Hi, I’m Dom, and I’m a History and Politics student at St Catherine’s College. Around the time I was applying for Oxford I knew Catz was the only place for me – it is renowned for the large number of state school students, and for having an inclusive, welcoming environment. While Oxford has lots of work to do in welcoming more students from more backgrounds and, once here, making them feel a part of the Oxford family, in my experience I’ve found Catz does the best job at that.
Catz has a reputation for being a bit out-there; we aren’t like all those other colleges where random doors in the city centre will turn out to be another small, quaint Oxford college. Catz is huge – the largest undergraduate college, and the newest one too; the architecture, by Arne Jacobsen, is profound and different in comparison to many other colleges. It’s a place with life and energy, but also a relaxing, spacious college with open nature.
I’ve found the accommodation experience really good. While I don’t get my own en-suite in the first year (but we all do in second!), the rooms are a nice size, and I have a great river view. The flats are large, bustling, and full of friendly people. Kitchen and bathroom facilities are of good quality and are cleaned regularly by our lovely scouts. The price, in comparison to what I’d have paid if I hadn’t got into Oxford, is really small too.
One aspect of Catz’s reputation is the remoteness – there’s this inaccurate perception that by being out of the city centre you feel quite disconnected. In fairness, I suppose when I first arrived I did have a sense of F.O.M.O; with so many colleges so congregated, and yours separate, its natural to feel like you may be missing out. But realistically, it’s a ten minute walk to the centre of town. There’s great public transport. And the far superior access to nature, including uni parks, makes it more than worth it for me – I’ve honestly come to prefer being outside of the buzz of city centre, as Catz provides its own buzz as its own little (well, not so little) community.
It’s this community buzz, the life, the energy, the spaciousness – if you like small colleges, Catz may not be for you – that’s my favourite thing about Catz. Coming from a pretty poor state school in the West Midlands, I expected the demographics of where my fellow students would be from, and, bluntly, my own biased anticipations of what they’d be like, to be a certain way – the Oxford stereotype. The best surprise in the world was finding out, on the first day really, just how misguided my fears were. As corny as it sounds, the college and people at Catz feel like family. Having Catherine the college dog, who’s playful and energetic, to be able to take out for a walk, is amazing as well. She runs about the place like she owns it – even our lovely Master, Kersti Borjars, would admit she does!
If I had to pick another college, as weird as it sounds, I’d go for something exactly the opposite. I love the inclusiveness, the size, the buzz, and the remoteness of Catz, but if it wasn’t for Catz I would go entirely the opposite. A tiny college in the heart of Oxford may well be for you – and I think Corpus Christi looks lovely. But if you are the kind of person who wants to throw themselves into the Oxford uni experience, the kind of person who wants a guaranteed welcome, and the kind of person who doesn’t mind a larger college that does things, just a bit better (no bias detected, of course) then I’d definitely check out Catz.
Picking a college isn’t something I really had in my mind when applying to Oxford; I just knew I wanted to go to Catz. I love this place, but I recommend looking and researching for what’s best for you – the college you choose defines your experience. But the people, the scenery, the atmosphere, and the memories I continue to build and cherish at Catz make it the greatest place I’ve had the privilege to spend my time. I love my college, and I hope that whatever college the reader may end up at, they feel the same.
Check out the Catz college website for more details!