Oxford Terminology

The Lincoln sports ground, located on 'Bartlemas Close' in Cowley. If you’re interested in playing a sport for Lincoln, please get in touch with the relevant captain. Details of each will be given out at the beginning of term.

At the start of every term you will receive a bill from the College. These are known as your Battels. Various College activities throughout term are charged and go onto your Battels for next term, i.e. you do not have to pay in cash.

A few Lincoln graduate students live in a complex located on Bear Lane and referred to as such. This is a three-minute walk to the College and behind The Ivy restaurant on the High Street.

This is what Oxford’s main Library, the Bodleian Library, is commonly referred to. Although all Oxford Libraries belong to the Bodleian, the term Bod usually refers to the collection of university libraries that surround the Radcliffe Camera.

Your University card (more commonly known as your 'Bod Card') will be issued once you have signed and returned your university contract (Admissions Conditions Document) and will be delivered to the College.

A bop is a large college party usually run in the bar or similar location. Undergraduate bops generally admit students from the college in question. Graduate bops, however, are usually much larger and involve many colleges.

A complex of high-end student accommodation located in the literal centre of Oxford. This is less than a three-minute walk from College and is located as its name suggests opposite the iconic Carfax Tower, and very close to the Westgate Shopping Centre.

In the grand tradition of Oxford and Cambridge, Lincoln holds a College Ball every other year. In addition, you can attend other colleges’ balls. These are black tie (sometimes white tie) formal parties on a massive scale, taking over the entire college for a night. While balls are expensive, it is well worth going to one during your time here – just for the experience…and the photos.

An Oxford suburb to the east of the city. It has a large selection of shops, bars, and restaurants. Many students live out in Cowley at some point during their time in Oxford.

The alternative name for Deep Hall, the College bar. Several social events will be held here or just come down in the evening and you’re sure to see a friendly face! Prices are excellent compared to the rest of Oxford.

We hold a variety of dinners across the year that you can choose to attend.

Annual Dinner and Garden Party

The MCR holds its own annual dinner each Christmas. It is the grandest event that we organise, and the Rector, College Officers, and other Fellows often attend. At the end of Trinity Term there is also a formal garden party and MCR photograph.

MCR Dinners

One of Lincoln’s most popular traditions is its fortnightly MCR dinners, which offer a sumptuous three-course feast provided by Chef, including red and white wine, pre-dinner sherry and post-dinner port. Diners meet in the MCR before the meal and then head over to the Mary Lasker and Montgomery Rooms for dinner itself.

MCR Exchange Dinners

Oxford has a fine tradition of cultural exchange between its colleges, and Lincoln is at the forefront of that group – we invite another college to come and dine at Lincoln, and in return we go to them and sample life and food at their college. These events are always well attended; they are great fun and allow members to meet other postgraduates from around Oxford.

The highlight of each term is the Emily Carr Party, which takes place on one Saturday each term and is held in the Emily Carr House in Bear Lane. If you only get to one social event each term, make it this one.

The EPA or Mus Road (short for Museum Road) refers to the accommodation on Museum Road, about seven minutes’ walk from the main college site and located on a road opposite the Oxford Museum of Natural History. It is very close to many of the science departments. A lot of graduate students (and some 4th year undergraduates) live in these very modern flats.

Formal Hall is one of the more famous traditions of Oxford University. At Lincoln the term refers to the second Hall (i.e. the second dinner sitting) of the day whereby you must wear your gown in order to dine. Fellows, and guests of the College, dine on High Table during Formal.

The ‘posh’ part of Oxford, located towards the northwest of the town. Nicer restaurants, bars, and houses. Some students live here.

A graduate accommodation block on Little Clarendon Street, which is in Jericho and enjoys close proximity to several great bars and restaurants. Officially know as the Dame Louise Johnson Building.

The main lodge is the reception of the College. It located close to the front gate and is generally the first port of call for all sorts of questions and especially for emergencies. It is staffed 24/7. The EPA centre has its own lodge.

The Lord Florey Society represents the academic interests of the graduate community, serving as a forum for discussion and the exchange of ideas. We hope you will be interested in helping to contribute to an exciting series of discussions and debates.

The ceremony at which new students become members of the University. Everyone dresses in the academic sub fusc (see below) and it is a wonderful opportunity to take pictures in College.

The acronym for the Middle Common Room. The MCR refers not only to the Common Room itself, but also to the graduate community of the College. In College there is also the JCR (Junior Common Room) for the undergraduate population and the SCR (Senior Common Room) for Fellows and senior staff.

The Term Card is your essential guide to what’s on in your MCR in the coming term. It is printed at the beginning of every term and delivered to your pigeon hole. The Term Card lists all major parties, general meetings, events, formal dinners, college exchanges, and concerts. You will receive the Michaelmas Term Card shortly after your arrival.

This refers to your pigeon hole, which is located inside the Lodge. Any post you have delivered to the College will find its way here to you. If you receive parcels that do not fit into your pidge the Porters will send you an email for you to pick it up. Please collect your parcel as soon as possible, as space in the Lodge is limited.

Porters staff the Lodge day and night in case of visitors or emergencies. Be friendly, smile, and say 'Hello' when you walk past and the Porters will prove to be of great help to you!

Punting is a fine Oxford tradition, essentially involving embarrassing yourself on the river in front of friends and tourists by falling into the River Cherwell. Each summer the MCR rents a punt for the exclusive use of its members. A small charge for the punt scheme will be put on your Trinity Battels, but you can opt out of the scheme by letting the MCR Treasurer know.

Short for quadrangle. Grass rectangles in College that are surrounded by buildings. The buildings are said to be on the quad that they surround. Lincoln has three quads – Front, Chapel and Grove. Grove Quad is the only one that people can walk on.

Abbreviation for Radcliffe Camera Library. The Rad Cam dome is one of the defining features of the Oxford skyline and the subject of a large number of tourist photographs. The Rad Cam primarily holds History Faculty collections but it is a nice place to work regardless of whether you need to consult the books. It is located right behind Lincoln in Radcliffe Square and next to the Bod.

Scouts are the people that clean your flat/staircase, bathrooms, kitchen and clear rubbish from your bins. In addition to keeping the whole College site clean and welcoming.

Getting expelled. Try to avoid this.

Required academic dress for Matriculation, university exams, and degree ceremonies, worn under the appropriate academic gown.  You need to wear:

• Dark suit with dark socks, or dark skirt with black tights or stockings, or dark trousers with dark socks
• Black shoes
• Plain white collared shirt or blouse
• White bow tie, or black bow tie, or black full-length tie, or black ribbon

You can buy all of this in many shops in Oxford and during Freshers’ Week there will be signs for it everywhere; the closest place is Walter’s (in previous years they have offered a discount to Lincoln students), just across the street from the Lodge. For matriculation, sub fusc is completed by your gown and a mortarboard (which you only wear at graduation, but ought to carry it during matriculation).

We have different names for the academic terms.

• Michaelmas: The first or autumn term running October to December.
  
• Hilary: The second or spring term running January to March.
• Trinity: The third or summer term running April to June.

The exact dates vary each year. The weeks of each term are numbered e.g. 0th, 1st, 2nd and so on.