The Cherwell Gazette

ISSUE #1 | SPRING 2015

Foreword Christopher Barder I am honoured to be writing this Foreword to so worthy an enterprise as a college magazine, or indeed, newspaper. The reasons are, in a sense, easy to describe: many people have cut their teeth (a good idiom for those not native English speakers and even for those who are) on such publications. It implies, this phrase that one is emerging towards a new stage, leaving behind baby teeth and moving forwards. This serves to suggest a real purpose behind writing or exhibiting artwork: to demonstrate growth and development or, at the very least, freedom to explore and express oneself, essential for growth and development. These are very precious and not in any sense to be taken for granted or belittled. The writer Virginia Woolf wrote in A Room of One’s Own, “Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” This independence of thought and power of expression mean that there is a capacity to transcend prison walls and petty tyrannies which seek to control and limit, to dominate and intimidate. Even without the power of printing and literature, the process of exploring in one’s mind retains a level of creativity and freedom. The famous refusenik Natan (Anatoly) Sharansky played chess at an extraordinary high level in his head when in prison: he maintained the power of his intellect by such feats. Once free to express himself, he wrote about the importance of allowing free expression in terms of its close link with peace. It has, in his thinking, a correlation with the way we live and tolerate others’ views and right to grow: “When we are unwilling to draw clear moral lines between free societies and fear societies, when we are unwilling to call the former good and the latter evil, we will not be able to advance the cause of peace because peace cannot be disconnected from freedom”. Anger, violence and hatred result from what he calls ‘fear societies’. Publications like this are all about the preciousness of freedom to express and grow – in short, free societies. A noble cause indeed. Christopher Barder is an Experienced Oxbridge Tutor in Politics, History and Law, graduate of Cambridge University, Pembroke College and currently a tutor in Cherwell College Oxford) ACTIVITIES ARTS ACADEMICS & SCIENCES UNIVERSITY LIFE Drama and Oratory Club Experience OXFORD’S Tips on Preparing for University Biology in Cherwell ARCHITECTURE by Lisa Sigal Preparation for final exams of any academic programme can be highly Natural sciences are constantly becoming more Architecture is a thrilling and Final examinations are approaching… The stress demanding and competitive. essential in everyday life. complex area of interest… is overwhelming… You try to fit everything in your To avoid stress, you should ensure that your academic studies don’t Students are given the option of studying Biology, Museums, parks and theatrical daily timetable and you end up helplessly panicking overpower other creative outputs. As the student body of Cherwell Physics and Chemistry as part of their course at plays can inspire future architects over what your priorities are… College, we are offered a large variety of activities to enhance our Cherwell. The college offers a laboratory with to experiment with their style personal development. The skills practised include communication, It doesn’t have to be like this. This article is designed adequate resources to illustrate the theory taught and allow the broadening of their creativity and public speaking. to provide students of any course with tips on how through practical techniques. The understanding of perception. One fascinating event that we were all looking forward was the opening to manage your time efficiently and how to survive (!) a subject is achieved more effectively when different of our Drama and Oratory club. Mr Simon Howard, an experienced The fact that the college’s location an intense course. The key to success is simply being approaches are used as part of the learning process. screenplay writer, is leading this workshop. With his guidance and our is right in the centre of Oxford consistent in applying several tips to your schedule. Student Myles Everett states; “My interest in science enthusiasm we are already in the process of developing a play with the provides easy access to the Tip number 1: Be organized came from its ability to correspond with mundane working title of ‘Oedipus and the Freudian Slip’ which is a combination city’s extravagant and historically University experience is very different from college. realism. This was especially so in the case of biology, of the ancient Greek tragedy ‘Oedipus’ and an illustration of Sigmund important architecture. What is useful to remember is that you will be the only as it connects to the human person. The college’s Freud’s theory. For instance, a building on person responsible for your progress. As an adult, being facilities have allowed me to work effectively Our drama workshops have standard procedures. We are always Cornmarket Street is situated organized is of paramount importance. This includes with no distraction, increasing my already existing encouraged to relax with some warm-up exercises such as improvising