Missed out on Cardiff last term?

Posted on May 20, 2018

Our trip will be on the 26rd of April (Saturday of Week 5), from 8.30am to 7pm.

About the destination

Cardiff Castle:
A medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion that has survived through the ages. Don’t forget to visit Bute Park beside the castle for a pleasant stroll in the afternoon!!

Water Taxi to Cardiff Bay:
Cardiff Bay is home to a number of attractions such as the Wetland Reserves and the Wales Millennium Centre, a stunning international arts centre. We’ll be going on a one-way water taxi journey to the buzzing bay area and you’ll have plenty of free time for you to explore the waterfront!!!

A breakdown of our trip

8.30am      Depart from Oxford
10.30am    Explore Cardiff Castle and enjoy lunch
2.15pm      Gather at Bute Park, ride the Cardiff boat to Cardiff Bay
3pm           Explore Cardiff Bay
5pm           Departure from Cardiff
7pm          Arrival back in Oxford

Why travel with OUTS?
Cheaper! – return train tickets cost upwards of £40
Flexible! – plenty of free time during the trip for you to explore the attractions!

Prices
£48 for members
£50 for non-members (+ FREE OUTS membership for MT18, worth £5)
Our package includes all day transportation on a privately hired minibus, tickets to Cardiff Castle and a one-way water taxi service to Cardiff Bay. Lunch is not included.

Check it out on Facebook!!
We hope to see you there!

OUTS is Recruiting!

Posted on April 14, 2018

OUTS is always on the look out for enthusiastic and talented individuals who share our passion for travel to join our committee as Trip Organisers. We are also looking for a Publicity Officer, Sponsorship Officer, and Social Secretary to help us take the society further.

Perks of joining the OUTS Committee
– FREE travel whenever you organise a trip
– One FREE trip per year, in addition to the trips you organise
– Discounted trips when you assist another trip organiser.
– Be part of a young society with a start-up culture that will spice up your CV

We’re a friendly and welcoming committee that meets up to once a week and allows for some flexibility in your commitment. More information about the roles can be found here. The application form can be found here.

Applications close on Sunday, 29 April 2018 and are accepted on a rolling basis. While relevant experience is favourable, what’s most important to us is your ideas and energy.

We look forward to receiving your applications!

Come Visit Cardiff With Us!

Posted on February 20, 2018

Our trip will be on the 3rd of March (Saturday of Week 7), from 8.30am to 7pm.

About the destination

Cardiff Castle:
A medieval castle and Victorian Gothic revival mansion that has survived through the ages. Don’t forget to visit Bute Park beside the castle for a pleasant stroll in the afternoon!!

Water Taxi to Cardiff Bay:
Cardiff Bay is home to a number of attractions such as the Wetland Reserves and the Wales Millennium Centre, a stunning international arts centre. We’ll be going on a one-way water taxi journey to the buzzing bay area and you’ll have plenty of free time for you to explore the waterfront!!!

A breakdown of our trip

8.30am      Depart from Oxford
10.30am    Explore Cardiff Castle and enjoy lunch
2.15pm      Gather at Bute Park, ride the Cardiff boat to Cardiff Bay
3pm           Explore Cardiff Bay
5pm           Departure from Cardiff
7pm          Arrival back in Oxford

Why travel with OUTS?
Cheaper! – return train tickets cost upwards of £40
Flexible! – plenty of free time during the trip for you to explore the attractions!

Prices
£48 for members
£50 for non-members (+ FREE OUTS membership for HT18, worth £5)
Our package includes all day transportation on a privately hired minibus, tickets to Cardiff Castle and a one-way water taxi service to Cardiff Bay. Lunch is not included.

Check it out on Facebook!!
We hope to see you there!

Apply for OUTS Committee

Posted on November 15, 2017 Updated on November 19, 2017

Oxford University Travel Society (OUTS) is a young and vibrant student society for travel lovers – a hub for sharing and promoting the passion for travelling. We organise student-budget short excursion trips (e.g. Cambridge, Dover, Cheddar Gorge), local socials (e.g. college bar crawl, sushi-making) and international trips (e.g. Prague & Vienna).

