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Humans of St Catz, Manor Road, Oxford (2026)

11/05/2022

"It’s slightly strange to think about the fact that for several months I was adamant that I would turn down Oxford even if I received an offer, especially considering that I have such an attachment to this place that I have spent two of the three years since graduating here.

Frankly though, like many outside south-east England, I was unsure if Oxford would be the place for me, and that I wouldn’t meet any other ‘normal’ people. I was born and raised in Wolverhampton, attended state schools in the West Midlands, and was without close family experience of university, which meant that elite universities seemed like a mysterious other world. When I first came to Catz, though, that changed my mindset – suddenly, I saw that this could be a place for me after all. There was little pomp and ceremony, just friendly people and a relaxed atmosphere at a fantastic place to learn and live.

Once I began as a fresher way back in 2016, I quickly realised how crazy it was for me to even consider turning down an offer to study here. Before arriving, I had hoped that Catz’s less traditional vibe would attract like-minded people, and I was absolutely right.

I often reflected on the amazing experiences that I had and how it could have been different if I had not put my pre-conceptions about Oxford to one side and gave applying a go. Because of this, I became involved in a variety of access and outreach work, believing that no one should feel put off applying to the university because of stereotypes, especially as many people face more barriers to applying than myself. I am passionate about making sure no-one misses out on the fantastic experiences I have had for the wrong reasons, by deciding not to apply based on misconceptions.

A really powerful experience for me was returning to my old high school to do a talk on demystifying Oxford, which resulted in one student deciding against staying at home and studying at the local university and instead applying to Oxford; he subsequently received an offer. This really demonstrated to me the transformative effect of access work, and the impact any of us current or former students can have on our younger peers – sometimes all it takes is a friendly face, a smile, or a five-minute chat with someone who sounds or looks like you, to dispel those fears.

I graduated in 2019 with a BA in Geography, and worked for a year in Oxford before a Masters degree in London at UCL. Last September, I was delighted to be able to return to the University of Oxford as staff, in the newly-created role of Access and Outreach Officer for the Geography department, allowing me to use my passion for widening access and participation for my own subject of study. There’s a lot of work still to do in both Geography and the university as a whole, but the experience is so different from the outdated stereotypes, and nowhere more so than Catz."

Dan Hall, BA Geography 2016-2019

Now Access, Outreach & Internships Officer at the School of Geography and the Environment

18/01/2022

"My Granny repeatedly told me NOT to apply to Oxford – she wanted me to enjoy my time at university and thought that going to Oxford would be all work and no fun! (Spoiler: this is untrue) However, encouraged by some great teachers at my state sixth form, I decided to apply to Oxford – after all, you can’t get in if you don’t apply!

During interviews, I decided I might as well have fun in Oxford as I felt like the chances of getting in were slim. While lots of people were busy reading up on their notes, I was busy visiting the museums, enjoying the views from Carfax Tower, and exploring the city. I think it was during my mini-break – well, interviews - that I realised I really did want to come to Oxford. Seeing the city and chatting to the lovely student helpers had made Oxford seem like a welcoming and inspiring place to be.

When I first arrived, there was a feeling of “wow, do I really go here?” and I felt a bit (a lot?) out of my depth… “what, you don’t discuss Greek myths with your family?”. Then there were so many words I didn’t know - epistemology, ontology - and so dictionary.com was (and still is) always open on my laptop. In my first term, I made a glossary of all the words I’d learned, and it was six pages long! Thinking about all the stuff I didn’t know was worrying, but I kept telling myself that if I knew everything already, then there would be no point in going to university. You are here to learn, you are good enough and you CAN do it!

Life at Oxford can be summed up by the motto ‘work hard, play hard’ – it can be tough, but it is also so much fun! I have had an amazing time so far and feel very lucky to be at Catz – I have done lots of cool things (becoming a Welfare Rep, cuddling alpacas!), read lots of interesting books, and seen a lot more of Oxford – I think my interview self would be pleased about how many beautiful libraries I’ve visited. The thing that really makes it for me is how friendly everyone is – I have made so many lovely friends and loads of fab memories…which make all the stressful essays worth it!

