Athina Mitropoulos

Athena Mitropolous

Graduated 2009, Classics

There are many advantages of studying classics at Univ. Firstly, its location. Most arts students of the college would agree that being right next to where lectures are held, and next to the Bodleian library is a definite bonus. The college library is also well-stocked, with multiple copies of the set text and with librarians who will get more books quickly if you need them. The Classics faculty and Library are only about a 5 minute walk from college. The philosophy library is also directly behind Univ. Univ is also lucky to have two Classics tutors who specialise in different fields. One focuses on literature and the other on Ancient History. This means that most teaching is done within the college itself which allows you to get to know your tutors well and feel comfortable in the tutes.

During the first two years of classics, up until Mods, the focus is on polishing up one’s language skills while studying two pillars of classical literature: the Iliad and the Aeneid. After that there are also philosophy options, which range from ancient to modern philosophy and then ancient history or art options. A new paper, text and context, is also studied which places different pieces of literature within their contextual background. This opens up the world of classical art and archaeology, something which I found very interesting and am now pursuing in my Greats options. I really enjoyed the variety of texts I was studying. The pace is very quick, especially when you’re reading a different text every week, but once you step back and think about them together, that is when I felt that I was getting somewhere.

The teaching is based around weekly tutes and a new topic is studied every week. The format of tutes is usually that someone reads out their essay and then that person’s thoughts are discussed and argued. The size of tute groups is quite small which is a definite bonus because it means that there is more time for development of thought. In the first year there are also language lessons set up by the university, which means that you study with students throughout the university, which is a great way of meeting other classicists outside your college. Sometimes your choices mean that you are taught in another college which is also a benefit because you get to meet different tutors and thus gain different ideas.

I really do think that I made the right choice by studying classics at Univ. There is a definite warm and sociable feel to the college that is certainly reflected in the teaching. The atmosphere is both relaxed as well as challenging and I think that is why classics at Univ is a popular choice.