I'd second Marston as a convenient place to live. I lived in Jesus college accommodation for my undergraduate degree (first year in the college itself, subsequent years in a shared college flat up Woodstock Rd probably counting as Jericho area, which is also nice with a bit more going on) and then lived with my boyfriend in Marston for my DPhil (and indeed still live there now as a married academic working in the Headington area). Summertown in north Oxford is also nice, Headington has a lot of Oxford Brookes students so is well served by their buses during their term-times but is up a very steep hill.
I could cycle from my door to my lab in the science area (which is pretty close to the English faculty) including locking and unlocking my bike in 7min, and I'm not a speedy cyclist! I would say it would probably take 15min to walk from the park in Marston to the English faculty at a reasonable pace or 20min to dawdle.
I would recommend getting a bike as it makes any of the places that have been suggested here reasonable places to be time-wise and makes dashing between the college, faculty and libraries very convenient. It is hard to go anywhere further than a 20min cycle ride. I've generally felt quite safe in the city centre and have been happy cycling home late at night to Jericho and Marston but I would avoid cycling or walking alone at night too far out along Cowley Rd.
I would also second thinking seriously about the college accommodation option, Botley Rd may not be the most convenient place if you are on foot but if you are staying with other people in a similar situation it is a good way to make friends. Staying in a random house somewhere could be a little isolating so you would need to make a bit of effort to go along to the MCR to meet people or join some University societies.
Anyway, wherever you live I'm sure you'll have a really great exciting and interesting year.
I could cycle from my door to my lab in the science area (which is pretty close to the English faculty) including locking and unlocking my bike in 7min, and I'm not a speedy cyclist! I would say it would probably take 15min to walk from the park in Marston to the English faculty at a reasonable pace or 20min to dawdle.
I would recommend getting a bike as it makes any of the places that have been suggested here reasonable places to be time-wise and makes dashing between the college, faculty and libraries very convenient. It is hard to go anywhere further than a 20min cycle ride. I've generally felt quite safe in the city centre and have been happy cycling home late at night to Jericho and Marston but I would avoid cycling or walking alone at night too far out along Cowley Rd.
I would also second thinking seriously about the college accommodation option, Botley Rd may not be the most convenient place if you are on foot but if you are staying with other people in a similar situation it is a good way to make friends. Staying in a random house somewhere could be a little isolating so you would need to make a bit of effort to go along to the MCR to meet people or join some University societies.
Anyway, wherever you live I'm sure you'll have a really great exciting and interesting year.
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Angharad
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