Oxbridge applicants 2018 part 3

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Looks like we need a new thread.

@ErrolTheDragon @Thesearepearls your lists are more comprensive than mine (scribbling) but I also have
Tin opener
Fleecy comfort blanket
Post it notes
Pins for notice board
Wok (instead of frying pan)
Lemsip & pro plus
Multi vitamins
Ice cube bags
Microwave / sandwich boxes

I can't find much info on what's there yet & no contact from parents yet but I don't think there's an oven so I'll probably keep the baking tray! Once parents reach out they'll be tortured (soft cap or mortarboard? Xmillion other trivial questions!!)

Oh, and hot water bottle! (Can you tell he's my precious only child yet)!

I'll scan through my list in a little bit but don't forget bike repair kit.

Bike multi tool which has hex keys but also a few screwdriver heads is handy.
Angle poise lamp if they like it for working (maybe some colleges provide those)

Thesearepearls Check the mattress protector- DDs room definitely comes with one as she's not allowed to remove it from the bed.
Is it an ensuite? If not then flip flops are suggested rather than a bath mat.

Dishomatic 😊 www.wilko.com/en-uk/dish-matic-dish-scourer-fill-clean/p/0300102 Seems to be a student essential!

I feel we're living in a different world to most if you. We've had no forms to fill in, no information about starting dates, in fact no communication at all from Durham. DS doesn't even know which college he's in. All he had was an email last Friday which he had to respond to in order to accept his place. I can't begin to think about shopping as it doesn't feel like he's going anywhere!

I went to Oxford several years ago, but would venture a few more points:

• you will probably have a duvet provided - so unless your DC feels the cold badly, or wants a spare, that’s one thing you can take off. Being extra pillows though. Caveat to duvet situation: if he is in an old college, or in very old accommodation (ie Medieval), duvet may be necessary...but most accommodation is modern now.

• Laundry powder

• A kettle (you can make pasta in it at a push)

• corkscrew and bottle opener - key bottle opener is the best idea

• biscuits / cake / tin of celebrations - so DC has something to bring along and break ice when knocking on strangers doors

• I wouldn’t bring a TV. Risk of being antisocial - there will be one in the common room - and can watch everyone you actually want on catch up.

• things that may make the room more ‘theirs’ - they can be quite sterile looking. An extreme that I wouldn’t necessarily recommend: a terribly posh girl I lived with brought Persian rugs and silk hangings and transformed her room....

Obviously you also have sorted the gown etc? For girls, no one wears the soft caps. Question whether that is in fact a reason to get one :) especially as mortar boards are of such rubbish quality and you never wear them...

deus by default do you mean the boys mainly go with soft caps or is mortar board the way to go for all? DS college says duvet, pillow etc provided but i'm packing a few sets of covers so they don't get too scummy so he can have a change! pearls I like the flip flop idea - no ensuite so I can only imagine what the bathrooms will be like!!

step there's loads of time and I probably should have waited till got more accurate information but am going full throttle at the moment with excitement! Don't worry, they are probably waiting until they get your DS acceptance email before sending all the stuff!

DD hasn't had anything except an email from college yet either.
I think it said details would be sent out by the end of August, so we might still have a bit of a wait.
I am holding off on major purchases/preparations until we know which accommodation she's in (but it's hard - desperate to get started!)

Presumably we have to get all electrical items PAT tested??

Hi all
Was lurking but just a couple of points as DD has just finished first year at a Cambridge college.
They PAT tested everything!! Went through drawers etc while she wasn’t in so don’t worry about that.
DD is going to be a “parent” but is filling in questionnaires about her like arc so that they can sit her up with suitable “children”.So don’t worry your DCs will hear from them soon!!

“Her likes etc”and “match her up”

Sorry - typing sneakily at work

Wannabe my DD is going into 2nd year at Catz Oxford so I may be able to answer some of your questions!

• boys (and girls) all wear mortar boards
• duvet and pillows are provided but DD would advise to bring your own as they are not great quality. Don’t bring own sheets unless he wants patterned ones- the college ones get changed by scouts weekly
• there are no ovens
• there are no pin boards so no need for pins, but blu tack is essential so they can stick things on the walls

@wannabebetter my understanding is that caps are only for girls. But as above, very rare that anyone wears them!

Oh some colleges get really funny about blue tack (again, especially if historic) - so bring white tack

Hi all :-)
Lurking for a while. DC is also going to Exeter, Oxford - and I'm feeling very frustrated at the lack of info from the college!!!
Thank you all so much for all the helpful tips here. I have written them down and will venture an IKEA trip at some point - eek!

some colleges don't allow any tack at all.

Hi Heffo!
At least we both haven't so we know it's not just our DC!

What subject is yours doing?

As a Cambridge driver (with a ds off to Oxford) can you please make sure your dc all have reflective jackets/back pack covers as well as bike lights. Most lights, unless they get the really expensive ones, are pretty useless. It’s the reflective jackets that make them visible to drivers.

AlwaysTeaTime the thing is things vary by college. Some colleges provide duvet covers and have beds made up, others don't. Etc.

Hello. Found your thread a while ago and lurked, but am now able to join in, with a ds off to Oxford this year. Soooooo excited.

Can I ask - on the Oxford site, how to register as a student [[https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/registration?wssl=1 link here]] you have to have returned your University Contract. Is this different from your college contract, which he has returned? He's casually certain that they are probably the same thing but the University is a different entity to the college - just wondering if anyone has had a University contract?

Thank youuuuu

goodbyestranger

sorry I should have made my post more clear- I was talking specifically about St Catz and what they provide, to help answer a previous poster who’s DS is going there. Obviously the colleges vary hugely! DD just found it very difficult to find out what the ‘norm’ for her college was before she went- she asked me to bring her up a pillow of her own a few weeks later, for example. Same with the blu tack- I know some colleges don’t allow it, but Catz definitely does!

Ah yes I see you addressed it to a specific poster - sorry! (But no harm done warning others about the variation I guess - I was surprised at how much there is).

Hi HesMyLobster

Have messaged you. DC prefers to remain a "nonny mouse" if you know what I mean!