What are the best places to go and must-do things when studying abroad at Oxford?

In creating a “bucket list” I went through all of my “Master's at Oxford” photo albums and picked the things that when looking back seem the most unique. Colleges to visit. As a student you should never have to pay to tour any of the colleges, though sometimes the porters can try and give you a hard time if you are not affiliated with their college. An easy way around this is to say you are a prospective DPhil student while showing your Bod card. In addition to walking around the grounds, it is great to do exchange dinners and MCR bar crawls. I consider the following to be must see (in no particular order): Christ Church, All Souls, Brasenose, Hertford, Queen's, St. John's, Balliol, Trinity, Keble, Corpus Christi, New, Jesus, Lincoln, Merton, Green Templeton, Worchester, Oriel, Magdalen, University, and Exeter. Also, try to eat at High Table at your college.  On the rare sunny days: punting, playing croquet, and climbing St. Mary's Church to see the great views. Try some traditional foods and hit up the historic pubs/cafes. Fish and chips at either the King's Arms or the Eagle and Child. Try a full English breakfast at Browns Cafe in the Covered Market. A pint at the Turf Tavern, the Mitre, Lamb and Flag, Head of the River, the Bear, and the Perch. Coffee at Queen's Lane, the Grand Cafe, the Missing Bean, and Zappi's Bike Cafe. Afternoon tea at the Randolph Hotel. Burns Night dinner at your college. Stroll around some of the beautiful gardens and public spaces. The University Botanical Garden; Magdalen's Deer Park and Addison's Walk; Port Meadow; and the University Parks. Watch/partake in some rowing. Watch the Boat Race. Attend a debate or speech at the Oxford Union. Books. Study at the Radcliffe Camera and the Duke Humfrey's Reading Room. Peruse the massive Norrington Room in Blackwell's Bookshop. Museums. The Ashmolean, Pitt Rivers, and Natural History Museum are all top notch. The music scene. May Day; attend Evensong at Christ Church, New, and Magdalen; plus see concerts at the Sheldonian Theatre and the Holywell Music Room.   Attend a Commemoration Ball. Best of luck at Oxford!

I went during Michaelmas Term, so there may be some specific events during the Hilary and Trinity Terms that I don't know much about. Nevertheless, here's some places to go and things to do: 1) Punting. This is when you get on a boat with your friends and try to navigate your way with a very long stick. It's going to be ten times harder than you expect. I suggest bringing a paddle with you just in case. 2) Visit other colleges. One of the most distinct features of Oxford is that there are over 30 colleges. Each one has something different to offer. In my case, I studied at St. Catherine's, a relatively modern college that doesn't really convey the traditions of Oxford. The best way to visit other colleges is to become friends with students from those colleges and then going to formal dinner with them. Some of the dining halls are stunning and very much worth a visit. 3) Bop. What they call college parties. It's part of campus life, so go to a few. 4) Travel within the U.K. I think most people who have studied abroad would agree that traveling is the best part of their experience. Visit Cambridge. It's likely that you know someone there if you have chosen to study at Oxford. Hop on a bus to London. It's only two hours away and the bus is actually comfortable. I also went to Wales and saw a very different side of the U.K. 5) Travel outside of the U.K. You will have a very long break between Hilary and Trinity. Unless you are really homesick, don't go home and stay in Europe instead. You can go with other study abroad students, who are very likely in the same boat as you, or go with local students. After Michaelmas Term, I visited France (Marseille, Nice, Paris) and Switzerland (Basel, Zurich) before going home. If you're looking for warmer weather, go to the Mediterranean or islands off Spain. Eastern Europe (Budepest, etc) is also becoming a very popular choice. If you normally study in the U.S., it's very unlikely that you will randomly fly to Czech Republic for a few days. Take advantage of your geography! Most importantly, have fun and try new things. If you're hesitant about doing something, just do it.

Andrew did fine. I am not sure one can just walk into the Union without membership unless I am getting mixed up or things have changed. Is that place off the High still there hidden away down an alley? Kind of grotty but fish and chips there to die for