I studied at Oxford University for a semester, so I bought a lot of hooded sweatshirts that say Oxford University on it.
The other day, I was wearing one of my Oxford hoodies, and I was worried no one would notice that I was academically accomplished. Luckily, someone did. A group of us were socializing after our team tennis match, and a gentleman with a British accent asked, “Oh! Did you attend Oxford?”
“Yes!” I replied.
“Me too!” he said.
I thought, “Uh oh, I hope he doesn’t start singing some alma mater. I’ll have to hum along giddily and pretend I know what it is.”
Luckily his next question was, “What college?”
“Exeter!” I replied.
“I was at Pembroke,” he said, “For my master’s.”
“Lovely! Me too!” I replied. And then I decided to share some information to demonstrate I had been there.
“I really like the pub in the college basement.”
“Hm.” He replied. And that was the end of our conversation.
I should have said, “I really liked the academic rigor.” Maybe a true Oxford grad would have said that.
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