Tomorrow is a New Day

“Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it...yet”

-Anne of Green Gables

(New College Cloister)

     Greetings again from Oxford- a week in which my flatmates and I have tried to figure out what bone we could break so we don't have to write another essay! We decided that getting hit by a car would be our best bet- as it could still be argued that we could write if we just had a broken leg- plus free college!

     My tutorial with my professor on Wednesday, did not go very well, and as she said all first papers are- mine was “rubbish”. Not a very encouraging thing to hear! Impostor feeling is something that I don’t think will ever go away, especially when comments of “How young, and I usually only teach grad students” are thrown around. Nevertheless, after crying at the flat (My streak of not crying since the airport has now officially ended) I went to a Worship and Prayer night at my church St. Aldates, and felt like my inferiority feeling was taken away! We sang the song Way Maker (and if you have never heard it, I highly encourage you to look it up), and the lyrics:

Way maker
Miracle worker
Promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God
That is who you are

     Promise keeper, really stood out to me. I know I am supposed to be here, God promised me that he has my plan and purpose for my life, a plan not to harm me, but to prosper me. I still believe that my tutor is a good professor, what I did not appreciate is that her expectations were not very clear. Yet, it can only get better from here, right? This time I have 2 weeks to research and write a 10 page paper, unlike the 4 days I was given this last time. Praying that next time isn’t so gutting.

     In contrast however, my tutorial on Thursday with my primary tutor Dr. Kershaw, went so good! He enjoyed reading my essay, he did critique it, such as I I could cite some more resources. However, he said it flowed well, and my favorite compliment- “Your conclusion was very elegant.” However, because of his travel schedule I have until Tuesday (tomorrow) to write my next essay. So I was hitting the libraries hard...sadly though several of the books I needed have been checked out! I finished my essay, however I am disappointed that I couldn’t use some of the sources he recommended. Hopefully he takes that into consideration tomorrow when he grades.

     On Sunday I went to Hampton Court Palace, as it was a scheduled tour that my program OSAP provides as part of our tuition fees. It was beautiful! It is most famous for Henry the 8^th residing there, as did his wives. Though unlike his wives- I had my head! Here are some pictures from our day out.

(front of the palace)

(back of the palace)

(My flatmate Kaitlyn and I

caught unaware)

(Just me caught unaware)

(Kaitlyn and I chatting with the lady

in the courtyard, and ignoring 

the passed out drunk guy next to us🤣)

      This week is looking pretty mellow- I have my primary tutorial tomorrow with Dr. Kershaw, I meet Kevin my World View tutor on Wednesday for coffee one on one, and also on Wednesday I get to meet my pastor friend from Egham (that I visited this summer), here in Oxford for coffee as well. I also have Worldview class on Friday (basically all day). Otherwise the rest of my week is researching and writing my other essay for Dr. Pollard next Wednesday. Hopefully that essay for her goes better than the last!

     Well, all that being said, I can’t believe I’ve almost been here a month! And I only have 5 weeks left of the Oxford term (not including this week). This last week was the hardest week I’ve experienced so far, and I can be quoted saying “I hate it here.” But as I was informed by my tutor Kevin, everyone has that week around this time, and it does get better. Hopefully this week and next is better, and my flatmates and I won’t be trying to decide how to physically harm ourselves to avoid our essays and in turn avoid disappointing our tutors. Nevertheless, as Anne says, “Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it...yet.”

Here are some more pictures throughout my week, cheers!

(At a 5 pound burger tonight,

it didn't actually weigh 5 pounds,

it cost 5 pounds!)

(Selfies at the palace)

(Staircase in the palace)

 (Portrait gallery

(Private bathing chamber)

(The Great Hall)

(Explored the maze, and realized

that it is quite a bit taller than me,

which is the story of my life)

(We had an hour to kill

before our bus left for Oxford,

thus perfect timing for a dramatic

photoshoot in the maze!)