Amber Ford

Amber Ford (2023, Medicine) is a member of University College Boat Club and was the Women’s Captain (2025-2026) and Captain of the Women’s First Eight when they were crowned “Head of the River” in this year’s Summer Eights. 

What brought you to Univ?
I didn’t really know a lot about the differences between Oxford colleges before I applied, I just wanted to apply somewhere with accommodation for at least the first four years of my course, as well as having a bar and a gym! Someone who worked at my sixth form had been to Univ and said the vibe was good, and I had a look at some photos online and thought the quad was pretty.

Why did you choose your course and what are you enjoying about it?
I loved science at school, especially biology, and working part-time in a pub cemented that I would enjoy the people-facing aspect of medicine. I enjoy whenever we get to see patients, and it’s nice that the clinical aspects start later in the course than some other unis, so you’re a bit more mature going into it and get to have a more normal student experience for the first three years.

What surprised you most about studying at Oxford once you arrived?
You can actually have a life alongside studying. It takes a lot of work to do well, but if you use your vacation time wisely and try not to get too behind during the term then there’s definitely time to do a sport, or even several, and get involved with the associated socials. I also didn’t think I’d enjoy formal dinners (black tie events) as much as I do, because I’m not from a private school background or anything, but at the end of the day it’s just nice to get dressed up and have a nice evening with friends, there’s nothing more to it.

Do you have any advice for settling into life at Oxford?
There’s a lot of new experiences, such as going from A levels to a degree as well as living on your own for the first time. It will take a lot of trial and error to find what works for you, but everything gets a lot easier as you get to know yourself better. Remember that everyone is also doing uni for the first time and you’re all in the same boat!

What has been your favourite moment at Univ so far?
Winning the Headship for sure, although my first Summer Eights has a special place in my heart as well. I was rowing in the second boat and I couldn’t believe the amount of noise from the bank on the Saturday for what I thought was one of the less important races.

How did you get into rowing and what do you enjoy most about it?
I did ballet growing up, and I knew I wanted to keep a hobby and some exercise alongside my studies because it’s good for balance, mental health, and making friends. I wanted to do something a bit more College-based than the dance society, and everyone else seemed to be trying rowing, so I followed them. I love being able to get some exercise in with a team around me, it’s so good for stress as well as being a lovely community.

What did being UCBC Women’s Captain involve?
My job was to run the Women’s squad, especially the first boat, on a day-to-day basis. This involved scheduling training (water sessions and ergs), working with the other Captains to fit all the squads together, doing race entries, and dealing with any issues that individual rowers are facing as they arise. You also get to be a bit of a leader within the squad, pushing people to improve and trying to get everyone to believe in the squad and what we can achieve together.

How did you feel after winning Head of the River in this year’s Summer Eights?
Elated. It’s one thing to set a goal way back in September, but completely another to realise it’s actually happened. Particularly when we missed out on the bump on Friday, we had no idea what to expect going into Saturday’s race. We felt we had nothing to lose so threw everything at it and left nothing in the tank, and it paid off.

Describe Univ in three words.
Boat go fast.