Ned Fischer from the Tandem Friends School attended Oxford in the Summer of 2025 on scholarship from the ESU Charlottesville Branch.  Please enjoy Ned’s trip summary.

 “The TLAB experience was worthy, fun, and truly a life changing experience.” (Ned Fischer)

Ned Fischer elected the creative writing curriculum for his summer at Oxford.  To his dismay, a month before he was to depart, he broke his right wrist which is his writing hand.  The first cast had his wrist immobilized, so he convinced the doctors into a better cast option that allowed some writing movement.  

An avid reader and fan of bookstores, Ned anxiously awaited the reading list to prepare for his trip.  He leveraged Charlottesville’s used book store scene and library to prepare and ready himself for the trip.    

After a 24 hour flight delay leaving the United States, Ned made it to Oxford safe and sound.  Before the work in classes was to begin, Ned spent a short time exploring.  

Arrival at Oxford presented beauty and history and was humbling.  Exploring and reading in libraries was exhilarating.  The Bodleian Library’s required oath of book preservation was enjoyed and observed.  Heroes of Ned’s who spent time on these grounds, walked these halls and read in these libraries were honored.  As an avid runner, Ned also found time to honor Roger Bannister, who ran the first sub four-minute mile on Oxford’s track at Iffley Road. 

The days of study were full with homework spanning into the night.  With the classes and study at the center of the focus, there was still some time for some fun.

In the end, the experience was wonderful.  Teachers and Oxford personnel outshined expectations and left a lasting memory.  New friends were made an some relationships have been maintained and are ongoing. “The TLAB experience was worthy, fun, and truly a life changing experience.”