Just apply – you’ve got nothing to lose (and a lot to gain 😊)"

~ Emma Serle, JCR Welfare Rep, 2nd Year English Language and Literature

25/10/2021

This Catz Girl Can!

“Growing up, I was extremely active and thus was exposed to various sports including cross-country, athletics, softball, netball, and touch rugby. The one I stuck to was football. The moment I met my offer for Oxford, I searched for the availability of football here. Fortunately, the university not only has three Women’s teams, Catz itself also has a well-established football team.

In the first meeting with my tutors, they mentioned that the Chemistry course can get quite busy at times. At the time I was fine with this, as I chose to prioritise my academic studies and immerse myself in the Oxford social life at the expense of football. I took advantage of the many opportunities to socialize and meet new people - I was often too tired to train, let alone make it to the pitch. Hence, I was often a big red cross in the attendance list.

Personally, I do not think I made a good first impression on my coach and captain with all the missed sessions and inadequate performances during training. To make things worse, all sports were cancelled when the second national lockdown was announced in November, meaning I couldn’t show what I was truly good at.

After a hectic first term, I was looking forward to committing myself into football again. However, the third lockdown was announced the week before Hilary started and most students were not allowed to return to college due to travel restrictions. Due to all the COVID-19 restrictions and quarantine rules, I stayed in London instead of returning home to Malaysia. This, on top of missing out on seeing my friends and playing football, affected my mental health to quite an extent. Thankfully, things got better as I picked up running again with the help of my friends from back home, who were also in London.

Thankfully, restrictions were eased in Trinity term and football training resumed. Unlike in the first term, I started making more time for football and gave it my all during training. I also started getting involved in the Catz football team where I met many amazing and wonderful people. After weeks of hard work and commitment, my coach and captain saw my potential and placed me in the starting squad in the Varsity match against Cambridge. During the match, I was also fortunate enough to be given the captain's armband in the second half when the captain got substituted off – something I did not expect as there were many more experienced players on the pitch and I was a fresher.

As cliché as it sounds, it wasn’t about how I began but how I finished. My Oxford football experience got off to a bit of a rocky start, making the journey an uphill battle. Despite facing setbacks both out of my control (the lockdowns) and within my control (sheer laziness), with the summer term dawned a new era of putting the sport that I was truly passionate about first. The minute I realised my hard work had paid off, I knew I wouldn’t let myself slack again.

Like having a three goal lead at half-time, I was - and still am - determined to keep the momentum going, because football truly makes me happy. Though it takes time and effort, nothing beats the satisfaction of proving that doubtful voice in your head wrong. And if I could do it, so can you!”

~ Ashley Chee, 2nd Year Chemistry, St Catz

07/10/2021

This Catz Girl Can!

“Studying at Catz whilst competing in the Six Nations for the Welsh rugby team has been a testament to my passion for geography and rugby.

My youngest memories are of my dad and younger brothers shouting at the Welsh men’s rugby team (mostly against England). Rugby is not only important to me personally, but is central to wider Welsh identity. I consider my Welshness a large part of my identity, influenced by my Welsh medium education and my parents who moved to Wales and learned Welsh. The Welsh culture, identity, language and its people form a large part of who I am. Representing Wales in rugby on an international stage has been a dream come true and continuing to do so whilst studying Geography at Catz has given me an interesting experience of balancing academia whilst being an elite sportsperson.

I have been in male-dominated environments (within sports) since the age of 5. From being the only girl on the team in my local club, to being the only girl playing with the boys at school, to representing Wales and Bristol Bears under heavily male-dominated governing bodies, I have always been conscious of my gender and its implications on the perception of me; as a female in a ‘male’s sport.’ I have listened to comments made by other parents, my teammates, family, school friends, and referees regarding my gender, and prejudice by governing bodies became increasingly apparent as I became more successful. While I put in the hours and effort of a full-time athlete, male equivalents earn a good income whilst my teammates and I have no income.

