It’s been an incredible two weeks here at St Catherine’s College, Oxford. The students have come such an incredibly long way in such a short space of time, and Friday meant that it was finally time to Graduate and move on into the wider world.

It all began two weeks ago when the students all arrived at St Catz for the first time. There were clearly a lot of nerves afloat but they soon subsided as introductions began and everyone found their way to their new rooms for the duration of the course.

Lessons have gone exceptionally well during the programme, and students seem to have taken to their studies tremendously. There was a great degree of enthusiasm (even in the early mornings!) and the staff have found the students nothing short of a pleasure to teach. During lessons, there was a great deal of participation and the amount everyone had learnt was plain to see by the end.

There was also so shortage of opportunities for students to get to know each other. From exploring Oxford and all that it has to offer, to facing one-another in sporting activities, there were plenty of ways the students were able to make friends. With so many new friendship groups formed by the end, the activities have clearly been a success! The students were particularly fond of unwinding on the green, or heading over to Uni Parks to play a friendly game of Tag Rugby or Football. St Catherine’s provides an idyllic backdrop for relaxation and chit-chat, and this fact certainly wasn’t lost on the students.

The Excursions on the course were also a great way to expand the students’ horizons beyond the college itself and into the wider City. In this vain, it was only appropriate to show the students the fantastic City of Oxford, from its history to its more modern aspects. There was also the chance to join Bill Spectre on his legendary Ghost Tour! Everyone greatly appreciated the chance to view the City from a different perspective, and Bill did an incredible job as the tour guide.

St Catz, as with many of our Oxford Colleges this Summer, really enjoyed punting on the river. It certainly isn’t for everyone, but they managed to do it in style! There were some alarming tales of near-misses and soaked paddlers, but on the whole it had proved to be an extremely enjoyable choice of outing, with the sign-up sheet often totally full!

Unfortunately, the fun could never last forever, and soon it was time to wind down and begin thinking about returning home. However, there was just time for one last celebration before that. The students had all worked so hard, and it was wonderful to finally acknowledge their amazing achievements during graduation. Everybody was recognised, and there were some special mentions made for those who had put in 110%. It all wrapped up with dinner and a party. On behalf of everyone at ORA, we wish our new graduates the very best in their futures!