St John's - Student View

The rumours are all true about the wealth of St John's and, as a student, the material advantages are obvious - accommodation for all undergraduates, cheap food in hall, and facilities to rival any in Oxford (a well-stocked library, 3 excellent computer rooms, 2 squash courts and fitness room on site, a quad with wonderful theatre and so on).

As one of the larger colleges, the sporting facilities are good - a sports ground only a mile away with rugby, football and hockey pitches in addition to six tennis courts (hard and grass courts used by uni teams) and a boathouse.

But what sets St John's apart from the rest of Oxford is not the legendary work ethic (which is shared by Univ and Merton and anyway comes from other students, rather than directly from tutors), but an apparently endless supply of ambition - many people become involved in extra-curricular activities, and it seems that the desire to achieve highly in finals is matched by endeavour beyond the library.

Such dynamism leads to enthusiastic JCR debates and active drama, music and sports societies, as well as a really lively college social life. Students work hard but also take advantage of excellent extra-curricular facilities. The result is a vibrant and exciting place to earn a degree.