Although there are difficulties in being at Oxford whilst being an elite sportsperson – driving roughly 20 hours a week, missing out on socialising, losing games that you have put weeks of training into, missing out on selection, injury frustrations, criticism from the media, sexism in the sport – but competing has given me unforgettable experiences, including the opportunity to travel and make friends, that I will forever be grateful for.

My career highlight so far was gaining my first cap at 17 in front of a home crowd and winning against South Africa, as well as winning a bronze medal in the Youth Commonwealth Games in rugby 7s. More recently, I am proud that I have been able to maintain a starting no.7 shirt throughout the 2021 Six Nations campaign whilst continuing to balance high-performance sport with high-performance academia.

Being at Catz has enabled me to pursue studying what I love surrounded by like-minded people. In some respects, I find a lot of similarities between being an elite female athlete and being a student at Oxford, as both are essentially high-performance environments in which you strive to be better, surrounded by the best in your field, which is highly motivating and inspiring. I find myself in a unique position, not only as a sportsperson but also as a woman as people don’t expect you to excel in two things simultaneously; but Catz has allowed me to do this, tutors and friends have been super supportive and encouraging and I have felt supported by the community at Catz.

Rugby has taught me a lot, and still continues to remind me where women stand in wider society. Studying at Catz has given me the confidence to speak up on what is unjust within sporting organisations and governing bodies surrounding unequal pay, unfair treatment and media coverage. Rugby is teaching me what it means to be a woman in sport, the importance of having and using your voice, standing up for yourself and confiding in team mates to create change.

The main advice I would give anyone reading my post is that it is possible to excel as a woman in multiple fields. The high calibre of the University can make it feel that trying to fit in extra-curricular can occasionally be a little bit daunting but I don’t think that’s the case. I would emphasise that we can continue to participate and excel in what we love alongside academia, whether that be films, art, music, or anything else."

~ Manon Johnes, 2nd Year Geography, St Catz

12/03/2021

“Being a working-class black girl who immigrated to east London when I was 2, I was always told I would have to work ten times harder than everyone to prove myself. So as you can imagine, going to Oxford was something that I never imagined could happen.

When I first put out the idea of doing psychology, my parents – and multiple aunties – insisted I look to medicine instead. In our mother-tongue, they’d say, “psychology isn’t for people like us, you won’t be able to find work”. Even though their comments came from a place of love, fear and (statistically speaking) reality, these words made me want to prove myself even more. In a way, applying to Oxford was one of my ways of proving them wrong. Though beyond that, Oxford represented so many things for me. I loved the idea of being in a collegiate university, and I appreciated the academic rigour (though now, when in the throes of an essay crisis, I question that).

But then, applying to Oxford brought new worries. Once again, being an ethnic minority, working-class, and state-schooled felt like huge obstacles to my goal. I was worried about being an ethnic minority in university, having spent most of my life in the diverse East End. I feared that my sixth form couldn’t provide the best resources to aid my goal - we previously had only one other Oxford offer. Everything was pointing towards not applying. Not only did my background seem to be an obstacle, but teachers would also underestimate my academic ability. When I proved myself on that front, they would question how I would do in interviews. However, with the same grit as before – and full support from my friends – I strived to prove them wrong.

Having applied to Catz through pictures and descriptions, interviews were the first time I got to see the college. The concrete walls reminded me of inner-city London, making Oxford feel less foreign and unattainable and more like an exciting reality. Seeing an offer on decision day was shocking, and I was still uncertain, but the Offer Holder day held by the Oxford African and Caribbean Society a month later gave me full confidence that I was making the right choice.

Thankfully, starting at Catz has dispelled my worries. It has provided such a warm welcome and shown me that there is no archetype of an Oxford student. Though it’s starkly different from what I’m used to, it still feels like home.

The best advice I gave myself throughout my application was that if I didn’t prove that Oxford could be for people like me, there could never be change. So I took a leap of faith, and though not void of difficulties, it was so worth it.”

~ Eva Asiedu-Addo, 1st year Experimental Psychology, St Catz

19/02/2021

“My name is Jess Goodman, and I'm the French tutor at St Catz - I teach French language and literature, and along with my colleagues Ben and Sam, help organise the teaching for the Modern Languages students in the college.

