A day in the life of an Oxford physics student
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- čas přidán 28. 06. 2024
- Everything that happened to me on Thursday of 5th week, Michaelmas term 2012. Whilst this was a fairly typical day it by no means represents every day in my university life! Each day varies so much that it would be impossible to do justice to what it's like to study here, but that's just a limitation of the format that you'll have to accept here.
If you are interested in support available in making an application to Oxbridge, here are some links that you may find useful. I have nothing to do with either of these organisations, for full disclosure.
www.oxbridgeinterviews.co.uk/o...
www.oxbridgeapplications.com/o...
I am Simon, a fourth year physics student at St. Peter's College, University of Oxford. I try my best to help applicants to Oxbridge with answers from the other side of the fence and, where possible, make videos that people will find useful.
/ spcoxford
www.spc.ox.ac.uk
Opinions presented are my own and not necessarily those of my college or university. And before anyone asks, no I'm not being sponsored by Red Bull (though I'd be open to offers).
I was an Oxford student in the 1980s. My life wasn't like this. I enjoyed candlelit dinners every night in the college hall, went for walks through the parks and by the river, fell in love with Oxford's beautiful architecture, went to chapel and listened to the choirs, went to sherry parties and tea parties, read books and discussed them with my friends over late night coffee, sat in beautiful gardens and listened to the birdsong, went for picnics in punts, spent hours in second-hand bookshops, discovered classical music, attended lectures and societies, wrote essays, and dreamed... But then I was a humanities student.
That honestly sounds incredible
What subject did you study?
@@speedwagon1824 Classics.
@@ABC_DEF oh.
If you don’t mind me asking, what did you get on your o levels/ GSCE equivalent
I like how his uni guilts include buying a bag of crisps and a red bull whereas most uni students guilts are realised when they wake up in a dustbin after snorting a gram of ketamine
Liam Gray same profile picture lol...
He didn't pay 100K for anything?
Lol
Yeah i agree. This kids a sheltered one. You can see it in his unshaven pubic hair mustache.
1g of ket is for pussies
Why did the student drop out of Quantum Physics Class? Because it was Bohring.
+Morgan Fraser these jokes are very painful Fermi
+Morgan Fraser he should of kept going and if he found it boring, he should of asked for it to be more challenging, does he know that these options are available for him?
+Morgan Fraser Maybe he felt Pauli
+Itz Northy it was a joke
+Morgan Fraser Being from out of town, the student was most 'probably' 'uncertain' of where he was going and where he'd end up. Unless someone was there to observe that is, which probably resulted in quite a tangled mess. Non-locality is tough for out of towners like our student, which is a real shame because he was no doubt a Feyn-man.
I took out the trash today
You took out Ben?
👍👍👍👍
yeet yeet skedeet well done maye
Best comment!
It ain’t much but it’s honest work
This video makes me want to be so much more productive with my time.
productivity is a positive feedback cycle, once you start it becomes easier
@@tibees Hi Tibees
But you still won't anyway?
Anyone else see this in their recommended/home feed? I'm seeing all these old videos going viral now, this one was interesting and well put-together though!
Yeah it's bizarre - I haven't done anything but it's recommending this video in particular to everyone and their dog... I mean I'm not complaining, it just feels a little undeserved! Nice to have new discussions in the comments though :)
y'know #CZcamsIsBroken
SimonOxfPhys thanks for the reply!! I ended up binge watching a bunch of your videos as I'll be in college in a couple years and your life resembles a preview of what mine will be like soon. Keep up balancing your thesis, code program, chorus and CZcams; you're doing great!
Ryan Smith yup same
Yes, it was recommended to me, probably because I like Walter Lewin's videos, I assume. However it looks like a good video to me..
The first time I watched this video was three years ago (maybe four), I was still in high school. I have watched this during finals of my baccalaureate, premed year and now there are two finals left for me before I start the third year of medical school! This video never failed to motivate me. Thanks alot
Faten Nader Go Girl!
Me too, I watched this video first time when I prepare to get into the university and now I study 3rd year medical school and I had no motivation for studying. This video make my motivation again.
@@kongsakun1516 now I'm on my sixth (last) year. I wish you the best of luck. Don't overwork yourself and always take care of yourself.🌼
I think the best way to fix this problem (one I have shared in the past, by the way!) is to use your knowledge - attempt questions, in particular try those at the end of chapters of textbooks. That way if you can apply your knowledge to a real problem then you truly understand it, rather than just recalling sentences from memory. Often it's the case that you will understand things, but won't realise it until you put your knowledge into action!
