Abby Blachly: Reflections on a Semester in Oxford

Abby Blachly’s college experience has been filled with both highs and lows. She is majoring in international relations and business administration, with the former as her primary focus. Through the John Wesley Honors College, Blachly has also formed lifelong friendships with peers such as Ella Burns and Grace Goodfellow.

The small class sizes and consistent cohort structure in the Honors College helped her build meaningful connections. Although her freshman year was challenging as she adjusted to college life, Burns and Goodfellow reached out and invited her into activities, laying the foundation for the strong friendships she enjoys today.

Another aspect of the Honors College that Blachly appreciates is the academic component—specifically Dr. Hawkins’ course, Wisdom, Culture, Justice II, which she described as her favorite JWHC class.

“That course not only changed my perspective on American history, but also how I approach loving my neighbor,” Blachly said. “I studied how slavery intertwines with race, nationalism, capitalism, gender, and Christianity in America. Being educated about these topics helps us understand loving our neighbor. The biggest takeaway was there are always multiple sides to history, and it’s our duty to learn about them and pursue justice.”

Blachly also believes some of the Honors College Senate events are underappreciated, naming the pancake breakfast during the first week of the academic year as her favorite. She enjoys catching up with classmates and professors at the event, as well as seeing the professors’ families, who often attend.

Needing three study abroad credits for her international relations degree, Blachly discovered the opportunity to study at Oxford through Indiana Wesleyan University’s study abroad webpage. Due to program cuts and the impending end of the international relations major, she decided the best option was to study abroad to meet the final requirements for her international relations major. Having heard positive reviews of the Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO) program from past IWU students, Blachly knew it was the right fit.

She believes this semester has been her most transformative and enjoyable yet. Just like at IWU, her favorite part of studying at Oxford has been the friendships she’s formed. She quickly bonded with her roommates, Anna Kinghorn (a student at Asbury University) and Jordan Mihuț (a student at Bethel University), and has continued to enjoy getting to know them.

“Both of them are so smart and kind,” Blachly said. “They’re always willing to lend a hand or a listening ear when needed.”

Blachly also appreciates the intentionality of the SCIO faculty, who have helped her grow academically. Though sometimes blunt, she believes they’ve pushed her to improve her writing, studying, and retention skills. Several have even encouraged her in her goal of attending law school.

Another element of her time at Oxford that she values is the freedom and independence afforded by both the educational system and her living situation.

“I only had around four hours of my week where I had to be somewhere specific for SCIO,” Blachly said.

The rest of the time, she was free to study in the Bodleian libraries, explore Oxford, and spend time with friends. She greatly appreciated having the autonomy to choose her schedule.

One academic challenge she focused on was shifting her mindset from simply earning good grades to growing intellectually. Because the program’s academics are largely one-on-one, Blachly wrote one (sometimes two) 2,000- to 2,500-word essays a week, with an hour meeting to discuss the essay.

“My tutor would read and write comments on it, and we would have a conversation or debate on the topic at hand,” Blachly said.

While it was difficult at first to let go of the desire for praise, adopting a different mindset made her learning experience more rewarding.

An additional challenge was adapting to a completely new environment. Although she made lifelong friends through SCIO, it was hard not to see familiar faces from home. The five-hour time difference made staying in touch with friends and family more difficult.

While many challenges were expected, the most surprising event of her semester was being taken to the hospital by ambulance after experiencing an asthma attack.

“I learned I had asthma and that anything can happen at the drop of a hat,” Blachly said. “I experienced so much love and support from my friends and the SCIO staff. Rachel, Aydin, and Anna (other SCIO students) helped get extra help and eventually called the emergency number, 999. Jordan was there for me through it all. She went to the hospital with me and stayed until two in the morning. She also reassured me after I started to panic about the situation that everything would be okay, and that God had me.”

SCIO staff members continued to pray for and check on Blachly after the incident. She was also grateful that, thanks to the United Kingdom’s health care system, her hospital visit was free. Overall, she found the experience enlightening and believes she grew by navigating such a significant event without her family nearby.

Blachly’s time in Oxford also had a deep impact on her faith. It connected with the spiritual foundation she developed in the Honors College. With so many churches in Oxford, she was able to experience various types of services, especially those with a liturgical tradition. Her favorite was an evensong at Westminster Abbey, where she was moved by the beauty and stillness of the service, a welcome contrast to the fast-paced nature of her daily life. She feels closer to God and sees how He has been working in her life, helping her see the world through a new lens.

“One SCIO lecture ended with a Franciscan prayer that said, ‘And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done, to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor,’” Blachly said. “These lines stuck out to me because I realized this is the theme and motivation of the Honors College education. For the past three years, I’ve been taught to pursue justice and compassion for my neighbor. The moment the lecturer read these lines something clicked into place in my mind. I finally realized that in a secular world of brokenness, there must be people foolish enough to be the light in the darkness.”

Throughout her time at Oxford, Blachly experienced joy, challenge, and the unexpected. Through it all, she has grown in profound ways. The lessons she learned in the John Wesley Honors College continue to shape her, and wherever the Lord leads her next, she hopes to carry with her all that she has learned in both countries—as she seeks to be a light in the darkness of this world.