School's Out!

After 8 weeks, 12 essays, 120 plus pages and thousands of words I completed my first term at Oxford University!

Terms here run for only 8 weeks (three terms per year) and visiting students take two tutorials per term.  This term I took, or "read" as one in Oxford would say, early American history and Twentieth Century American history.  Though it might seem counter-intuitive to study U.S. history abroad, it's actually been quite fascinating.  And, with the faculty, research facilities, and tutorial system that Oxford has to offer, Oxford is actually one of the greatest places to study U.S. history!

These past eight weeks I've worked the hardest I probably ever have and have really grown as a scholar.  The tutorials are rigorous and challenging, and the tutors are extremely critical of students' works, but I'm a stronger scholar because of it.  My analytical skills are sharper and my writing of historical prose has matured a lot.  As they say here, I'm learning to think about history as a science but write it like an art!  It's been a great test to see if I can handle life in academia, and I'm finding that I love it!

Next term, I'll be reading 18th century British history (and get a chance to look at British abolitionism!) and 20th century Soviet history, focusing on the interwar period, 1920-1937.  It will be good to try something other than U.S. history and will satisfy some requirements needed for my degree at AU.  But I've got 6 weeks of vacation before the next term starts, so I will soon be jetting off to the Continent for a Euro-trip!