WELCOME TO JESUS, FRESHERS!!!
We’re trying something different with the website this year for Freshers’ Week - all the information you’ll need about what the JCR is doing for you during Freshers’ Week should be on this page! We haven’t fully finished planning the week yet, so for now this page is just going to contain some information about what Freshers’ Week is usually like - check back here in the future for links to the Jesus Freshers’ Group Chat, the Freshers’ Instagram Page, introductions to your Freshers’ Presidents, and more!!
Freshers WhatsApp:
Social Media Links!
As a fresher, there are a few social media accounts you’ll want to follow:
Freshers Instagram:
What is the JCR?
The JCR (Junior Common Room) is the college equivalent of a student union, and fills the same role that a student union plays at other universities. The most important thing to understand about the JCR is that it refers to both the student body and a physical location.
As a physical location, it is located under Staircase 19 at the end of Third Quad, and is a brilliant place to hang out with your friends. Inside it we have a pool table, a ping pong table, a Wii, and some very comfy sofas. It is also where we host our bops (more on that later), so it is a place you will become very familiar with! We also host our fortnightly JCR meetings there, and you can find Welfare Tea there on Sunday afternoons.
As a student body, the JCR represents the students of Jesus College to both the college administration and the wider university. Every fortnight we hold a JCR meeting in the JCR, where anyone can propose motions to be passed. In the past these have ranged from funding drama projects within the university, to changes to the JCR constitution, or to getting some new games for the Wii. These meetings always have free pizza, and we would very much encourage you to attend and take part! It is this part of the JCR that is also responsible for organising all the social events through the year, and that is the job of our two Social Secretaries!
Your Timetable for Freshers’ Week
While a more detailed timetable can be found in your welcome pack, we figured it would be good to tell you some more about the events the JCR is putting on for you!
Sunday 6th: We have small tours of Oxford through the day, and then later on we have Meet the Staircase, where you meet with everyone else who is living in your staircase! After that. we’ll have a pizza night, followed by a quiz in the JCR!
Monday 7th: There is a picnic at University Parks at 4:00pm, but the main event the JCR is putting on for you on Monday is the first bop of term!! The theme is “Dress as the First Letter of Your Name“, so get brainstorming for a costume idea! While we’ll have the pool room as our designated Welfare Space for the duration of the bop, if you aren’t a fan of drinking there is also a trip to the fabled G&Ds, where you can get some delicious ice cream! This bop is also only for the freshers, so take the opportunity to introduce yourself! After the bop, you’ll also have the first night of clubbing organised by the JCR, where we’ll have designated “sober angels“ to look after you through the night!
Tuesday 8th: You should have brunch with your college parents on Tuesday morning, which is a great way to allay all your fears about Oxford life! The college community is very warm and welcoming, so feel free to ask your parents anything about living in Oxford! Aside from that, there isn’t a large amount on, as we fully anticipate you’ll need some time to recover from the previous night. At 4:00pm, there is LGBTea with our Equal Opps Rep Charlie Evans, and then in the evening we have some tote bag painting!!
Wednesday 9th: This is another full-on day for our JCR, starting with a scavenger hunt at 11:00am! We then have the college freshers’ fair, where you can sign up for all the various college societies! These are a lot more low-key than the university, and are a great way to get to know people around college better! All the sports societies will also be eager to get new people to join up (you should all give ALTS Ice Hockey a go), so please give it a look! Later in the day will be a bar night with our wonderful Music Society, followed by a second club night, this time at Plush! (Once again our sober angels will be present to take care of you.)
Thursday 10th: The main intention for this day is to let you get settled in and begin academic work (sorry). Still, we’re organising a games night and doing some cupcake decorating in the evening! There is also your slot at the university-wide freshers’ fair, which this year is at 2:00 - definitely give this a look, these societies are the best way to meet people from other colleges around the university!
Friday 11th: At 12:00pm we have a sports day and BBQ at Barts, our third-year accommodation! This is designed to be a good way to meet other people from your subject, and should be a lot of fun! The main event of the day is by far the bop, the theme of which is yet undecided, but this one is open to the whole JCR, meaning you’ll get to meet our lovely second and third-years!! After the bop there will be a club night at Bridge, where once again our lovely sober angels will be present. However, if you aren’t a fan of drinking, or are just a fan of fun, ALTS Ice Hockey is running a freshers taster session from 10:15pm to midnight, and is a great way to meet freshers from other colleges! (Disclaimer: the person in charge of this website is also on the ALTS committee and really wants you to come to ALTS.)
Saturday 12th: This starts off as a fairly relaxed day to give you time to recover from the previous night, but in the evening you’ll have dinner with your College Parents, followed by a party in Stevens, our second-year accommodation! Yellow staircase is the designated “party staircase“, but if you don’t drink or simply need a bit of quiet, flat 1 on Red staircase is our designated welfare flat, and will have games and snacks available through the night.
What to Expect During Freshers’ Week
Freshers’ Week is always a busy time, with lots of ceremonies, talks, and other events going on! Throughout all of this, the JCR will be putting on a number of social events through the week. These are the best way to meet your fellow freshers, and are usually a lot of fun!
On the first night, you’ll probably have your first bop (Big Organised Party). Bops are basically big fancy-dress parties that take place in the JCR, and they always have a theme to them. The theme of your first bop is usually designed to help you introduce yourself to other people, so take the opportunity to introduce yourself to everyone and forget all their names a week later. This bop is only for freshers, and always has a fantastic atmosphere - don’t have too much to drink though, as you have a welcoming ceremony the following morning!
Through the week there are also multiple clubbing trips that the JCR organise, alongside a second bop later in the week that is open to the entire JCR. These are often a great introduction to the nightlife of Oxford, and the second bop is a great way of being introduced to the wider college community.
There are also lots of non-drinking activities through the week, like movie nights and picnics! These are usually run by our amazing Welfare Officers, and are a great way to take a break from the busy week you’ll undoubtedly be having!! Be sure to go to Welfare Tea on Sundays, where our Welfare Officers buy a ridiculous amount of snacks from Tesco for everyone to eat!!
While we’ve definitely forgotten a few things that take place during Freshers’ Week, be sure to check out the rest of the Freshers & Applicants part of our website for more information!! We can’t wait to meet you!