There are plenty of ‘survival kits’ doing the rounds at the moment, with carefully curated lists of activities and hacks designed to get us through the difficulties of self-isolation. Inspired by those, we thought it might be nice to create our own, featuring the distinctive blend of intellectual curiosity, fun and community spirit we associate with our school. Enjoy!
First Things First
Did you know that the OHS library has an extensive online archive? You can read in-browser or install Adobe Digital Editions (for free) to download and read off-line. We also have an extensive list of online journals to read, including the BMJ, Britannica online, and the pastorally-focused site ‘Issues’. Visit the OHS library online here.
The Consolations of Philosophy
A lot of publishers and institutions are opening parts or all of their archives for a limited time to help people get through the coming weeks. The University of Cambridge is attempting to open parts of their archive for free, but have experienced some technical issues. Your best best for now, therefore, is to try the ever-wonderful JSTOR, which is providing open access to more than 6,000 ebooks and over 150 journals here.
Read On Through To The Other Side
Digital library Scribd has also made its archive of more than 60million ebooks free for the next 30-days through a special link. You may not be quite ready to read Proust, but you might be up for catching up on the latest Booker shortlist or perhaps rereading some old favourites. No credit card or subscription commitment is required (but you may have to provide some details). Visit Scribd’s free portal here.
Get Physical
The OHS Sports department won’t quit on you ever! They’re still tweeting like mad, passing on wonderful recommendations such as The Body Coach workout on YouTube, and providing motivation with their daily challenges and uplifting messages. For your daily fix of sporting goodness, follow OHS Sport here.
Get Really Physical
Did you know our tireless Head of Russian is also our favourite ever Zumba coach? If you’re feeling VERY energetic and want to join one of her classes, Ms Solovyova is offering them for free during the lockdown. Use details below to find her – and be advised that Ms S will shortly move to a specialist Zumba platform (tbc).
Zoom Meeting: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/4466942019
Meeting ID: 446 694 2019
Get Back to Nature
If you’re not in the mood for strenuous physical activity, why not take it a little more easily with OHS Nature Club? The philosophy of Ms Hargraves’ club is to look up and see the marvellous transformations and intricacy of nature. As Darwin noted, ‘endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved’ around us all the time. Follow OHS Nature Club here.
Get On-Board
Ah, board games? Will they solve more problems than they create? If you try these ones, then we’re hopeful they will. Of course, teachers are notoriously competitive
Follow Oxford United WFC on Twitter
Captained by our very own Mr Gilbert, members of Oxford WFC are uploading a new skills challenge to twitter each morning under the hashtag #OxStayHomeChallenge. They’re infernally difficult, and should keep even the best of us occupied for quite some time, not least the one in the picture to the right, featuring our very own Georgia Brown. Follow Oxford WFC here.
Join A Virtual Book Club
Being mostly solitary and indoors, reading is one of the few pursuits that remains unchanged in this new world of COVID-19. But reading and appreciating literature doesn’t have to be conducted alone! As the world goes into lockdown, reading groups are moving to Zoom, Twitter and Instagram to bring readers together. Why not contact distant friends and see if they’d like to form a book club? Use the hashtag #CoReadingVirus to attract more reading friends!
Caremongering
Unprecedented challenges require unparalleled solutions. One of the most notable responses to the corona virus has been the rise of ‘caremongering’, which is cast as the antithesis to the scaremongering we are seeing in certain parts of the media. Instead of singing doomsday dirges, ‘caremongers’ are coming together to form networks to support their communities, including people who are stuck at home, financially precarious or otherwise in distress.Read more about caremongering and how you can form your own caremongering network here.
Support Your Local Bookshop
Blackwell’s are coming up with some amazing ways to get through the corona virus, including a virtual book festival, homeschooling suggestions and personalised recommendations made by their team of digital booksellers. Keep up with what Blackwell’s are up to here.