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

Dd has exams first week back after Christmas. Anyone else?

Mine had her mocks last year in the week before the Lent term. That's MEng.

I dropped in here to offer a word of advice to Cambridge. MEngs - they may want to start applying for summer placements around now. DD left it till the Xmas vac and in retrospect wished she'd begun sooner. It worked out ok but might have been a bit less stressful to have started sooner.

Is that just engineering Errol re the placements? Exams the week before Lent is mean!

Just had a sticky bun for dinner

Was it scrumptious kitten ? I have bun envy!

Totally scrumptious. I should have bought more. I'm going to put in an order for the end of term!

We need a photo next time kitten, wish they did mail order!

I didn't know about the famous buns so bought my DH a different cake and he was 'well miffed' as he had read about how good they were at Fitzbillies. Will have to return.

However, in the centre, was a cafe called Aroma I think and they did the best pistachio cream filled croissants and spinach arancinis
( never tasted these before) . DD had heard about it. Worth a try. Situated near the famous clock.

wow - pistachio filled croissants? dd chose her university town well!
I'll take a photo next time bake.
darn it though - we spotted a cheese shop and forgot to return at the end of the day.

Bakedandyarn they do do mail order. I just checked their website. Very interesting history.

We are going up next weekend because dd is singing. Have signed up to automatic dart charge now.

Is that just engineering Errol re the placements?

Sorry, I don't know - the engineers are required to do a certain amount before 3rd year, I don't suppose that applies to many courses.

Thanks :) Probably then. It's good for people to know.

Yes, DS starting to apply for MEng placements for the summer, but is using a couple of contacts he made in Y 12/13. We shall see...

Dd has exams first week back after Christmas. Anyone else?

DD also has exams first week back after Christmas. This is for a science subject at Oxford.

Visited DD yesterday afternoon. She seems very happy and settled. She says she is just about managing her workload alongside twice weekly dance training. Her only "socialising" is walking with her subject group to lectures/labs and meals in College but she seems content with that.

DS has exams too after Christmas, humanities at Oxford. It’s reassuring to hear that they are all finding the workload similar, I’m sure it does get easier. None of the second years we met on our visit were seriously stressed by it, they said that it is intense but manageable and they had become more skilled at note taking as time progressed. It’s a steep learning curve in lots of ways but our DC’s all sound like they are coping admirably.

roses will check out the mail order! Buns by post, yum!

Just been to see DS who thankfully seems settled. Lots of friends came to say hello when they saw us which was really nice. Work is challenging so he's working at full pelt but hopefully will adjust. Everyone seems to be in the same boat which is reassuring.

Apparently the perceived wisdom is that you can only have 3 out of 5 of enough work, sleep, a social life, sport and something else I've forgotten - hobbies maybe. DS has the first 3 in balance but sport has fallen by the wayside other than running to lectures. He just wants fun and exercise but most sports seem to be v competitive. Hopefully he'll find something soon.

This is a photo of the famous buns! I took it on a quick visit when DD had got her results and knew she was going but before she went - only a couple of months ago but seems a lot longer now! There was a whole tray of buns just out of the oven on the counter. It’s my work screen saver now and makes everyone in the office very hungry.

Oh nice! If we are using cartesian coordinates I'll have (3,2) please.

DD also has exams just after Christmas (natsci at Cambridge). I visited her today which was lovely. She said that some people are really struggling with sleep patterns, are staying up really late partying or working, and then not making it to lectures. She has a 9am lecture 6 days a week. She’s being really sensible and prioritising 8 hours sleep, breakfast and lecture attendance which is impressive, and managing to fit in a bit of a social life too. It sounds as though they are all finding it tough though.

whiteroseredrose I found that college sport wasn’t too competitive (depending which college and which sport you were doing) - he should give hockey a go! It also helps you kill two birds with one stone: exercise and socialising.

Bakeandyarn that’s interesting about your son’s essay-writing experience - I think it’s one of those things where the time necessary expands or contracts to fit the time available! In that respect I take the point that you may never really get ahead, but you can usually finish an essay a day or two in advance and move to the other essay if you’re having a suitably diligent week.

Those buns do look very tempting!

My DD has a daily 9am lecture which appears to be the norm for sciences and she hasn't missed one yet. Her room is almost above the entrance to the college bar and she finds late night noise (presumably by those who don't have 9am lectures) makes it difficult to get to sleep.

I'm not even raising the spectre of exams with dd.

Am off work for a few days due to a "procedure" tomorrow. Am contemplating going up to her rooms to survey the chaos she left behind and have a little tidy major clean-up and throw out. What I want to send to charity shop obviously boxed for inspection.

She'll be home soon

Oh yes often dd's room overlooks a couple of pubs but she goes to the library to work and can sleep on a washing line. Her set mate's a clubber though and often wakes her up coming in. Don't think it bothers too much.

OhTheRoses Being able to sleep through anything is an enviable skill!
I am sure I slept through general mayhem as an undergraduate but DD is a light sleeper.

I hope it goes well tomorrow Roses.

Dd is in a fairly quiet room. It's good, she needs her sleep. She finds friday nights a bit noisy which is a shame as she has saturday morning lectures.

It seems mean to put a nat sci in a noisy room.

I'm a terribly light sleeper and found my final year awful. The flipping boys on the ground floor

hingle I think you are right, as he becomes more skilled in essay writing and note taking I am sure he will find he has more time. I think it’s an adjustment from the school regime where he was used to getting things done more swiftly. He is thoroughly enjoying his subject and he is very thorough - possibly a bit too thorough but that’s a confidence thing! We chatted about how he’s probably putting in some good groundwork for the future at the moment and as he builds his knowledge he will be able to transfer it elsewhere.

Well dd has finished her two essays and has a technical rehearsal later. Shebhas a free day tomorrow as lecture and suoervision cancelled. She is pleased.

Perhaps humanities students are on an easier wicket.