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For three weeks in July several University of Tennessee students and I had the privilege of going on a faculty-led study abroad program at Oxford University in England. Dr. Timothy Hulsey led the contingency of Tennessee students, and we convened with students from two other universities, one from Idaho and another from New York. A third group of students from Texas met us there, but they had a slightly different course than we did.

The course was titled “The Quest for Meaning” and dealt with the topic of death anxiety and the role it plays in shaping our lives. Students from multiple disciplines participated in the course, and much to the delight of our respective instructors, everyone actively participated in the class.

We arrived in Oxford unpatriotically on July 4 and took up residence at St. Hilda’s College, where we stayed for the next three weeks, minus some excursions. Our first duty as a class was to explore Oxford by means of a scavenger hunt (UT won).

At once we were taken aback by the beauty and magnitude of the place. Every single building was at least twice as old as our country, and we soon discovered the old haunts of illustrious people like J.R.R. Tolkein and C.S. Lewis. As the experience drew on we were made even more aware of how special Oxford really is. The shear culture of the place was almost a palpable force. Just being there made me want to be more cultured, better read, better traveled, etc. Hopefully I’ll continue to pursue that desire in the future.

Another aspect of the Oxford experience was the excursions. Four days into the trip, we took a bus to Salisbury. The first night we had the opportunity to go on a sunset tour of Stonehenge, where we were made more aware of the mystery of the site. No one knows why exactly the structure was built or why it is where it is.

The next day we had to explore the town ourselves. The most notable aspect of the town is the cathedral, which boasts the largest spire in England. Most people who went on the trip will say that Stonehenge was their favorite part of Salisbury; however, my favorite part was going to Choral Evensong at Salisbury Cathedral. Seated in the choir stalls, I got to hear a world-class choir sing the Psalms accompanied by an incredibly rare organ. The entire experience was overwhelming.

Other excursions included a trip to Bath and, of course, to London. Bath is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen, having multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and London is a gleaming capital of the world. Going to both was an invaluable part of the experience.

When we weren’t on excursions, we were exploring museums, going to high tea, and, of course, attending class back in Oxford. After debating many ideas related to life, human experience, science, and religion, and having incredible experiences in England, many people were profoundly impacted by the course, including myself.

It may be too early to describe exactly how I was impacted, hindsight being 20/20, but I can say it was definitely a rewarding experience sharing my ideas with others and hearing world-class speakers talk to us about the issues we were discussing. Of course, making friends along the way was a bit rewarding, too.

Overall, the entire experience was incredible, and it is something I will remember for the rest of my life. If it weren’t for the generous College of Engineering Fellowship, I would have had a substantially harder time making the trip work out financially, which would have dampened the whole experience. I consider the experience an excellent prelude to my senior year, and I look forward to my last year on Rocky Top.