:05,860 --> 00:15:14,770 And then obviously having one of those tutorials, which usually, you know, it takes around an hour with one of the person. 148 00:15:14,770 --> 00:15:20,440 And then apart from that, for me, it sort of consists of playing a bit of sport. 149 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:27,460 So I play football for the college and also a bit of rugby as well. 150 00:15:27,460 --> 00:15:34,770 So, yeah, my, my, my, yeah, my schedule hasn't been, you know, particularly taxing in terms of that. 151 00:15:34,770 --> 00:15:43,200 But I've managed to manage to fill my time with my short film time with other things outside of university this year. 152 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:46,560 But yeah, there's also been sort of a lot more coursework this year. 153 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:51,410 So, you know, that's been fitted in around other things. Really. 154 00:15:51,410 --> 00:15:57,590 Yeah. Now, a good balance by the hand today. What about you, David? Yes. 155 00:15:57,590 --> 00:16:02,360 Similarly, history is quite independent. 156 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,080 I would say that I do have a kind of similar number of lectures. 157 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,320 I probably have about five a week and around one a day. 158 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:23,470 And so a lot of my time is spent. Doing independent study and essays and reading for my subject. 159 00:16:23,470 --> 00:16:29,330 I generally have about three tutorials every two weeks spread out. 160 00:16:29,330 --> 00:16:35,200 And that's the different subjects, because you generally take more than one subject of time in history. 161 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:40,160 You take one subject across or three times a year. 162 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:48,040 And yet, other than independent work and tutorials and reading and things like that. 163 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:49,720 Oh, and I also have classes as well. 164 00:16:49,720 --> 00:17:00,580 Sometimes instead of lectures, which is kind of more individual work kind of group based work in a kind of small class of around six to twelve people, 165 00:17:00,580 --> 00:17:07,570 which is quite fun because you get to bounce ideas off each other and you kind of have different perspectives. 166 00:17:07,570 --> 00:17:15,600 Outside of work, I am involved quite heavily in inside union head of social media. 167 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:20,950 And I am helping to design this year's alternative prospectus. 168 00:17:20,950 --> 00:17:28,920 I'm also in an acappella group called In the Bank, which is really, really fun. 169 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:38,770 And I love to do to kind of unwind. And really I just spend time with my friends and, you know, do normal student stuff, which is fantastic. 170 00:17:38,770 --> 00:17:42,940 That sounds great. And yeah, and the banks are amazing. I think you get on Facebook. 171 00:17:42,940 --> 00:17:47,350 So for each of you, what is your favourite thing about college and why? 172 00:17:47,350 --> 00:17:54,610 I like clothing with this question because I feel like it gets you get to know the interior a little bit more by what what their favourite thing is. 173 00:17:54,610 --> 00:18:04,750 So, Julia, do you want to stop? OK. My favourite thing about Queens is probably the atmosphere. 174 00:18:04,750 --> 00:18:11,020 People at Queens are really friendly and co-operative, which is not at all what I expected when I came here. 175 00:18:11,020 --> 00:18:21,520 I'm from a state school in the northeast of England and so my knowledge of Oxford was basically only based on myths and movies. 176 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:28,570 And I was so worried when I thought about applying initially that it was gonna be really cutthroat and I'd really struggle to make friends. 177 00:18:28,570 --> 00:18:35,320 But that's not what happened at all. And everyone here is really lovely and supportive and normal. 178 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:41,650 And I have a really great group of friends who I adore and I'm really looking forward to seeing soon. 179 00:18:41,650 --> 00:18:45,850 So, yeah, I think I left my phone. I've got. 180 00:18:45,850 --> 00:18:55,510 What about you? Well, yeah, I was going to say the just the community without a lot of that is sort of, you know, similar to what Julie was saying. 181 00:18:55,510 --> 00:18:59,790 But it's just, you know, everything you do does this sort of. 182 00:18:59,790 --> 00:19:08,020 Yet there is this. This. Yeah. There's a real sense of community in that, you know, everyone just sort of has a go and like the. 183 00:19:08,020 --> 00:19:15,350 So, you know, in the sports clubs, in music and things about anything you do outside of your academic work, 184 00:19:15,350 --> 00:19:21,130 like it's all just about, you know, having a go. And, you know, we're not we're not that great a sport. 185 00:19:21,130 --> 00:19:24,540 We're not like that music. Everyone just has a laugh and, you know. 186 00:19:24,540 --> 00:19:29,560 Yeah, but that community spirit, I think, is just it's probably my favourite thing about it. 187 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:36,630 Yeah, definitely. Thank you very much to both of you. That was really interesting and I'm sure really, really helpful for anybody who listened. 188 00:19:36,630 --> 00:19:41,080 And. Yeah. Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate your help. And I'll take you there soon. 189 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:56,000 Thanks for having us. Thank you. Thank you so much to Jack and Julia for that interesting conversation. 190 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,400 And a massive thank you to all of you who listened. 191 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:08,300 There are loads more access resources on the Queen's College Web site, w WW dot queens, dot ox, dot acey dot UK forward slash access dash outreach. 192 00:20:08,300 --> 00:20:11,270 And you can find out more about the college in general through its Web site, 193 00:20:11,270 --> 00:20:20,864 Twitter and Instagram, including on the Access Twitter at Queen's Outreach.