Perfection has to do with the end product, but excellence has to do with the process.”
I LOVE how you prioritize long-term understanding; however, now I am scared that I will be rushing my homework too in college!
life as a comp sci student is.. basically sit down on a computer, google codes, copy paste and submit. im a comp sci undergrad
Rushabh Doshi this is me.
* life as a mediocre comp sci student
Rushabh Doshi is comp sci any good? looking at doing it in uni
yeyebsjw sjeudhene its simple but its hard because its so simple. if you dont like sitting on the computer 8 hours a day looking at a blank computer screen, i suggest you do something you're passionate for
***** work on your project, reply to email.. etc
It's more me not wanting to give up (and not being terribly good at this stuff) than the professors expecting me to work this hard! In first year we were told that we should be doing between 40 and 50 hours of work a week, and I've always been at the higher end of that scale, mostly because I need to put more time in to get the same quality of work done. Especially this year actually, seeing as I chose one of my options as a challenge for me!
A day in my Life :
Wake up in the Morning and Go back to Sleep at Night
You've definitely picked the busiest day possible
It was definitely a busy day but definitely not even the busiest day in the year! It worked out as being a bit longer than most days but I think pretty representative of most days in my fourth year
Maybe it's different in fourth year, down here in second year chemistry (imperial) I'm far less busy than that
1st and 2nd years are fairly manageable.
Vince P i
how is this different from any other university 4th year except better professors.
So intelligent... so handsome... I'm so sad
I'm a Physics major. Here's my day.
-Wake Up at 10:30
-Go to an 11:00 am Modern Physics lecture
-Eat Lunch
-Take a nap.
-Go to Calc3 lecture
-Take a nap
-Go to Chem Lecture so you can do engineering grad
- Eat dinner
-Play dishonored 2 for a few hours
-Do a Physics problem set
-Go to bed.
You have time to nap? Wtf fan.
He tutors students at Mansfield for a couple of courses, and has just started lecturing second year quantum mechanics :)
He's possibly the best lecturer I've ever had.
That's how hard they push you in Oxford...the students think hey will be judged for going to the shop to get something to eat instead of doing work
I assumed it was because they were snacks and not healthy foods or something like that.
imatroll147 it's actually fucked up
jeez how dumb are you:D. it's cause he went and got shit to eat instead of proper food .
@@shikeridoo nah is because he wasted that time which he could've studied XD
@@giovannip8600 lol u can't get it
Love how you share about your passion and interest because everyone can relate to what they themselves love, I guess that's what makes the video fun, especially with cool images around the campus, I actually felt integrated into the video :) thank you for sharing your experience!
Today I farted and smoked weed
Nice
420 likes :D
666 likes D:
Tripp well, your a failure aren't you
...just like your grammar.
HOLY SHIT YOUR HANDWRITING IS SO NICE!
FaZe Dank England
His handwriting is nice. How is your handwriting relevant to where you come from anyway?
Hmm, a bit unusual but I understand.
FaZe Dank they care in primary school and after that it's irrelevant... As long as it's legible.
Sophie K indeed its quite nice for a boy
This is the exact opposite of my daily routine
Kedi Stars same
So you start your day by going to sleep and ended it by waking up?
Interesting....
Oxford gave him depression
I don't even have A routine
why are there so many comments hating on this student? I think it is a very interesting video that can give people who want to find out what it is like to study at oxford good insight on what it is actually like. And for me how different it is to studying in the netherlands
personally, i find this disconcerting. i'm applying into a university to study electrical engineering, and this kind of workload? absolutely would not be able to handle it, not in a million years. i've not heard of anyone working this much, anyway, so he might be a special case, but yeah, for me, it's just worrisome seeing someone who literally studies 8-10+ hours a day, continuously.
i have to study that much if i want good grades and i study computer science
Not Legato he is at oxford doing physics, at oxbridge, it's a lot more pressure than most unis, they don't even allow you to have a job, also with stem subjects you'll want to work thaf hard to keep on top of everything
hope uve had luck in finding the right university for u! At least in Physics, there is always something to do. Most students ive come to know do it because its fun for them. Regardless, most actually need 40-60 hours a week to pass the semester due to getting 3-5 massive assignments a week each taking 8-10 hours to solve. But thats just the first year, if uve started studying 1 yea ago like its displayed here you will now come into more complex stuff, which most find much less time consuming since uve got down the basics and just need to use them, even in electrical engineering
Jealousy
you're a wild boy with that bag of walkers crisps and a banana!
