‘All work and no play,’ as the famous saying goes, ‘makes Jack a dull boy.’ It’s difficult to imagine any
of our students becoming dull. Their extraordinary range of talents and interests –and, in passing,
we’re looking forward to seeing the former next Wednesday, when the much-anticipated ORA’s Got
Talent is being held— makes it pretty unlikely. Nonetheless, the students have been working very
hard throughout the week.

And so, on Friday evening, the roster of cultural activities, Homework Club, and other semi-academic
ventures were suspended, for a party to remember. Leaving Oxford and its libraries behind entirely,
the group in Balliol College travelled to the village of Kingston Bagpuize, in the grounds of whose
manor were huge marquees just waiting for them to arrive.

The party was English Music Festival themed, which was an excellent choice. England has a truly rich
heritage of music festivals: Glastonbury is world-famous, but there are hundreds more of different
genres up and down the country. Students had prepared for the festival earlier in the week, and
there were quite a few sporting home-made tie-dye T-shirts and wearing flower crowns in their hair.
The evening was a huge amount of fun. There were heaped tables of food for everybody, and lots of
games –some rather tricky, as students who challenged counsellors discovered!— to be played. The
star of the show was (fittingly, given the theme!) the dance floor: throughout the night, music was
played and students danced with the friends with whom they have quickly become close.

When the time came to leave, students were sad to see the last of the marquee and the grounds in
which they had so much fun. They took with them some very fond memories, and there is still, for
those whose feet have energy still to dance, the prospect of the Medieval-themed graduation party
in a week’s time.