, We've got squirrels in our quad! - St Peter's College

BikesMost students find a bike an indispensable asset, for despite SPC's centrallocation some departments and sports facilities are located at quitesome distance away. It is particularly important if you're consideringdoing any sports or using your free gym membership which you getfrom being a member of SPC, at the University sports centre on IffleyRoad, as it is a twenty-five minute walk. If you decide to row, then apuncture kit is helpful as the path down to the boathouse is somewhatriddled with potholes. A D-lock and lights are essential items – the policeregularly fine student riders who don’t have lights, and bike theft isa lucrative business in Oxford!There is plenty of room to leave your bike in College, (next to the JCR, or in the Chavasse lock-up)which is far safer than leaving it outside. A registration system will be explained to you duringFreshers’ Week; please register your bike as this will ensure that, should your bike disappearmysteriously in the night and be re-found elsewhere in the morning, it can be safely deliveredback to your good self. Helmets are recommended, as bike related traffic accidents can be lethal.If you don’t have a bike already there are great bike sales at the Oxford Union (which is less thana minute’s walk away from college) every other Wednesday where you can get a very good qualitybike at a decent price. Also when you arrive, it is a good idea to talk to some second years tosee where they purchased their bikes: often places in Cowley will do you a good deal on a bulkpackage. Other than that, bikes are highly recommended—you can bring them up at anytimeduring the year, just head to the lodge to register it!LaundryDoing your washing can be a bit of a challenge here at St Peter's, but you will soon get the hangof it. Washing machines are scarce for New Blockers. There is one on every floor of Matthewsapart from the top floor, one in Staircase IV and one in Chavasse, along with tumble dryers. Aload of washing costs £1.20 but is paid for by a swipe card, which you can get from the lodge.Some machines are almost constantly in use, so when removing other people’s washing at theend of a cycle, please don’t just dump it on the floor. You charge your card up at the lodge, eithera £5 or £10 note, then head to the washing machine which will have instructions.As mentioned earlier, another good idea is to bring (or buy at nearby Argos) a clothes horse, orelse your delicates will be permanently damp!Other Domestic EquipmentIf you’re lucky enough to live in Matthews you’ll soon find out that at the end of the corridorthere is a little kitchenette/cupboard with a fridge, kettle and large sink for washing up.In the JCR, there is also the ‘Green & Gold’ kitchen, that was built just two years ago. Althoughrelatively new, there have been many threats of it being shut down. Irresponsible users are toblame, leaving the kitchen, particularly the microwave, as a breeding ground for bacteria.However, good news is that the kitchen has two large fridges, lockers, a microwave, toasters andeven a few hot plates; this means that if you’re peckish and not up for hall, you’re welcome tomake what ever you like (or what you actually can) in the kitchen—AS LONG AS YOU CLEAN UPAFTER YOURSELF!