Going into our fourth year of operation, OUTS is now recruiting a new committee to start in Hilary 2018. As we operate on a self-sustainable business model, being on the committee gives you a unique opportunity to gain real-life business exposure while enjoying the fun social atmosphere of a student society. Joining the committee now also means that you would be effecting real changes and truly be leading the future of the society and how Oxford students travel. If you love travelling, have an entrepreneurial spirit, and would like to gain some fantastic experience, do not hesitate to apply by filling in this form.

We encourage anyone who is interested to apply – Freshers, visiting students and graduate students are all welcome! No experience is required, as we will train you for the role.

Role Descriptions

Secretary:

• Compiles and sends weekly newsletter
• Takes minutes during committee meetings
• Maintains and updates society mailing list
• Maintains and updates member list
• Deals with university documentation

Events Organiser:

• Organises social events for the society
• Manages the logistics behind social events: time, date, venue, and equipment
• Sets up the venue, and ensures any equipment or food is ready beforehand
• Writes blurbs for the social events for publicity

Sponsorship Officer:

• Liaises with our current sponsor, i.e. Lovvol
• Organises outreach events for Lovvol
• Searches for additional sponsorship for the society
• Actively reaches out and makes offers to potential sponsors
• Markets OUTS as an attractive sponsorship opportunity

Level of Commitment

All committee members are required to attend a weekly meeting (1 h). Other committee work requires 1-5 hours a week, depending on the role, but certain roles tend to have cyclical commitments, so hours may vary.

Benefits

• Free OUTS membership
• 1 free trip annually for all committee members
• Events organiser attends all social events for free
• ‘+1 Programme’* for non-event-organising committee members
• Great CV material and business exposure/awareness

* ‘+1 Programme’ is a temporary rotation scheme, which allows non-event-organising committee members to join ongoing projects (trips or socials) and help with event planning and organisation. In return, they qualify as the event organiser for the specific event and can attend the event for free. The programme also allows other temporary committee role exchange, should committee members wish to gain more exposure in a different area (e.g. Events Organiser can join in sponsorship projects for more exposure).

What’s special about OUTS?

• Student society with a start-up culture
• 100% self-sustainable business model
• Emphasis on teamwork
• Every voice gets heard

Recruitment Timeline

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sunday 19 November at 11PM

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Once a role has been filled, no further applications will be considered for that role.

Applicants will receive the opportunity to shadow current committee members. The shadowing process is intended as an opportunity for applicants to learn more about what is involved in the role, as well as an opportunity for the committee to see how well-suited they are to the role.

We are mainly looking for individuals interested in serving on the committee for all of 2018; however, exceptions are possible.

Interested? Apply now! 

Speaker Event – Clare Harrison: How to create a career you can travel with

Posted on November 8, 2017 Updated on November 8, 2017

Like the idea of having an international career but not sure you want to be a diplomat or work on an oil rig? Want to find out more about travel-related careers?

The growth in remote work has generated a raft of new job opportunities for travel-loving knowledge workers (often referred to as ‘digital nomads’). To find out more, Oxford University Travel Society (OUTS) has invited Clare Harrison, the founder of Start Me Up, to speak to us on ‘How to create a career you can travel with’.

When: Sunday 12 November, 5:15PM – 6:45PM

Where: Rainolds Room, Corpus Christi College

Find out why global media have dubbed an Indonesian island ‘Silicon Bali’ and academics from Harvard and Stanford have visited to study what many people have called the ‘future of work’. This talk will cover many of the new career opportunities for people who want to get paid while they travel the world. From programming and writing, to setting up a company you can run from your laptop, Clare will give advice for people interested in having a career that allows them to travel whenever they want (internet permitting).

Refreshments will be provided, and there will be time to mingle and network after the talk.

Sign up here to come along!

Places are limited, so please sign up as soon as possible.

About Clare

Clare Harrison graduated in PPE from Oxford University about fifty million years ago (2006 to be precise) and worked as a financial journalist before quitting her job to set up a business which she ran remotely from Goa four years ago.

She has travelled to 9 countries already this year running her business Start Me Up, a start-up that arranges start-up internships in adventurous destinations. Clare typically spends half the year living and working from a co-working space in Bali called Hubud. She has been published in Fast Company, The Times, and The Telegraph.

