--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You spend the first term at Oxford…" description: "\"You spend the first term at Oxford meeting interesting and exciting people and the rest of your time there avoiding them\" — Evelyn Waugh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/evelyn-waugh-850_avoiding_you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeti_2579332.png" --- # You spend the first term at Oxford meeting interesting and… ![“You spend the first term at Oxford meeting interesting and exciting people and the rest of your time there avoiding them” quote by Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/evelyn-waugh-850_avoiding_you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeti_2579332.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/evelyn-waugh-850_avoiding_you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeti_2579332.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/evelyn-waugh-850_avoiding_you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeti_2579332.png) > “You spend the first term at Oxford meeting interesting and exciting people and the rest of your time there avoiding them” [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Oxford life offers vibrant connections early, but later avoidance can lead to isolation. **In simple terms:** Early excitement fades into avoidance. Key Takeaway Balance social engagement with personal growth. Themes social life isolation personal development Mood reflective melancholic Type observational personal When to use this quote - university experience - career networking - mental health - friendship building Key Concepts networking self-awareness loneliness Questions to Reflect On - What prevents you from maintaining early connections? - How can you re-engage with interesting people? A Different Perspective Avoidance may stem from fear of vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Experience often repeated, truly bitter experience, had taught him long ago that with decent people, especially Moscow people -- always slow to move and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/experience-often-repeated-truly-bitter-experience-had-taught-him-long/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [I love meeting interesting people and doing things with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/youssou-n-dour/i-love-meeting-interesting-people-and-doing-things-with-them/) [Youssou N'Dour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/youssou-n-dour/) > [“Visiting new places and meeting interesting people – even if "What remained after paying the rent for the Tel Aviv flat, which I shared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniela-norris/visiting-new-places-and-meeting-interesting-people-even-if-what/) [Daniela Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniela-norris/) > [My grandmother knew J.F.K. and L.B.J. That was her world. I enjoy meeting interesting people. But that's not my world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-weymouth/my-grandmother-knew-j-f-k-and-l-b-j-that-was-her-world-i-enjoy/) [Katharine Weymouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-weymouth/) > [I actually went on lectures at Harvard, Stanford, Oxford and all the business schools eight years ago, explaining what the implications were and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-hammer/i-actually-went-on-lectures-at-harvard-stanford-oxford-and-all-the/) [MC Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-hammer/) > [Oxford also taught me something else - it taught me scepticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-scott/oxford-also-taught-me-something-else-it-taught-me-scepticism/) Frank Scott > [The Rhodes is something I've always really wanted. I would never have applied for it if I didn't really want to go. The opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myron-rolle/the-rhodes-is-something-i-ve-always-really-wanted-i-would-never-have/) [Myron Rolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myron-rolle/) > [Universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard all began as Jesus-inspired efforts to love God with all ones' mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/universities-such-as-cambridge-oxford-and-harvard-all-began-as-jesus/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [All of my education at Harvard, then Oxford, then Paris was in literature - even my thesis was on Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/all-of-my-education-at-harvard-then-oxford-then-paris-was-in/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [If your parents are billionaires, that might actually be an obstacle to your own happiness and self-development. If you go to Oxford or Harvard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/if-your-parents-are-billionaires-that-might-actually-be-an-obstacle/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Children, as well as grown-ups, in their individual, glorified, drudgery-proof homes of Labrador, the tropics, the Orient, or where you will, to which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/children-as-well-as-grown-ups-in-their-individual-glorified-drudgery/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [...60 advocates of unorthodox therapies whose credentials are given in the ACS book (above).(:) Of these 60, thirty-nine or almost two-thirds, hold...medical degrees from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-w-moss/60-advocates-of-unorthodox-therapies-whose-credentials-are-given-in/) [Ralph W. Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-w-moss/) > [I started my career as a liberal arts major from Berkeley, wrote about enterprise IT for a few years, then followed my passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/i-started-my-career-as-a-liberal-arts-major-from-berkeley-wrote-about/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [I studied at Howard. I studied at Oxford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chadwick-boseman/i-studied-at-howard-i-studied-at-oxford/) [Chadwick Boseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chadwick-boseman/) > [Keith Lee is one of the most fascinating, exciting people alive. The guy is the size of Dusty Rhodes, moves like a luchador and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/keith-lee-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-exciting-people-alive-the/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) ## More by Evelyn Waugh > [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [One can write, think and pray exclusively of others; dreams are all egocentric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/one-can-write-think-and-pray-exclusively-of-others-dreams-are-all/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“Sometimes," Helena continued, "I have a terrible dream of the future. Not now, but presently, people may forget their loyalty to their kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/sometimes-helena-continued-i-have-a-terrible-dream-of-the-future-not/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“Rex has never been unkind to me intentionally. It's just that he isn't a real person at all; he's just a few faculties of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/rex-has-never-been-unkind-to-me-intentionally-it-s-just-that-he-isn-t/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [If it could only be like this always – always summer, always alone, the fruit always ripe and Aloysius in a good temper...