RN17

Like many recent Regent’s graduates, I now live in a
cupboard flat in London. Despite being in the same city as
friends, it takes much more planning than you would first
imagine to meet and keep in touch. It is not surprising,
then, that even after just two and a half years away from
Regent’s, I already reminiscence about a time when a drink
in the ‘Bird & Baby’ took as long to plan as it did to walk
around the library after dinner and grab some friends who
had equally lost the resolve for further study that day.
Memories of Regent’s are notable for their variety.
We got involved in all sorts of activities – sports, the arts,
student politics, journalism. To some extent, this isn’t
surprising. When you need to fill teams in rowing, football,
and darts, provide a full cast and crew for the college panto,
and the choir is getting into swing, there are only so many
volunteers to go around! But tireless students also made a
mark on the University scene. If you weren’t getting
involved yourself, you were supporting from the side-lines
(often literally). What a unique opportunity, to be able to
have fun new experiences with good friends around you.
So it was, when I stood to be the Student Union
President. Despite only deciding to stand a few weeks
before the election, the community of Regent’s banded
together and made an almighty ground force. At our peak,
we had thirty people knocking on doors from St Hugh’s to
St Hilda’s, getting out the vote. Although the efforts did
not make up for the campaign’s late start, it was humbling
to have so much support. If it had been someone else
standing, Regent’s would have banded round in the same
way. And they did. When I ran, the College had waited
forty-one years since its last Student Union President, but
it only had to wait two more years after that, as Kathryn
Cole won a high-turnout election and is now the ultimate
student representative in Oxford. Not only does this
reinforce the energy with which our College takes on the
University, it is also a measure of the impact we have. I’m
sure this spirit is also familiar to other alumni. Although my
study of economics and of critical thought in philosophy
have been very helpful for working on policy at HM
Treasury, this go-getting and inclusive spirit is just as useful
(if harder to capture on a CV!).
I now have support from my Regent’s friends in
another equally-odd choice of extra-curricular
activity…tower running. The premise is simple: you have
to run to the top of a building against the clock, and the
person with the fastest time wins. It might surprise you to
learn that this is a ‘sport’ with a worldwide following and
races up all the most famous skyscrapers. I took it up when
I remembered that at Regent’s, ‘yes, why not?’, was the
immediate answer, rather than, ‘no because…’. Although
I’m a pain when I can’t make a social event because of a
race (or even worse, I’m abstaining from drink in
preparation), Regent’s friends are still supportive, if a little
more bemused.
In order for the College to maintain its unique
offering – a particular community spirit; a vibrant oasis by
the centre of a great city – it needs to constantly adapt and
change. Whether it’s by going veggie in Hall one day a
week – something I was proud that we did during my time –
or more seismic changes, such as the broadening of the
postgraduate community to bring in new people, from new
backgrounds, studying new subjects and creating new
interdisciplinary discussions. It’s because of the
importance of constantly reacting to changing
surroundings that I have chosen to stay involved in the
College, sitting on the Council. I’m excited to see what lies
in store – what more the community will support its
students to achieve, and how many more people will be
touched by the life lessons to be found in our little spot in
the University of Oxford.
Will Obeney (PPE, 2012)