next to one of our premises being punctual with your deadlines and managing your fascination.” speeches in front of the class and trust exercises. When we become fully and belonged to a local wine schedule. engaged, we are given responsibility to direct the play ourselves with merchant in the late 14th century. Tip number 2: Rely on your ideas the guidance of Mr Howard who allows us to develop and apply our It is a fascinating, three-storey An interesting experiment own ideas. Generally, we are offered the independence to decide on our house framed by timber. It is no good using Wikipedia in your essays. related to the A level Universities value original thinking. After all, the ability activities and the progression of the play. Nearby, on Broad Street, is Biology course that took to think for yourself is what higher education requires. place on Tuesday, 21st of The sessions have been for us a weekly relief from stress and an The Sheldonian Theatre. This This skill will help you in your future life, whichever October at the college’s opportunity to practice our social skills. This is of high importance since U-shaped structure, with its eight- career you decide to pursue. laboratory in Frewin Court university life demands open-minded and communicating individuals. sided dome, was one of the first We are extremely thankful to be given the chance to collaborate with a classical buildings to appear in Tip number 3: Do not get overstressed After being taught the professional in such an interesting field of knowledge. Oxford. Designed by Christopher Too much stress can never be good. It may badly affect relevant chapter from Wren in 1664-7, the building’s not only your performance throughout the academic the syllabus, students ceilings are exquisitely painted, year but, more importantly, your exam results. discovered the effects of BMW PLANT TRIP while the large framed windows Successful students will always approach it with peace the “Benedict’s test” on Have you ever been in your dream about high open onto the fine views of the of mind and confidence. different sugars, to test for “reducing sugars”. tech future? . city. Tip number 4: Test yourself Theory says that if a reducing sugar is present, the We were lucky and discovered totally new Of course, Oxford as an academic solution will change colour from blue to orange-red. robot-style life at BMW plant! Could you From time to time, get back to the material you have centre has an amazing variety studied before, and thoroughly review it. This way The test went as follows: imagine that every 12 minutes the new mini- of architecture to offer. Towers, cooper car is ready to travel around the world to you will not be overloaded at the end of the year (see 1. The students added water along with the test on 5 vaults and gothic designs can all tip number 3). You will also be able to identify your different types of sugar. its owner. Over 1300 robots work at the plant be found in such institutions as strengths and weaknesses, which is important to your 2. They heated the solution on 80 °C for five and do the majority of the operations at the site. Magdalen College C15th, Divinity exam technique. minutes. school and more. It is even Tip number 5: Take care of wellbeing Football Report believed that the Middle East had 3. They observed the Even though you are here to achieve certain academic colour change. My name is Oleksandr Bondariev. I am from Ukraine. I take A-level great influence on the building results, always remember your health comes first. programme, my subjects are: Economics, Maths, History and Politics. I of the colleges as it is believed As it is obvious, some Regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep and a would like to share my thoughts about football in our College. that most of them have a similar sugars such as lactose structure to Madrasa. hobby that interests you will ensure that you finish your (labeled L) are reducing It is well-known that students need course not only with good exam results, but sugars while sucrose both study hard and play hard to One can easily find gothic- also being a well-rounded personality! (labeled S) are not. pass their exams successfully. While styled constructions, such as the Try to implement these strategies, someone enjoys wasting time on University Museum, which is one The students were and your preparation will certainly be the sofa, we enjoy sport! Football of the first examples of a non- completely engaged adequate. Don’t be afraid to create is our favourite kind of sport. Every religious gothic building. during the procedure and your own methods of coping. After all it Sunday we play football in the Oxford has always been prepared managed to understand is you who will sit the exam in the end. Oxford University Club. Boys and to amaze the world with its the practical application of girls run together for hours with full package of positive emotions and a historical sites of international And always remember: Practice the chapter effectively. lot of fun. Usually it is quite sunny so, we are in fact satisfied and happy importance – and to motivate the makes perfect. by this sportive opportunity arranged to us by the College architects of the future!

