Even the rain couldn’t dampen the Carnivale spirit yesterday, as St Hugh’s students headed over to St Peter’s College for an evening of high spirits, bright colours, and friendships new and (a week) old. Students joined their ORA counterparts staying in Lady Margaret Hall, a journey of mere minutes down the Banbury Road from their own base in St Hugh’s, for a magnificent celebration of their first week with ORA.

Sprays of colourful foliage adorned the St Peter’s marquee, and students compared their own creations to the monumental carnival masks on display. Counsellors and Junior Deans had donned their best head-dresses and beaded garments for the occasion―some students took inspiration from the animal kingdom, with the more canonical bird of paradise in the decorations joined by oversized anthropomorphic chickens and swine.

Students enjoyed dancing late into the evening, and delighted in the sweet treats on offer: popcorn and candy floss abounded, to keep that carnival feeling going. Programme Directors in both St Hugh’s and LMH reported that students arrived back flushed and exuberant after the evening’s activities, and more than ready to fall into their beds and rest ahead of their excursions today!