The end of an academic year is bittersweet. Exam celebrations and summer plans are accompanied by a wave of reluctant goodbyes, not just to friends but also to the buildings which mold our learning experiences and become the backdrops of our time at Oxford.
The Schwarzman Centre for Humanities opened in September 2025, just before the beginning of the academic year. There’s something reassuring about being as new as your lecture hall. We were both freshers, for all intents and purposes. Everyone around me was navigating a place that was equally unfamiliar. When I walked around with a clueless expression as I sought out seminars, I realised I wasn’t alone. In time, during the past three terms, I found my feet.
I am, admittedly, someone who doesn’t tend to gravitate towards libraries. This feels especially out-of-character given that I am an English student. My aversion to the library has not, however, prevented me from enjoying the Schwarzman Centre. The cafe, atrium, and canteen have shaped my learning as much as any other part of the building. Yes, the Schwarzman is a centre for humanities. But it’s also a centre for humanity. Over lunch I’ve learned from friends how our subjects intersect. After lectures, I’ve compared notes with classmates. I’ve visited exhibits on biology and artificial intelligence, expanding my understanding in disciplines I haven’t studied since secondary school. This is the Schwarzman Centre I know; a place for learning not only through seminars and lectures, but also through community and conversation.
On the day I moved out, after waving goodbye to friends, I pointed out to my mum the Schwarzman Centre. By the end of Trinity Term, the building had become far less daunting. Walking by the entrance, where I was once caught in a storm after an Old English lecture, I noticed the absence of students milling around outside. I was reminded of how quickly this unfamiliar building became a part of my regular life, and how the temporary loss of a vibrant student community marked the end of my first year here. The Schwarzman Centre has become a symbol of the fast-paced and vibrant learning Oxford is known for. As my first year draws to a close, I’ve enjoyed growing beside the Schwarzman Centre. I look forward to seeing how I develop within and alongside this polyvalent space.