THE CHERWELL GAZETTE | ISSUE #1 | SPRING 2015 THE CHERWELL GAZETTE | ISSUE #1 | SPRING 2015 MEET THE STUDENTS In this column Cherwell students introduce themselves

MEET: Jake MEET: Basim Alhomida Bonjour, mon nom est Jake. Je suis de My name is Basim. I study IGCSE Russie. Je suis né dans un petit village programme at Cherwell. My appelé Borodino, où la bataille de Borodino subjects: Maths, Science, English, s’est produite (entre l’Empire russe et de History and ICT. From my point of la France en 1812). Actuellement, je fais view Cherwell College offers an mon baccalauréat en Cherwell College extraordinary approach to learning d’Oxford. J’étudie where everyone actually studies les mathématiques, intensively. Here at Cherwell College my tutors truly do l’économie, la want to see I succeed and assist whatever it may be. One géographie et français, of the things I like most here is the fact that I constantly que je trouve très kept occupied by useful things: every Sunday we go to agréable. De mon the Oxford University Club and play football, recently we point de vue Oxford visited the Art exhibition in Ashmolean museum. It was the est une ville très world of Gainsborough and Turner with vivid portraits and attractive et intéressante. Il a tout les élèves picturesque landscapes which I enjoyed a lot. In fact today auraient besoin, aussi il a une atmosphère we are going to the BMW plant in Oxford, looking forward très scolaire, car il est plein d’étudiants. to great new impressions!!

MEET: Lara Dihmis also as a lot of what was said was particularly relevant Subjects: English Literature, Psychology, to my A-Level geography course. Geography and Maths. Maths, being one of my toughest subjects, has been Besides the traditional academic approach to learning, made a lot more intelligible due to weekly maths Cherwell College offers us various approaches in seminars, which involves a number of maths students expanding our subject knowledge. coming together in attempt to help one another As an English Literature student, on my first in tackling questions. This approach has week here I was taken to see ‘Macbeth’, allowed different peoples maths techniques by William Shakespeare, held at the Lady to be shared amongst others, which is Margaret Hall. Not only was this very especially helpful. educational and useful for my studies, The psychology community in Oxford is of but it also gave me the opportunity to great importance, as one of the top, leading visit the first women’s college in Oxford, psychological departments in the UK, which in itself, was fascinating. This unique and even worldwide, is located in Oxford adaptation of the play held in such an unusual setting University. A lot of ground-breaking research has really widened my cultural aspects of Shakespeare’s taken place there, and this is extremely helpful, due to plays, and helped me understand the different the fact that at Cherwell college we are surrounded directions a play can go depending on the director. by psychology students with whom we are privileged I was also privileged enough to have seen ‘Othello’ to be able to communicate with, regarding our at the Oxford Playhouse. This unique modern psychology studies. This is made much easier for us as interpretation was a refreshing way to explore the play we are part of the Oxford Union. that I am studying at A-Level, in a new light. The Oxford Union is merely a one-minute walk from I was also lucky enough to have visited a lecture held our college, which is exceptionally convenient as we by Dr Nick Klingaman, a climate researcher from the are surrounded by well-esteemed students, and are University of Reading, as he spoke about climate often visited by notable speakers and debaters. This change, its various effects on the planet and whether is useful as we are exposed to various opinions, and or not humans are to blame. As a Geography student, sit where great people once sat; among them J.R.R this thoroughly enlightened me as not only was I Tolkien, Bill Clinton, HM King Abdullah of Jordan, exposed to an experienced climate researcher, but Hugh Grant and many others.

NEWS Cherwell House, the brand new accommodation building, is now open!

CREDITS Editor: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx Photographs: Chris Honeywell Proof Reader: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx Design: Peter Mays @ white space Contributors: xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx, xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx Special Thanks: Stephen Clarke.