When I was asked to reflect on my favourite rowing-related memory, I was a little stumped.

The truth is, sometimes, rowing can suck. Getting up at the crack of dawn, dragging oneself down to the river and then sitting in a boat on the cold and dark River Isis for an hour only to be rewarded with a 9am Politics lecture is tough. And don’t get me started on the erg sessions that occur when the river inevitably gets closed due to our fantastic British weather. But for some bizarre reason, rowing is a bit like childbirth. Now – I am fully aware that I have not experienced childbirth and want to stress that what I am saying is a metaphor. So, allow me to explain this rather strange comparison.

All the stories I have heard about childbirth sound quite traumatic, to be perfectly honest. But for some reason, most mothers look back at it fondly! And I think a similar phenomenon occurs with college rowing. Because no matter the number of early mornings, no matter how cold and no matter the number of gruelling 2k erg tests – we still go back to it. Term after term we return and hope the Isis is rowable. Term after term we return and hope the men’s team have not destroyed yet another boat so that we can get out onto the water. Term after term we return, recruit novices and coxes and keep this team alive. My question is: Why?

One could, of course, point to the fact that rowing is a long-standing Oxford tradition and that it is part of the “University Experience.” While this may be true, I can assure you it was not the idea of being part of a wider university tradition that made me get up and row despite suffering from chilblains. No, I think there is something unique about our boat club which makes us forget the pain of 2ks and the bleary eyes from 7am starts. Of course, you could argue that rowers from Oriel or Teddy Hall or any other college do the same, but let’s be honest: they aren’t Regent’s, are they?

I truly believe that there is something special about this Club that goes beyond the effort we put into achieving the athletic goals of rowing. Don’t get me wrong, this side of rowing is also incredibly important and as women’s captain I assure you that getting blades is the top-most priority on my agenda (please don’t tell my tutors!) But here at Regent’s the boat club is a community. We know each other and – most of the time – we love each other. This can be seen and appreciated in the little moments. When the Men’s team endures an erg session whilst listening to Taylor Swift because I requested it. When the Women’s team goes out for a welfare coffee or a visit to the Christmas market. When the Cox forgives you for chatting and singing during the entire outing. Or when the entire team forgives the Cox when they don’t show up for a 7am outing due to various escapades the night before. All these moments are what make the Regent’s rowing experience enjoyable. They are – to come back to the childbirth analogy – what make us look back fondly at a somewhat painful experience.

I think that these moments highlight what makes the Regent’s Park College Boat Club so special: our community. The same is true of the old Boat Club members among our alumni. We may not have rowed together, but we share one very important thing in common: we all love this Club.

Thus, to conclude: rowing is like childbirth. It is painful and unpleasant at times, but there is something that makes us look back fondly at this experience. And that is our community. This amazing community that I am so grateful for. We may not be the fastest on the river. We may not have the best track record regarding broken boats. But we sure have the best community. And that is what makes it all worth it.

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Adapted from a speech prepared by Emily (History and Politics, 2023) for the RPCBC Reunion Dinner 2025. Thank you so much, Emily, for letting us share your reflection.