I studied at Oxford for my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, so in that sense it might seem as if I'm the stereotypical Oxford tutor. But coming to Oxford in the first place was by no means a given. I went to a large state school in Wales. Like most state schools it had variable teaching, a vast range of students, just a handful of people applying to Oxbridge, and very little experience of people going on to study modern languages anywhere. I’d never studied French literature, and didn’t really know anyone who had gone to Oxford or Cambridge.

In year 12 I applied to Cambridge, where I didn't get in after an interview that was nothing like I’d been expecting. But I wanted a gap year anyway, and thought I had nothing to lose by trying again, this time in Oxford. So in between working at M&S and doing telephone market research, I found out as much as possible about the course, carried on working on my language skills, and read as much I could. And this time, I got into Worcester College.

Whilst I’d been pretty sure I’d enjoy the course, I also quickly discovered that Oxford was full of amazing people (tutors and students), most of whom were down to earth, normal, and just here because – like me – they were really keen on their subject. I liked it so much that I stayed at Worcester for the next nine years. And I spent a lot of that time, and lots since, doing outreach work to try and help students from all sorts of different backgrounds have the best chance of studying here.

I started working at Catz in 2015, and it is a wonderful place. It has all the resources and opportunities of any college - libraries, access to learning and experts, drama, sport, music and much more - but also a real openness, both literally and figuratively. It's the only college that you can't physically close off - a metaphor for how, as the college motto ‘Nova et vetera’ (new and old) emphasises, it embraces both the old and the new; the best of what Oxford has always been, and the best of what it is becoming in the 21st century, in terms of diversity, innovation and engagement.

Every October when we return from a summer of working on our research, I’m always delighted to see students and colleagues again, to meet new ones, and to enthuse more potential linguists and Catz-ites at outreach events. When we interview applicants in December, it’s the most exciting thing to meet someone who I can see has enthusiasm for studying French written all over them. That’s the only ‘Oxford type’ I’m interested in!”
~
Jess Goodman, French Tutor, St Catz

12/02/2021

"I’ve always been somewhat shy, and unsure of my own capabilities. Yet, I’ve always had a sense of independence. I was the one in nursery who was happy playing alone with his trains in the corner. I also like to plan things: I like to get ahead and watch things go to plan. Oxford wasn’t really part of that plan. How could I possibly be on par with Oxford University?

It wasn’t until I went to college that I started to stop second-guessing myself. I was fortunate to have encouraging teachers who reminded me of my strengths, and showed me that it was OK to ask for help. In that time, I really developed a passion for English, but not the book part. It was the language part that interested me. I could spend hours watching videos on where accents came from, or how different Old English was. One day, a spokesperson for Oxford gave a lecture to students. Something clicked that day. Hearing that there was a whole subject all about language changed the plan.

I visited the open day. I didn’t know what I was doing, and knew no one who could help. My parents both grew up on council estates and worked from 16, while of my 15 cousins and infinite aunts and uncles, one went to university; for midwifery - not the best match. But, seeing the colleges and the libraries in person sold it for me. Strangely, I never visited Catz and applied for Queen’s - and got an interview!

I had a mock interview. Entirely in German. I think my teacher overestimated me. Being unable to find the words combined with my lack of confidence in speaking to others was a recipe for disaster.

Getting to interviews, I was terrified: I was about to make a fool of myself in front of leading academics. The day seemed like a series of unfortunate events. Firstly, there was a huge traffic jam: the 50 minute journey to Oxford took three hours. I changed in the car and arrived 10 minutes before my first interview. Then, the student leading me got lost! It was like the universe was telling me Oxford wasn’t for me, and I should accept my losses.

The universe was wrong.

Somehow, the interview gave me a rush of confidence: someone wanted to listen to what I had to say! That said, things didn’t quite “go to plan”. I was accepted at St. Catz, where I spent all of an hour while being interviewed. I had made friends at Queen’s - now I had to do it again? What if I embarrassed myself? The only answer was to embrace it.