Michaelmas Week 4 – Travel Pub Quiz & Apply for OUTS Committee

Posted on November 3, 2017

Welcome to Week 4! We hope all of you have had a great start to Michaelmas. Thank you to those who came to our Welcome Social in Week 2 – we hope you enjoyed meeting the committee and learning more about OUTS.

1. On this Saturday (4 November), we are holding our annual OUTS Travel Pub Quiz! Come along for free food and fascinating travel knowledge. Prizes are up for grabs, so sign up here!

2. OUTS is accepting applications for committee roles for next term! Please see below for details, and fill in this form to apply.

(Don’t forget to like us on Facebook to keep up with the latest event updates! If you have any queries, email us at oxfordtravelsociety@gmail.com.)

1. Week 4 Social – Travel Pub Quiz

When: This Saturday (4 November) at 2:00pm
Where: Christ Church JCR TV Room

Are you well travelled? Do you think you know your way around the world, or consider yourself a geography nerd?

Well, prepare to be challenged and/or have your ego boosted, as it is time for our annual OUTS Pub Quiz! Whether you’re a know-it-all or lack even the most general of knowledge, come to our travel-themed quiz on this Saturday (4 November) for free food, fascinating travel knowledge, and fun!

If you would like to come as a team, feel free to do so, but don’t be put off if you don’t have one – we’ll be putting everyone into teams on the day. Exciting, mysterious prizes are up for grabs and entry is free, so what are you waiting for?

Sign up here!

For updates, check out our Facebook event.

2. Apply for OUTS Committee

Going into our fourth year of operation, OUTS is now recruiting a new committee. As we operate on a self-sustainable business model, being on the committee gives you a unique opportunity to gain real-life business exposure while enjoying the fun social atmosphere of a student society. Joining the committee now also means that you would be effecting real changes and truly be leading the future of the society and how Oxford students travel. If you love travelling, have an entrepreneurial spirit, and would like to gain some fantastic experience, do not hesitate to apply by filling in this form.

We encourage anyone who is interested to apply – Freshers, visiting students and graduate students are all welcome! No experience is required, as we will train you for the role.

Those interested are strongly advised to apply as soon as possible, as applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Once a role has been filled, no further applications will be considered for that role. Furthermore, those who apply early will receive the opportunity to shadow current committee members.

Role Descriptions

President and Vice-President:

• Oversee the overall running of society
• Ensure society achieves its goals: e.g. event sign-ups, publicity
• Organise and lead weekly committee meetings
• Ensure committee members are fulfilling their roles
• Manage committee recruitment
• Lead the annual international trip
• Oversee society finances and sponsorship

Secretary:

• Compiles and sends weekly newsletter
• Takes minutes during committee meetings
• Maintains and updates society mailing list
• Maintains and updates member list
• Deals with university documentation

Trip Organiser (5 positions):

• Plans and leads excursion trips
• Evaluates and compares component prices
• Reservations
• Trip pricing
• Drafts trip publicity materials
• Manages trip sign-ups and payment
• Post-trip feedback and reports

Social Organiser:

• Organises social events for the society
• Manages the logistics behind social events: time, date, venue, and equipment
• Sets up the venue, and ensures any equipment or food is ready beforehand
• Writes blurbs for the social events for publicity

IT officer:

• Maintains and updates society website
• Manages Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms
• Assists the Treasurer in overseeing PayPal online transactions

Driver (2 positions):

• Drives OUTS groups to and from trip destinations
• Must hold a valid UK driving licence for a minibus
• Financial remuneration available – please contact us for more details

Treasurer:

• Responsible for regular cash flows
• Manages the cash box, bank account, and online payment platforms
• Updates reports on Google drive and produces a termly balance sheet
• Works with President and Trip Organisers regarding costs of trips and events

Level of Commitment

All committee members are required to attend a weekly meeting (1 h). Other committee work requires 1-5 hours a week, depending on the role, but certain roles tend to have cyclical commitments (e.g. trip organisers in the week leading up to the event), so hours may vary.

