Oxbridge Freshers 2018

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

old thread

A chat/support thread for parents of undergrads who have entered the quite frankly slightly odd world of Oxbridge.

Apparently we are parents to undergrads now

Sitting here waiting to hear how matriculation has gone, he told us photos are mandatory but that doesn’t necessarily mean we will get to see them! Do all the colleges matriculate on the same day, I thought it was spread over a few weeks and could be as late as the end of October, not sure where I read that though.

Dd matriculated the first W/E and posted pics on Facebook.

Gosh I feel lucky. We text about 20 times a day minimum. But always have.

We text quite a bit too, and have a wake up chat and a bedtime chat most days, I don’t know that it will continue but it’s quite nice, I’m not sure if he really needs it or if he thinks he’s being kind humouring his Mum 😂 I would never want him to feel he had to chat though, this is definitely his adventure.

I think Oxford is all the same day, Cambridge might be different.
DD's college is one of the oldest, so they had photos at 7am, ceremony in the Sheldonian at 8am, more photos, champagne brunch in college at 9:30 and it was all over by 10:30am!
So they obviously then all spent the rest of the day drinking (and punting I think! ) and she's just texted me to say they're now just getting changed then going to a club. This is the girl who used to think she'd turn into dust if she ever stayed up later than 10pm!

• sorry - they have multiple ceremonies through the day, going in order of college age. There were lots of mandatory professional photos apparently so fingers crossed we should all get to see some!

Heff this is just for you - you can play spot your DS (ps very glad DD wasn't the only one to get into trouble for fire drill gate!)

Thanks Lobster. 😁 I think she's there - a bit difficult to tell!

Don't they all look grand. A picture for posterity.

DD finished first long essay last night. There were several restarts and rearrangements. She is not happy with it but has pragmatically texted "it's easier to polish a turd than nothing". Let's hope it's not equivalent to a third otherwise there'll be meltdown!

Lovely photo! Yes Cambridge matric on different days, DS's was nearly a fortnight ago on the Monday. He had formal photo and book signing in the morning, then a free formal dinner with champagne reception in the evening.

He has had a couple of supervision this week which have gone ok, and he seems to have made friends with several on his staircase, he seems to be cooking for others quite a bit!

Lucycat- if she’s the only fresher on her corridor, that’s going to be tough. Can she not be moved? It’s an unnecessary added complication.

I don't think dd ordered her matric photos :(

She will be able to order if you contact Registry. oybbk. Might cost a bit more - or she could ask snappy snaps or similar to produce one from her digital copy. Won't be the same quality but still good. DD won't have ordered either and DS didn't. It's the graduation picture on the piano!

Was in Oxford yesterday to visit DS. He had to travel down by train as we live too far away to take him but we drove down on Friday. Got to see matriculation from the street. My photography skills are a bit rubbish but a few shots.

Those are some good ideas Roses :)

I'm so glad the weather was nice in Oxford yesterday after the morning rain cleared out. Lovely blue skies!

Pouring here. Hotel booked for next weekend. Really looking forward to seeing her xx

DS has sent us some fab photos, the weather looked perfect! He said he will send the official photos when he’s got them. Theirs was at lunchtime yesterday and he said people were taking photos of them as they walked there, he said it felt like they were in a zoo! Lovely tradition though and beautiful setting, it’s lovely to see his smiling face. He had a drink after and then spent the evening studying with friends! It’s definitely intense but he’s got his first essay successfully under his belt now.

That will be lovely Roses! Not long to go now :)

Am really really missing her for the first time tonight.

for you roses it’s strange when it hits. I’m missing him tonight too, he is busy and fine but I want to be looking after him. He’s planning a trip home in a fortnight and I can’t wait (although I might have to share him with his gf).

How is everyone’s DC “getting along” with their scout?

DD’s is adorable, and reminds me of my nanny.

Her friend’s, does not clean at all

Absolutely no idea. Plebblep. But then I've never asked how she's getting along with the cleaners at home. I expect my dc to have a polite and respectful relationship with them and I trust that is what's happening. They will understand that some staff work better than others; the hard working are rewarded with Christmas boxes.

Do you think the friend may have acted a bit entitled or have rude?

Ah, scouts. What a weird institution. Memories of constantly forgetting to leave my bin outside, having the scout (imagine Dame Thora Hird in Lost for Words, she even called me duck) come in while I am still in bed, barely compos mentis. I tried to be polite, but was mostly just apologetic (although at least I had a clean and tidy room, so their duties were by no means onerous!)

Still remember the name of my first scout - Dawn. Most definitely my Mum for the year and knew every damn movement of everyone, who fancied whom etc. 'Institution' is the right word Hingle !

Dd gets on well with her Bedder. She's quite tidy so that might help. She's heard her telling off other students vigorously for untidiness.

I can still here the dulcit tones of my first scout, shrieking up the staircase to her colleague "Mrs Smiiiiiith!"

And yes, the scouts soon know exactly who's sleeping with who.

DS hasn't mentioned a scout. Do they all get them? I'm trying to remember how our rooms were cleaned in halls back in the day. I definitely don't remember any hoovers!