When you think of Oxford formals, the image of students in dimly lit halls, long gowns, and endless Latin. To some extent, that stereotype has merit. Almost all halls in Oxford are antiquated, historic venues, with the grim faces of past alumni gazing down on you whilst you try to scarf down lunch in-between essay crises. Latin masses before the meal are a core part of many colleges formal, and Univ does have one of the longest Latin graces of any college. Additionally, you are meant to wear a gown, giving an opportunity for scholars to flaunt their longer gowns.

But it’d be wrong for you to get the impression that this is every meal at college, or even on every day. Univ has their formals twice a week, generally on a Wednesday and a Friday. These formals do not take over the standard dinner service in Halls, and there’s nothing stopping you cooking in Goodheart or elsewhere. Instead, two-thirds of the tables used in the formal will be prepared prior, leaving a table in the Hall and alternative spaces around college for people to eat food from the ‘regular’ service. After the main dinner service is complete, the remainder of the Hall will be prepared and dressed for the formal. Certain formals can have a particular theme, such as Oxmas, where Oxford students celebrate Christmas a month earlier than usual at college, and for cultural events. Formals are booked in advance online, and popular dates can often be booked up fast. The average cost of a formal is around £15 at Univ, but this varies from college-to-college depending on the extent to which each college absorbs the costs. 

When it comes time for the formal itself, students can enter through the normally-closed main door to the college, whilst fellows and other senior figures go to the SCR (Senior Common Room, off Main Quad) for refreshments and then enter separately. The dress code for these events is formal, though specific events may be laxer or stricter, such as the Altschul formal that all freshers are invited to in early Michaelmas, but generally not black tie. Wine can be purchased by-the-bottle on the door, whilst dietary options can be previously submitted when booking to ensure you can actually eat what you’ve paid for. After that, you’re seated, generally as you wish, but again this differs from event-to-event.The formal dinner itself is three courses: a starter, a main and a desert, with bread served beforehand, and the food at Univ formals is high quality, and of a better standard than alternatives like Christchurch’s. Afterwards it’s usual for attendees to move downstairs to Univ’s bar, located down the steps near the library, for after-dinner drinks, but this is entirely optional. 

But there’s more to formals than just Univ’s own (allegedly). It’s an Oxford tradition to try and visit every college for a formal, from the more dapper colleges of Trinity and New, to the humbler halls such as Teddy (St Edmund’s Hall)’s. Yet there’s nothing to find intimidating about going to a formal  – it’s not all that it’s been made out to be by myth and lore. In reality, it’s a fun, unique dining experience with friends, which can match the mood at any time of year, and a way to experience Oxford through its food.