Studying classics at university means spending at least three years of your life explaining to people what a classics degree actually involves.
No, you say, it’s not the same as studying history, or English either.
No, it doesn’t mean you spend your entire day looking at fragments of Greek urns that were discovered by archaeologists or learning how to hold a conversation in Latin.
And, no, it doesn’t mean you’ve ruined any chance of a good career compared to people who chose to study medicine, law, engineering or anything else that’s more obviously related to a real-world job.
Studying classics is so much more than all of these stereotypes, which is why later this month we’re launching our first-ever ranking of the best universities in the world for studying classics & ancient history.
Before we reveal which universities have come out on top, let’s run down some of the things which unite every classics student around the world.
It’s not a proper night out unless you’re wearing a toga
Other subjects can talk all they want about their amazing socials, but let’s face it: nothing beats a classics toga party.
Unlike most fancy dress, there’s something about even a poorly tied toga made out of an old bedsheet that looks positively regal. Plus, it’s instantly obvious what you’re wearing from a mile away, avoiding the awkward conversations that crop up almost any other time there’s a fancy-dress theme at uni.
Sure, wearing a bedsheet on a night out is super impractical and it always ends with the bottom half covered in dirt and the top half covered in spilled alcohol, but once you get past the fact you’ve got nowhere to put your phone it’s definitely one of the best fancy dress themes.
You love Disney’s Hercules…even if the mythology isn’t actually accurate
Yes, OK, it’s pretty ridiculous that Disney went and made a film about Greek gods and used the name Hercules instead of Heracles, but you can get past that. After all, it’s not every day you get to watch Hades unleash the Titans, or the twelve labors of Hercules, or OH-MY-GOSH-PEGASUS-IS-SO-ADORABLE-I-WANT-ONE!
Let’s face it, there’s no way this film stands up to even the slightest bit of scrutiny but it’s at least 70 percent responsible for why you’re now here studying classics.
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