😋
Absolute mad lad
they are called chips you stupid fuck
Steven In Britain they're called crisps you stupid fuck.
+Steven ur such an ignorant bitch arent u
Toby Nichol That banana looks oddly similar to a gummy worm...
You do not know how much I have been wanting to see this! I have heard so many contrasting stories/misconceptions; it's very nice of you to do this.
Lovely video! It's nice to see someone so motivated and working hard! Good luck x
This is coming from a senior physics major from a far less prestigious university than Oxford, but being a physics major is HARD. It's like intellectual overdrive ×100.
I've never been happier.
It depends on your subject, but I think that the answer is almost always yes! Approaching the same subject from different angles (i.e. different books) is the best way to a thorough understanding :)
I really like coming back to this video. Helps me get through my work.
This is some serious reinforcement for me, total bliss, watching your videos, thank you Simon and thank you Oxford!
His life in points:
- Wake up
- Lecture
- Study
- Lecture
- Study
- HW
- Sleep
NoFap streak: 4 months.
Shits
I love that, being more concerned with understanding material than getting things done. I find myself just plowing through reading material, just to find that i haven't learned jack all because i want to finish the book. Trying to apply the more studious factor to my studies than performance.
As an MIT physics student, your life sounds exactly like my life.
I'm watching this 8 years later. Suddenly saw this on my home feed.
A day in the life of a Gender Studies student:
-Woke up
-Ate days worth of calories, just for breakfast
-Logged onto Tumblr
-Complained about Misogyny
-Went back to sleep
The sad thing is that this is 100 % accurate, and not even a joke.
Eamon MacDermott can u explain this actually i cant take it srs
So close but you forget Patriarchy.
dont forget complaining how bad their sixth form teachers were even though they never showed up to lessons
Hahahaha
Seems like a very chill life. You even have time to make these blogs.
4/5 years ago...
Maxybeast I didn't mean to offend you. I understand that you want to be that hard working guy and I'm sure that a lot of people are impressed with you.
It is very good to warn people what they are in for. I'm sure that I was wrong and that the blogging physisist is just very time efficient. Bloggers are usually people with waaaaay too much time on their hands but evidently science has proved me wrong in this case.
How is this chill life.
sitting in a library for 8 hours is not a chill life
Piet Vranken I don't know. Maybe one day I will know enough about physics to fully understand this blogger time paradox.
Awesome video! Looking forward to hear more of your life in Oxford.
Oh my god tiny Simon! Im so impressed on far youve come.
Hello Simon!
I am one of the science student in my school. During our Physics class, I don't really get what my teacher taught us, well sometimes I do. I have to study by my own and luckily I get a help from my tuition teacher who used to be an engineer. So, my knowledge about Physics become expanded. Now, I'm in the midst of learning about radioactive (the last chapter of our syllabus). I hope by watching your videos, I can get more good information about Physics before November 2015. Thanks!
actually, i really wish i had a live like that.
you my mate are a motivation for me to study :)
Your videos are so addicting. I think I have watched 5 already in the past half an hour.
Direct and to the point. I like your style.
I can't believe I watched this in 2012! and probably more than 20 times over the several years! WOW!
I kind of started from scratch as I didn't find 6th form material nearly as challenging and so didn't have to put so much work in. Before I was hardly a model student - see my 'How to study effectively' video for how I should have been doing things!
I usually don't care about people's vlogs , but this one stood out from the others. Well done!
:)
I just love your accent! love your commitment to understanding what is in front of you that will definitely help you later on
I'm so jealous of how driven you are ahhhhhh
+Georgia Millis don't be jealous just work harder
seriously, sounds cheeky but you can do it! :)
Doing my best :p
he is just a robot following what society says, dont worry, you are atleast original
I mean they teach critical thinking on most academic institutions... I very much doubt he's just a puppet. Y'all been watching too much V for Vendetta. ;)
Still better than the random emerging videos from the dark side of YT.
I found that video pretty inspiring for me. Working on to enter one of the best physics and engineering uni now
Bro, I love the way your notes are written.
OH MY GOD people calm down he's an oxford student not hitler damn why so much hate seems like such a nice chill dude.
Anyone watching in 2019? ✌️
This is so cool ^w^ Also, your handwriting is absolutely lovely!
nice video man, it was interesting to get an insight on what is like to be an oxford student. thank you
8 years later, youtube recommends this to me...
two words... FUCK THAT, unless you really like studying.