Since coming here, I’ve opened up. I’ve stopped being afraid of embarrassing myself. I’ve made an incredible group of friends. The friendly, accepting atmosphere here gave me the confidence I lacked: now, I’m not afraid to try something new.

I can’t imagine myself being anywhere else. My advice to anyone is to accept that things may not always stick to the “plan”, but things do happen for a reason - you just have to take the plunge and roll with it. You’re stronger than you think!"

~ Joe Spencer, 2nd year German & Linguistics, St Catz

05/02/2021

“Catz’s history of encouraging a diverse range of students dates back many years.

In the late ‘70s I scraped through GCSEs (then O levels) in a rough Hackney comprehensive. There was no sixth form so I started my A levels at a local, and even worse, all-boys comprehensive. Within weeks I realised that being read aloud to from a textbook and being pestered by the boys wasn’t going to get me very far.

I left school and began my new routine: up early; take the littlest sister to nursery; spend the morning studying in a public library; an hour’s washing up at local Wimpy Bar (think McDonalds with waiters) in exchange for lunch; up to local Polytechnic college to clean labs in return for free tuition from some rather questionable lab technicians; collect sister and head home; Thursday evenings/Saturday mornings work at John Lewis and the highlight of my week was to spend my paycheque at Foyles Bookstore in Charing Cross Road staying all afternoon browsing the science department.

One life-changing afternoon, a Polytechnic tutor told me about a special scheme to encourage ‘deprived’ school children to apply to Oxford with no entrance exam, just BCC at A levels. I went to the talk – 200 young people applying for just 5 places. Most were still in school. What chance did I have? I was tired, hungry and scruffy. Application forms, assessments, summer schools and interviews followed. 200 became 35, 35 became 14, and 14 eventually became 5. The colleges that took part in this scheme were St Hilda’s, LMH, Magdalen, Univ and of course Catz.

I had already fallen in love with the sleek Danish architecture, the unique grounds and the aptly named botany tutor, Dr Juniper. Thankfully Dr Juniper must have felt the same as a year later with my rather unexceptional but perfectly amazing BBB grades I started three most amazing years at Catz, graduating in 1982. I learnt so much both within and outside the curriculum. I met some truly amazing people.

Many moons later I am happily married to another Oxford graduate, I have a great career in the voluntary sector and our oldest child is at Oxford.

My message to other students from similar backgrounds is simple – work very hard, don’t give up, let your passion for your subject shine through and be yourself. Once you get to Catz you will realise that you are the same as everyone else there – no better or no worse. That everyone is there for the same reason and that the opportunities there will change you and your future. You will make friends for life and no one will care where you came from. If Catz is good enough for you then you are definitely good enough for Catz.”

~ Laura Hughes, St Catz Alumna

29/01/2021

“Growing up, my dad would sometimes tell me stories about Oxford in the 1980s. He was teased for being Northern and having an accent, and this always gave me the impression that it was full of ostentatious Southerners. I’ve never really been someone who identifies particularly strongly with where I come from, but I was still worried that I would be teased and boxed into a stereotype at Oxford. However, I remember having a conversation with my old history teacher, who assured me that this snobbery was a thing of the past and that I should definitely apply. I was unsure, but ultimately decided to take his word for it, and I’m so glad I did. It turns out that there are people from all sorts of places and walks of life, and on the whole, people couldn’t care less where you come from, which suits me just fine! I’d like to say to anyone who shares similar concerns that they shouldn’t worry- at Catz, you’re valued as an individual and judged for who you are, rather than dismissed as a product of where you come from.

I was lucky to come from a school where I had huge support from one of my teachers, so I was able to practice for the HAT and have a mock interview, which turned out to be really helpful. No matter how much you prepare though, interviews will always be a nerve-wracking experience. My best advice would be to try to embrace the nerves and weirdness of it all- I don't know whether interviews will be in person this year, but if they are, it's a great opportunity to meet new people and get a feel for your college and its environment. If nothing else, having met someone at interviews is a great icebreaker in freshers week, and socialising at my interviews really helped me to not get too overwhelmed with it all! So my main advice with the whole admissions process, which sounds weird, is to try to enjoy it as much as possible, which will help you come across as well and engaged as possible at interviews.

