Benjamin McEvoy

Essays on writing, reading, and life

How I Got Into Oxford University (Video)

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Story time. As part of a filmed Oxford University Q&A I did whilst living in Vienna last year, I answered the question: How did you get into Oxford University? Perhaps not the answer people want or expect to hear. But I’ll deep dive into the nuance of passing the Oxford interviews, entrance exams, and getting […]

How to Build a Memory Palace (Video)

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This is a rough cut behind-the-scenes look at one of the modules in my upcoming free video course on effective study techniques. I’ve written about the memory palace, or method of loci, before. But thought it potentially beneficial to demonstrate how the memory palace looks in terms of constructing an essay. This video is just […]

How To Ace Your Exams (Video)

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I filmed this video on exam advice last summer. The educational climate was different back then. Who would have thought something like coronavirus would come along and change everything. The exam institutions might need to adapt, but the advice in this video still holds true when it comes to studying in any capacity. So, if […]

How to Learn a Second Language (Video)

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I came back from the gym sweaty and tired, but decided to turn the camera on and record a few tips on how to learn a language. I realised that it was a few simple habits, like pairing vocabulary learning with cardiovascular exercise, that made it easy for me to pick up a language quickly. […]

The Aristotle Podcast

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After Shakespeare, Aristotle is my favourite writer and thinker. So in this episode of Hardcore Literature, one of many covering Aristotle, we delve deep into The Nicomachean Ethics. The result? A conversation about virtues, vices, habits, happiness, and meaning laced with rants about the current generation abound in this 30-minute primer to the greatest philosopher who […]

How Robert Browning Writes A Poem (Video)

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‘My Last Duchess’ by Robert Browning! One of my all-time favourite poems. I love Browning’s poetry so much, I decided to put out a 38-minute video analysis. ‘My Last Duchess’ Analysis – How Robert Browning Writes A Poem ‘My Last Duchess’ At A Glance: Heroic Verse – iambic feet (five stress lines), couplets (aabbccdd), rhyming. […]

How to Learn a Language

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I’ve learnt three languages over the last decade. In degrees of fluency: Japanese, German, Latin. As I’m now embarking on a new language learning project (Italian), I’m going to quick-fire share some language learning tips and tricks here. There’s some conventional advice here, but a lot of this advice has been hard-won in the trenches […]

How to Prepare for the ELAT

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Sitting the English Literature Admissions Test (ELAT) was one of the most nerve-wracking parts of my Oxford University admissions process.  The Oxford interviews made me quake with anxiety, but they were basically pleasant conversations to see if the tutors and you would be a good fit for the next three years.  The interviews are focused […]

Babbel vs Rocket vs LanguagePod101 vs LingQ Review (2020)

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When it comes to learning a new language for the first time, the choice of language learning options online are overwhelming. The biggest hurdle to overcome is just getting started. But you obviously want to get started with the best material. Inferior material poorly presented can hinder your language learning before you either start and […]

How to Build Powerful Habits in 2020

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We are what we habitually do. We’re our habits and our actions. We are not our thoughts or feelings.  You might think of yourself as a good person. You don’t wish anyone overt harm. But if you don’t habitually do good things, you are not a good person. Most people aren’t good. They aren’t particularly […]