Everybody likes science but most don't understand it and they believe they can't so they don't like it. You can't like things you're afraid of or you don't understand.
Leszek Michał everybody learns not understands, if people are willing to put the effort into studying, then fine but id rather live my life in a less stressful way
Mert Girgin Ok, I understand. Frankly, college was the best time of my life so far. Lots of new and different people, lots of parties, lots of travelling besides more or less interesting studying program. This is also the way you learn life, I mean socially. Studying is just like maybe 50% of the college experience. As to the video, I didn't find college so intense and hard like the author shows but I didn't go to Oxford. And the further I was, the easier it became to pass exams, most of them at least.
This was one of those rare useful recommendations that happens in youtube that i came across cuz usually it's me who usually search for useful stuff rather than youtube recommending.
Thank you for motivating me to complete a problem set due three weeks from now
Holy crap i thought i had neat writing, your's is just pure awesome :o
My handwriting is so bad lol, I had to change to cursive since it was so hard for people to read, now I write slower rip
Milan When you're a science student, there is only a slight chance of getting better than his handwriting.
Oh god I knew barely any equations before my degree! I find them intimidating too, even now. And I definitely found them hard at first. At A level I got an A in maths and further maths, but that was before the A* was introduced - I think I would have got A* and A respectively then (though maybe both A*s).
Hey Simon, I’m sure you probably don’t read the comments on this dinosaur of a video anymore but here you go - I’m currently a first year theoretical physics student in Sydney, Australia. I’ve been following your stuff for a while (loved the PhD series) and I have found your realness and work ethic really inspiring - somewhere I want to be some day. Whenever I’m feeling unmotivated or uninspired I come back to this video. It reminds me of the value of consistent hard work and dedication to achieving your dreams and seeing what you’ve achieved since makes this all the more inspiring. Thanks for being my Professor Blundell 😊
I know this is a really old video but I’m a first year physics major now and these are helping A LOT
Gym three times a week, down from five times over the summer. Would like to start kick-boxing next year if given a PhD place!
Good motivation Bro
Keep it up!
I watch this video again and again . how can you inspire me so much. Thank you! Wish someone like you exists in my country. erghhhh
Which country? :0
i'm stressed out just by listening you talk about ur life.. i took physics(not anymore) and it just killed me softly.. i saluted you, i can't do what you do and i wish i can..
Someday, just someday i can experience something like this, im still in high school, but just someday i could finally understand your books, and all those symbols and how to use them. But now im still trying to be fluent in algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, pretty much just baby math as you call it.
lol good luck, later in higher level courses you will learn that when the class average is a 25, you get a 30 is pretty smart. and any baby courses are a complete waste of time because they typically teach you incorrect things that are oversimplified to get people into the field of study, it's not really there to teach you actually what's going on.
What, dude... No. No learning is a waste of time.
That's a nice approach to study you have, keep it up and you will have a bright future.
Russel Young I thought the same thing as you did when I was younger, shame I took chemistry instead ahahaha
Russel Young I thought the same thing as you did when you were younger, shame I took chemistry instead ahahaha
why the fuck was this on recomended?
Rui G it's cool
Because you belong here too.
because people like you party all day.You need to know what a useful human being goes through every single day.
ASMR CSGO Literally nobody parties "all day" that's just a dickish old mans view of everything.
I enjoy it too but it is weird that out of nowhere it showed up since i have never searched for these kind of videos ^^
I'm just in awe at how incredibly smart you must be! Great videos, and thanks for sharing :D
This was a pretty cool stuff man.
I can say that the part where you talk about how professor Steven lectures and relates history and science is very interesting. I am myself trying to get papers and books to read about My major (Civil Engineering) with historical background of it.
Again, cool work mate!
did you know that you're literally living my dream? I want to become a theoretical physicist, I am very interested in string theory and general relativity, as well as the higgs boson since I've heard of the discovery. I'm only 14 so my expectations in life are a little high and right now I'm just below the right "level" to do physics but hopefully someday I will be able to do something like you do.
I wonder, if you are pursuing physics now?
