Oxbridge Interview Luggage

[doglover]

DD has an Oxford interview next week and is unsure what to carry her stuff in. She's definitely there for one night but may be required for three. We've talked about an interview outfit - she may need to take a couple more blouses - and will wear jeans/jumper for travel etc. Do people take a small suitcase / rucksack / squashy bag? Any advice welcome :)

Pack a travel iron. Just put a towel on the bed.

Why bother? No interviewer is going to care about clothes being a bit creased. Fine to iron if it's a useful way to deal with nerves. Not good to iron if it just makes you more stressed.

I reckon if any of my younger boys tried to iron on a towel on a bed they'd set the duvet on fire, then the room, then the quad, then the college and then the next door college depending on the location of the college of course (the Turl St colleges would be especially at risk, also Merton, Corpus, Oriel etc.).

Someone tried that at ChCh recently. I reckon, you could burn down Merton- the other colleges would bring marshmallows to toast.
Seriously, the tutors DO NOT care if your DC is wrinkly, pierced, purple haired or tattooed . Just don't be smelly!

Thanks everyone!

We've really enjoyed reading your replies - chuckled at a few! - and she'll be ready for Monday :)

Good luck to all our DC who'll be heading off in the next couple of weeks.

Lol. In hindsight giving a teenager an iron may not be the best idea.

Someone tried that at ChCh recently. I reckon, you could burn down Merton- the other colleges would bring marshmallows to toast.

Trying to figure out if you're accusing the House of harbouring arsonists (or arsonists with particular designs on Merton?) or just careless ironers...

The House is more than capable of self-immolating (with a colluding hotplate in the dining hall). Merton more likely to self-combust since the revised Norrington Table.
Sorry, all non-Ox MNers! There is a rich seam of comedy at Oxbridge. Remember, if your DCs are nervous about all the 'tradition' and formality, nobody takes it too seriously.

Doglover, good luck to her and don't forget to pack a pail of sand.

The House is more than capable of self-immolating (with a colluding hotplate in the dining hall). Merton more likely to self-combust since the revised Norrington Table.

This actually moved me to look up the 15/16 Norrington Table my college not looking in great shape which looks kind of like a Cy Twombly if you squint....

Good luck, all this year's interviewees.

One friend ended up taking an ironing board to his interviews (having bought it as a gift for his sister who he was meeting afterwards). I'm sure that made him memorable! But wouldn't have affected his chances of getting in.

..

Good luck to your DD, DogLover. Mine has Cambridge next week - fortunately they don't have the multi-day thing - with sheffield the next day. She's already had two interviews elsewhere and settled for clothes she feels comfortable in but not scruffy - black jeans, shirt and a plain wooly, with black desert boots (rather than the usual hightops or docs!) and a new coat which makes her look and feel a bit more grown up (she's small and still occasionally gets offered children's menus ). She said other applicants were in everything from jeans to suit and tie.

I would really, really hope that an Oxbridge candidate (or any university candidate, actually) could work out for themself what kind of bag to put their clothes in for a one, two, three or seven-night trip. My 11-year-olds can do it, after all...

(Good luck to your daughter, by the way, OP - she'll have an amazing time, and quite possibly fall in love. I did .)