Benefits

• Free OUTS membership
• Free trips for trip organisers
• Social organiser attends all social events for free
• 1 free trip annually for all committee members
• ‘+1 Programme’* for non-event-organising committee members
• Great CV material and business exposure/awareness

* ‘+1 Programme’ is a temporary rotation scheme, which allows non-event-organising committee members to join ongoing projects (trips or socials) and help with event planning and organisation. In return, they qualify as the event organiser for the specific event and can attend the event for free.

What’s special about OUTS?

• Student society with a start-up culture
• 100% self-sustainable business model
• Emphasis on teamwork
• Every voice gets heard

Recruitment Timeline

Application deadline: Friday 10 November (Week 5)

We accept applications on a rolling basis, so those interested are strongly advised to apply as soon as possible. Those who apply early will receive the opportunity to shadow current committee members. The shadowing process is intended as an opportunity for applicants to learn more about what is involved in the role, as well as an opportunity for the committee to see how well-suited they are to the role.

We are mainly looking for individuals interested in serving on the committee for all of 2018; however, exceptions are possible.

Interested? Apply here now.

Michaelmas Week 2 – Welcome Social & OUTS Committee Recruitment

Posted on October 19, 2017 Updated on October 28, 2017

Dear travel lovers,

To those of you who have recently joined us, welcome to OUTS! To those of you who are returning to Oxford, welcome back to a new year; we hope you all had an enjoyable summer break! Get excited for another year of OUTS trips and socials!

1. On this Saturday (21 October), OUTS is holding our first social of the year! Come along to mingle with like-minded travel lovers over free food & drink, as well as to find out more about our society and what we do. Sign up here to join us!

2. OUTS is recruiting a new committee for next term! Please see below for details, and fill in this form to apply.

– OUTS Committee

P.S. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook to keep up with the latest event updates! If you have any queries, email us at oxfordtravelsociety@gmail.com.

Oxford University Travel Society (OUTS) is a young and vibrant student society for travel lovers – a hub for sharing and promoting the passion for travelling. We organise student-budget short excursion trips (e.g. Cambridge, Dover, Cheddar Gorge), local socials (e.g. college bar crawl, sushi-making) and international trips (e.g. Prague & Vienna).

Going into our fourth year of operation, OUTS is now recruiting a new committee. As we operate on a self-sustainable business model, being on the committee gives you a unique opportunity to gain real-life business exposure while enjoying the fun social atmosphere of a student society. Joining the committee now also means that you would be effecting real changes and truly be leading the future of the society and how Oxford students travel. If you love travelling, have an entrepreneurial spirit, and would like to gain some fantastic experience, do not hesitate to apply by filling in this form!

Role Descriptions

President and Vice-President:

• Oversee the overall running of society
• Ensure society achieves its goals: e.g. event sign-ups, publicity
• Organise and lead weekly committee meetings
• Ensure committee members are fulfilling their roles
• Manage committee recruitment
• Lead the annual international trip
• Oversee society finances and sponsorship

Secretary:

• Compiles and sends weekly newsletter
• Takes minutes during committee meetings
• Maintains and updates society mailing list
• Maintains and updates member list
• Deals with university documentation

Trip Organiser (5 positions):

• Plans and leads excursion trips
• Evaluates and compares component prices
• Reservations
• Trip pricing
• Drafts trip publicity materials
• Manages trip sign-ups and payment
• Post-trip feedback and reports

Treasurer:

• Responsible for regular cash flows
• Manages the cash box, bank account, and online payment platforms
• Updates reports on Google drive and produces a termly balance sheet
• Works with President and Trip Organisers regarding costs of trips and events

Social Organiser:

• Organises social events for the society
• Manages the logistics behind social events: time, date, venue, and equipment
• Sets up the venue, and ensures any equipment or food is ready beforehand
• Writes blurbs for the social events for publicity

IT officer:

• Maintains and updates society website
• Manages Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms
• Assists the Treasurer in overseeing Paypal online transactions

Driver (2 positions):

• Drives OUTS groups to and from trip destinations
• Must hold a valid UK driving licence for a minibus
• Financial remuneration available – please contact us for more details

Level of Commitment

Committee members are required to attend a weekly meeting (1.5 hrs). Other committee work requires about 3-5 hours a week on average, but certain roles tend to have cyclical commitments (e.g. trip organisers in the week leading up to the event) so hours may vary.