@@alien4320i wanna know too
I don't remember my schedule was that intense, even in my 4th year. But of course, everyone is different. I was at Cambridge and I probably took different topics from you (Quantum, Relativity, Solid State if I remember right). One thing I did notice was that the brightest students, didn't seem to need to study. May be they were ahead of the curve so much that they could afford to do many other things.
how long ago did you graduate from your studies?
really? I see the opposite. The brightest students are the ones that don't slack off
MrDpsc Nah some people can get passing grades without studying (like me) Bur there are way smarter people that can get straighy A s without much effort
Squidward
you're not particularly bright for obtaining passing grades without studying.
I'm in my last year and have met a few geniusses, the type that write a thesis that their promoter is ecstatic about but end up writing a completely new one because they didn't consider it good enough. They all keep on top of their material. This image of someone who doesn't do anything all year, reads their book once and gets a perfect mark is almost nonexistent.
MrDpsc I never said I was particularly bright lol I don't even think that Just making a passing remark regarding my experience in high school (I just graduated lol)
Really enjoying the Oxvlog and this video was a great insight :) keep it up!
The video that started it all I would say. I followed you through your PhD watching your vlogs and it was amazing. Really happy for you but I sometimes miss your PhD vlogs! haha
at the end you talked about understanding vs doing homework which i can understand but it's so hard because i'm always to scared to fail so i end up focusing on homework rather than the understanding part of it.
You pick up these things as you advance in life, don't worry about it.
obviously this wasn't a normal day, you had to give a lecture and had dinner with your professor these aren't everyday stuff. i liked the video though
moh
When did he say he had to give a lecture?
But yeah, he had diner with his professor so it's most likely not an average day.
I agree but some people were complaining that this vid was boring so lucky for them he didnt just show library study all day
When you mentioned that Stephen Blundell had written an 'A very short introduction', I immediately sought out my collection. The book was on superconductivity (204), the rest of the series all open with long, to the point prefaces. Not this one, it opens with a line from Superman. Brilliant!
I LOVE Stephen Blundell. Still my favourite lecturer ever!
Half of first year is physics, and in second year you take a lecture course in mathematical methods that you use across the board, but beyond that any mathematical developments that you need are covered as part of that specific subject's lecture series, e.g. tensor calculus is covered in general relativity.
They do assume a moderate level of mathematical knowledge - univariate calculus, vectors and matrices and ODEs - but this is covered in a refresher course at the start of the course.
There there, someone finally cracked Quantum Field Theory.
I like your writing
I love what you said about understanding, so well put
Nice video Simon. My Part IA Physics supervisor (here at Cambridge), is an Oxford physics graduate. He then realised he wanted to study at the better of the two - only joking, very good video.
i want to go there in the future.
Are you there yet
I feel like i lost somewhere in this video
amazing. I am impressed by your work ethic, so lovely, I aspire to be able to do that
I love this series! Keep it up! I love the part where you say, "Wow it was just amazing. God I want to be just like him!"
0:17 my dream life. I am just 15 yrs old. Wanna pursue math and physics. I want to sit in a classroom like this very soon
So, in other words: lecture, library, eat, library, library, and library with periodic red bull runs (sleep sold separately)
I share your views on understanding, definitely! Great video!!
Your handwriting is so neat!
i get a tingle when i see those problem sheets... wonder if that means anything...
What about tea and biscuits?
Kaz z biscuits are good for you, drink them
Kaz z only at 4 bro,only at 4
I love the formatting of this video idk why.
Just found your channel! Great video love it ❤️
+twinklinglena aw thank you!
This is the life I'm looking for.
How's Your Life Now After All These Years?
I'm in love :(
Love your video man!
I like the way that you said that you prioritise long term understanding rather than short term knowledge. It's the right way to think and learn and I do the same. Unless I understand something fundamentally, I cannot continue it. A reason I fall behind so far.
Annnnd CZcams algorithm has recommended this video to everyone for whatever reason -_-
+ShouT L yeah I've seen an explosion of traffic for some reason... For what it's worth it's nice to have you here!
I mean sometimes you get good recommended videos or channels like yours so it's nice for a change :) Really liked that video explaining PhD's... Now Im certain Im not doing one :D
If I'd watched it while at uni I think I'd be convinced of the same haha!
I'd honestly say this; thank god that my career does not involve me going through a path like this. Colleges like this, very prestigious, but not my type. Work like this, complex and jam packed all in a year... tough. Any time I see this, I say congratulations to the good people who go here, but aviation is where I need to be.
Hey simon, I think it would be nice to make a video about things to do and not to do at different stages of university!
Nice video! Great sense of humour!
Simon your videos are great, you need to do more videos like these. Big fan thanks!