Before Oxford;
Throughout my life, doors have held a profound significance, transcending their physical form to become symbolic markers of my personal journey. Beyond their daily functionality as mere entryways, doors have assumed the role of gateways, introducing me to new experiences, marking transitions, and presenting opportunities.
The unforgettable image of my home’s door reminded me of the safety and comfort on the outside. The same door viewed from the other side, however, would promise me an adventure every day. The main entrance in my school represented a portal to knowledge, while the numerous doors of friendship led to lasting connections.
As I transition to adulthood, doors reveal new layers of meaning. University doors marked my progress and ambitions, while the door of the place I was sleeping at night would constantly change…
-First doors I had to open on my own-
In Oxford;
I’m not the type of person who simply wanders through a city solely for the sake of the experience. As I’ve emphasized in some of my previous posts, my particular excitement comes from the art of uncovering the subtle marvels and hidden gems that tend to go unnoticed by casual observers. Instead of gliding through the city’s surface attractions, I prefer to delve deeper, peeling back the layers of familiarity to reveal the extraordinary within the ordinary.
I’ve only entered this place once, but this door is so important to me in a way I can’t even begin to describe it. This is where I went in my first week of Oxford classes, to buy a pair of goalkeeper gloves. This small shop in the covered market was the only place in all of Oxford where I was able to find what I was looking for. I was immediately able to tell that this shop was a family business. The owners clearly didn’t care much about aesthetics. The green marks on the lower end of the door were rigorously made by all the football and rugby players that wandered in the store throughout the years, I imagined.
A door that all of Mansfield’s students know, but also a door that I’ve been using daily.
This door means only one thing for me: piano practice time!
Every day I go into the Porter’s lodge with the hope that one of the pianos is available and most of the time I come out of there with two keys A key that will unlock another special door and another one that will unlock the piano that I’m going to use for the next two hours or so.
If you would search the city for the most eye-pleasing statue or the building with the best architecture this door would surely go unnoticed. Fortunately, I’m the type of person that looks for the statue no one’s looking at.
(Sir Alister Hardy House)
After Oxford;
Reflecting on my personal experience, I’ve come to understand that doors are not merely physical structures but reflections of my choices. They represent the various chapters of my life’s story almost like periodical snapshots taken on a dusty Polaroid camera. They remind me that, with each turn of the handle, fresh possibilities and discoveries await on the other side of the door.