Benefit

• Free OUTS membership
• Free trips for event organisers + 1 committee-quota free trip annually
• ‘+1 Programme’* for non-event organising committee members
• Great CV material and business exposure

* ‘+1 Programme’ is a temporary rotation scheme which allows non-event organising committee members to join ongoing projects (trips or socials) and help with event planning and organisation. In return, they qualify as the event organiser for the specific event and can attend the event for free. The programme also allows other temporary committee role exchange, should committee members wish to gain more exposure in a different area. (e.g. social organiser can join in sponsorship projects for more exposure).

What’s special about OUTS?

• Student society with a start-up culture
• 100% self-sustainable business model
• Emphasis on teamwork
• Every voice gets heard

Recruitment Timeline

Application deadline: Friday 10 November (Week 5). 

We strongly encourage those interested to apply as soon as possible, so as to begin the shadowing process! All applicants will receive the opportunity to shadow current committee members. The shadowing process is intended as an opportunity for applicants to learn more about what is involved in the role, as well as an opportunity for us to see how well-suited they are to the role.

We mainly look forward to receiving applications from people interested in serving for all of 2018.

Interested? Apply now!

Wk8 – Cornwall Trip

Posted on May 28, 2017 Updated on June 22, 2017

Trip to Cornwall

Date

The date of the trip has been moved to Friday 30 June – Monday 3 July so that more people will be able to make the trip.

Activities & Attractions

With a dedicated choice of attractions, our package includes the following amazing activities:

• Visit the iconic signpost at Land’s End

• Watch a production of Pride & Prejudice at the Minack Theatre

• Taste 10+ amazing ciders in a guided tour at Healeys Cyder Farm

• Explore the lovely seaside town of St Ives, following a Treasure Trail

• Act as the jury at the Courtroom Experience in Shire Hall, Bodmin

On top of these included activities, you may also choose to add on the following items, making your stay a richer experience:

• Surfing school lessons at St Ives bay
• Speedboat at St Ives Harbour
• Tate Museum at St Ives
• Barbara Hepworth Museum at St Ives
• Jungle activities at Adrenalin Quarry
• 4D Film Experience at Lands End Tourist Centre

Accommodation

Our trip is designed to offer you the best experience in Cornwall with:

• 3-star self-catering houses in the picturesque Tregenna Castle Hotel

• All hotel facilities are included: high-speed Wi-Fi, two swimming pools, indoor gym, badminton court, outdoor tennis court, and 18-hole golf court
• Private for our group only
• Committee members on board to guarantee that everything runs smoothly and as stated in the itinerary
• Amazing dynamic from the group with possible activities like film night, BBQ in the garden, etc. We can make it all happen!

Prices

• Members: £185
• Non-members: £195

In order to take advantage of the members’ discount, become a member.

Recruiting Drivers

With the prices stated above, please get in touch if you are interested in this trip and are willing to become a driver of a rental car! We will only be able to go for the cheaper option if we have enough drivers in our group.

In order to meet the requirements for driving a rental car, you must:

• Be over 25 years old
• Hold a valid driver’s licence allowing you to drive in the UK, with a clean record of at least 3 years

Please fill in this form if you’re willing to join our trip and volunteer as a driver.

Sign Up

Sign up here if you intend to join the trip, considering the confirmed date and the two sets of potential prices above (payment not yet required). Given we only have capacity to take 12 members and we anticipate this trip to be very popular, we do encourage you to sign up ASAP to secure your spot!

TT’17 Wk 2 newsletter

Posted on May 9, 2017

OUTS Trinity Week 2 – Cambridge Trip Postponed; Cornwall Trip; Presidential Recuitment

Dear travel lovers,

Welcome to Week 2!

1. We are sorry to announce that our trip to Cambridge, originally planned for this Sunday 7 May, has been postponed to Saturday 3 June (Week 6).

2. On the weekend following Week 8, OUTS will be making an extended 3-night trip to Cornwall & Land’s End! Register your interest here.