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-it-could-only-be-like-this-always-always-summer-always-alone-the/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“My dear, I should like to stick you full of barbed arrows like a p-p-pin cushion...Where do you lurk? I shall come down your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/my-dear-i-should-like-to-stick-you-full-of-barbed-arrows-like-a-p-p/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [There is something incomparably thrilling in first opening a brand new book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/there-is-something-incomparably-thrilling-in-first-opening-a-brand/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“Beware the Anglo-Catholics. They're all sodomites with unpleasant accents." --Cousin Jasper”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/beware-the-anglo-catholics-they-re-all-sodomites-with-unpleasant/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“The fortnight at Venice passed quickly and sweetly-- perhaps too sweetly; I was drowning in honey, stingless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/the-fortnight-at-venice-passed-quickly-and-sweetly-perhaps-too/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“It’s awful to think that I shall probably never, as long as I live, see you dancing like that again all by yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/it-s-awful-to-think-that-i-shall-probably-never-as-long-as-i-live-see/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [I've always been bad. Probably I shall be bad again, punished again. But the worse I am, the more I need God. I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/i-ve-always-been-bad-probably-i-shall-be-bad-again-punished-again-but/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [His courtesy was somewhat extravagant. He would write and thank people who wrote to thank him for wedding presents and when he encountered anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/his-courtesy-was-somewhat-extravagant-he-would-write-and-thank-people/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [Limbo is the place. In Limbo one has natural happiness without the beatific vision; no harps; no communal order; but wine and conversation and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/limbo-is-the-place-in-limbo-one-has-natural-happiness-without-the/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [“What is adolescence without trash?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/what-is-adolescence-without-trash/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [Perhaps host and guest is really the happiest relation for father and son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/perhaps-host-and-guest-is-really-the-happiest-relation-for-father-and/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) [Explore all 347 Evelyn Waugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) ## More Avoiding quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [ I can hardly believe what these 12 caricatures \[about Prophet Muhammad\] have caused in the world. We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [I know a bit about taxation and the remarkable effort that goes in to avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-know-a-bit-about-taxation-and-the-remarkable-effort-that-goes-in-to/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) Raymond Briggs > [Resisting and avoiding pain sucks energy-and time. The more you let yourself feel those minute-and-a-half hells, the quicker you'll start feeling those minute-and-a-half happinesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-newman/resisting-and-avoiding-pain-sucks-energy-and-time-the-more-you-let/) [Leigh Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-newman/) > [Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/reading-is-sometimes-an-ingenious-device-for-avoiding-thought/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-day-can-really-slip-by-when-you-re-deliberately-avoiding-what-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When someone starts Ignoring you, just back off without staying there with them Just to know the reason for avoiding..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishak/when-someone-starts-ignoring-you-just-back-off-without-staying-there/) [Vishak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishak/) > [You know what takes effort? Being kind, being patient, being respectful, telling someone how you feel politely instead of just avoiding them for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/you-know-what-takes-effort-being-kind-being-patient-being-respectful/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [It's all about being flexible, and avoiding choices whenever possible. Choices suck, they are inherently limiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-armstrong/it-s-all-about-being-flexible-and-avoiding-choices-whenever-possible/) Craig Armstrong > [In my personal life I'm very conservative. I've been married to the same person for nearly 50 years, I'm scrupulous about paying bills, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/in-my-personal-life-i-m-very-conservative-i-ve-been-married-to-the/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) Browse all 713 Avoiding quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You spend the first term at Oxford meeting interesting and exciting people and the rest of your time there avoiding them", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Evelyn Waugh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeting-interesting-and-exciting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Avoiding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeting-interesting-and-exciting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/evelyn-waugh-850_avoiding_you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeti_2579332.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/evelyn-waugh-850_avoiding_you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeti_2579332.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/evelyn-waugh-850_avoiding_you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeti_2579332.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You spend the first term at Oxford meeting interesting and exciting people and the rest of your time there…” — Evelyn Waugh", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Evelyn Waugh", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You spend the first term at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeting-interesting-and-exciting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/you-spend-the-first-term-at-oxford-meeting-interesting-and-exciting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```