This week’s blog post was written by Emma, a final year German and Linguistics student, about Oxford’s best night out!

At Open Days, one of the most-asked questions is ‘what is the highlight of studying languages at Oxford University?’ Answers tend to range from the world-class teaching on niche aspects of medieval Spanish literature or modern German linguistics to the unforgettable year abroad. While these are undoubtedly highlights, they overlook the biggest night of term for language societies in Oxford: European Night!

European Night is an evening characterised by formal attire, cocktails, and Euro anthems. The event takes place towards the end of each term and is well-known for selling out in a matter of seconds. In Michaelmas (autumn) term of this year, the event proved so popular that I was unable to get my hands on a ticket… Getting tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had felt easier! Fortunately, Hilary (spring) term brought better luck and my friends and I secured tickets on the first release.

European Night is organised by the French Society but is an opportunity for students from all of the language societies to get dressed up and party together. You can expect to meet a wide range of people from the Italian, German, Spanish, Belgian, Scandinavian, Swiss, and Polish societies, just to name a few! Language societies bring native speakers and language learners together and form part of Oxford’s vibrant network of over 400 student societies. Every term, they host a series of exciting events such as cultural celebrations, bar crawls, and pub quizzes. As a languages student attending European Night, you will inevitably bump into friends from your society as well as your college and your subject, making it a highlight of the social calendar!

Over the years, European Night has been held in a variety of iconic venues across Oxford. In my first year, I attended the event at Freud, a function space in a converted church. In both my second year and my final year, the event has been held at Oxford Town Hall, a striking location with a main hall that is reminiscent of a ballroom. Last term, the event was even hosted at the Oxford Union! The dress code for the event is black tie, which means a tuxedo with a black bow tie or a long, elegant dress. However, the formal dress code doesn’t stop guests from dancing their hearts out. The town hall was practically bouncing as Swedish House Mafia’s Don’t You Worry Child, Nena’s 99 Luftballons and, of course, ABBA’s Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! blasted from the speakers, every lyric belted out in unison across the packed dance floor.

So, if you’re wondering what makes studying languages at Oxford so appealing, let me propose the following: work hard, play hard. For students who spend their days untangling linguistic nuance in complex texts, European Night is a celebration of multilingualism which serves as a reminder of why we pursue languages in the first place: human connection.