Clare, 3rd year
'I’m a third year studying Classics and Arabic, and absolutely love both my college and my course. I came from a girls’ school with a small sixth form, so I wanted to be somewhere a lot bigger. The size of my college means that you don’t know everyone there, but it makes for a great relaxed and open atmosphere, and there’s always the chance to meet new people.
Classics is fantastic if you’re not quite sure what you like: you can do literature, philosophy, history, and some fairly hardcore linguistics along the way. I did a linguistics paper and a modern philosophy paper for my second year exams, as well as studying the Iliad and the Aeneid.
After those first exams, I chose five Classics papers from a vast range of options, alongside my three Arabic papers. I’m focusing on Greek history and Latin literature, though I’m considering a Byzantine paper as well. The Arabic classes are two hours long, three times a week. This was a bit of a shock to start with but it is really satisfying to come away knowing so much more after each class. Arabic grammar is fiendish, but I haven’t come across anything as bad as Greek -mi verbs yet! It’s really exciting to learn something so completely new – and the Oriental Institute has a great tearoom!
When I’m not rushing between departments, or trying to remember which direction to write in, I’m usually singing in the college’s chapel choir, working as the college’s Environment and Ethics officer, or relaxing at the University Poetry Society.'