3. OUTS is recruiting a new President and Vice-President for Michaelmas term. See below for details.

– OUTS Committee

P.S. Our information may be found on our website and Facebook. Email us at oxfordtravelsociety@gmail.com with any queries.

1. Trip to Cambridge – Postponed to Week 6

Due to logistical difficulties, our trip to Cambridge, originally planned for this Sunday 7 May, has unfortunately been postponed to Saturday 3 June (Week 6). We apologise if we have caused any disappointment. Further updates will come in future newsletters. To keep posted, join our Facebook event.

2. Extended Trip to Cornwall – The Weekend After Week 8

The amazing sunshine in the last few weeks reminds us that summer is not far away. The best place to enjoy the best season is of course somewhere along the beautiful coastline. On the weekend following Week 8, OUTS will be taking a group of 10-15 to England’s best beach in St Ives, Cornwall, for a 3 night stay. It’s a lovely summer holiday town where you can relax from the stress of exams and the busy term. It’s also close to the famous tourist attraction Land’s End – mainland Britain’s most southwesterly point and one of its most famous landmarks.

Many more exciting activities, including watching a play/musical in an open-air theatre, beach sports, and a visit to a cider farm, are all being considered.

So please register your interest using the form here to avoid missing out on the final OUTS trip of this academic year!

3. OUTS is looking for new leadership

The positions of Oxford University Travel Society President and Vice President (or two Co-Presidents) will be up for grabs starting next Michaelmas. We are currently looking for people to shadow us, the current Co-Presidents, and learn all the tricks of our trade.

Leading OUTS has been a tremendous experience for us. In the course of two terms we have learnt more about leadership, event planning and people management than we have from any other committees or work experiences. OUTS organises up to three UK day trips per term and has socials every other week, which requires a lot of organisation, logistics, financial savviness and attention to detail. On the plus side, the committee you will be working with in Michaelmas is incredibly supportive and committed. OUTS meets every week and most of us have travelled together quite a lot, which makes our committee meetings really friendly and involved (We like to meet in different colleges and explore different Sunday brunches). OUTS is also a very multicultural and international bunch, so if an international environment is your thing, we would 100% recommend applying.

If you are interested, please email Tatiana (tatiana.podstolna@worc.ox.ac.uk), stating your name, college, subject, and explaining briefly (in no more than 150 words) your interest in OUTS.  No prior involvement with the society is necessary to be considered for the position.

– Tatiana & Olivia
OUTS Co-Presidents

HT’17 Wk3 Newsletter

Posted on January 31, 2017 Updated on February 7, 2017

Hilary Week 3 with OUTS – Lovvol Info Session; Leeds Castle & Canterbury Trip; International Trip

Dear travel lovers,

Thank you to all who joined us on our trip to Winchester and made our first trip of 2017 a highly enjoyable and successful one! We hope you all had a fun time, because we certainly did.

On Saturday 4 February, we will be holding an information session on how you can travel and volunteer over the summer in China and Mongolia for free! Sign up here to learn more about the amazing programmes available with Lovvol.

Our second trip this term will be to Leeds Castle and Canterbury on Sunday 12 February. Sign up here to join us in exploring the beautiful, medieval Leeds castle and the historic cathedral city of Canterbury.

Due to popular demand, our Easter international trip to Prague and Vienna has been moved to 10th week (18 March to 25 March). Remember to sign up here and pay your deposit as soon as possible. Visit our website to find out more.

– OUTS Committee

P.S. Our information may be found on our website and Facebook. Email us at oxfordtravelsociety@gmail.com with any queries.

Lovvol Information Session – Saturday 4 February

Still unsure how to spend your summer? Why not travel around China or Mongolia for FREE, whilst doing some volunteering?

Lovvol is a non-profit organisation that runs cultural exchanges in China and Mongolia for university students. This year, OUTS and Lovvol are teaming up to allow our members to learn more about this fantastic opportunity!

Interested? Come to our information session next Saturday to learn more about Lovvol and the amazing programmes they offer.

When: Saturday 4 February (Week 3) at 1:30PM
Where: Large Meeting Room, Turl Street Kitchen (Address is 16 Turl St, Oxford)

Sign up now!

Click here to find out more about Lovvol.

Trip to Leeds Castle & Canterbury – Sunday 12 February