However, being a Mancunian wasn’t the only thing somewhat playing on my mind before I applied. I’m also Type 1 Diabetic, and though I don’t really consider myself disabled, I am in a legal sense. I was diagnosed at 6, so the chat and banter that I used to get at school never fazed me, because I’d heard it all before. However, Catz has been a breath of fresh air. Everyone has been so positive about it, and certainly much more respectful and inquisitive than most people at home. This has made me realise how important it is to feel accepted subconsciously, because something I previously thought didn’t bother me has completely changed, and it’s now given me that tiny bit of reassurance and comfort that I didn’t know I needed. Overall then, Catz has been everything I hoped it would - a fresh start full of welcoming attitudes and people. Whilst I can’t speak for the whole of Oxford, I’m certain other Colleges share Catz’s positivity and I can definitely say that if you’re worried about negative tropes and want nothing more than to be treated as a person and not a stereotype, then Catz is the place for you.”

~ Freddie Whitehurst, 1st year History, St Catz

22/01/2021

"Coming from a borough in Essex where very few people apply to Oxbridge, applying to Oxford was always something that I thought of as a distant improbability. Neither of my parents attended university and the whole process was incredibly daunting. I had worked hard at secondary school and, with the support of my teachers, I managed to secure a place at a selective state sixth form in East London. However, after a year of health difficulties, I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS/ME) just before sitting my GCSEs. My plans changed as I realised that I needed to focus on managing my condition and it wouldn’t be physically possible to undertake a 45 minute commute each way on top of the five A Levels the sixth form required. I chose a local sixth form college with over 1,500 students and was incredibly self-critical and self-deprecating as I took these steps to cope with a chronic diagnosis.

During college, I had to be incredibly self-disciplined as I used my limited energy resources (or ‘spoons’, if you will) to focus on my studies and secure part-time work to help fund potential university costs. It was only when I randomly Googled ‘free summer schools’ as I tried to find experiences to put on an English Literature personal statement that I stumbled upon applications to the UNIQ Summer School.
Attending UNIQ was a major turning point for me as I realised that Oxford was still a possibility. I could immerse myself in my subject with people just as enthusiastic as I was, and I realised that this specific ‘Oxford Type’ I had created in my head just was not true. The support provided by my loved ones, Oxford outreach initiatives, and my sixth form tutors meant that I gave the application process my best possible shot despite everything I was going through.

Four years later, and I’ve finished a BA in English Literature and a MSt. in English (1550-1700), securing a scholarship for my postgraduate studies. I don’t think 16 year old me would quite believe it. There have been challenges along the way given the unpredictable nature of CFS/ME, but the Oxford college welfare system and Disability Advisory Service have been invaluable. I wish I could also tell 16 year old me that there is so much hope and possibility in the future, even if she is bed-bound with her head in a book right now. I’ve produced and marketed large-scale student theatre productions, worked as a UNIQ Site Manager for five weeks with hundreds of students from backgrounds like mine, and even organised an afternoon visit for Emma Watson to talk about feminism – to name a few ‘pinch-me’ moments that made my experience so special.

Completing my Master’s thesis in lockdown was not the ceremonious end to Oxford student life that I imagined, but I’m so proud that I finished it back home in Essex. It feels very full circle to now be working in St Catherine’s College ensuring that the application process goes as smoothly as possible for students in such an uncertain time. Working in the Admissions Office really does open your eyes to the dedication and hard work of those behind the scenes for every single application.

To students working through these difficult times, I tip my metaphorical hat to you. Please make sure that you are kind to yourself. It is so easy to compare yourself now to those around you, seeing their successes over your own, but if you focus working towards your own goals, you never know what may happen."

~ Laura Wilsmore, Outgoing Academic Officer (Admissions), St Catz

Humans of St Catz

11/05/2022

18/01/2022

25/10/2021

07/10/2021

12/03/2021

19/02/2021

12/02/2021

05/02/2021

29/01/2021

22/01/2021

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