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

Good luck to DC with exams.
Happy New year all.

Happy New Year everyone!

Roses and Sundowne I too have just caught up with this thread and I am so sorry to hear the terrible news.

DD has collections (exams) starting 11th Jan. She is trying to balance a a bit of revision alongside socialising and a few work shifts. I don't think she can truly relax though as she doesn't know quite what to expect on Jan 11th.

Think exam worries are climbing here. Like your dd often, she doesn't know what to expect. There aren't past papers for these ones and they've been told not to do the end of year ones yet.

My dd knows she has collections but has no idea on what day ! She said she's not yet been told.

DS is in the same boat, not knowing what to expect in collections is making him nervous. He’s hoping he will find out when they are sometime today as another student has chased up the timetable. He’s done a lot of work over the holiday so is well prepared but still anxious.

It's definitely the "unknown" that is inducing nerves - no spec or past papers.
Good luck to all tackling their first collections this time next week!

All packed here ready for DS return tomorrow - not sure about these long holidays, we've got so used to him being home again it'll be traumatic all over again when he leaves!! Collections start on Friday - no clue about what to expect! Good luck everyone!

wannabebetter glad I’m not the only one who thinks it’s a bit like October all over again! Collections have caused a bit of anxiety here even though he has worked fairly solidly through the holidays. Hopefully it will all be straightforward and next term will fly by. I can’t believe how quickly we got used to having him home again, it’s been lovely. Can’t help thinking about this years applicants and their anxious wait for news.

Done the airport run and I'm crying again!! When do we get to the stage where seeing them off is a relief and happy thing? He has his collections timetable and has a 3 hour Fri morning followed by a 4 hour Fri afternoon!! Apparently has something Saturday too - nothing like easing them back in!!

Remember how quickly last term went. We don't want this one to rush by for them as next term is exam term. Eep.

I'm head in the sand over dds return at the moment. I've been helping with revision which is actually very funny as I have no clue even as to what some of the symbols are called now and I did a maths related degree.

Love to you wannabe. I'm not looking forward to Saturday either.

So it transpires DS does have an exam, a week tomorrow! He only had it confirmed yesterday. Oops! Good job he had done some revision, and he is spending this week studying full time. His work ethic is usually excellent, so I suppose I have to trust he is doing enough...

Kitten I feel your pain - DS was asking advice on poetry structure yesterday & I was clueless (English degree LONG time ago!!) plus his was in German...

Just had a last lunch with DD and waved her off - DH is doing the delivering this time as I'm stuck at meetings this evening. I thought I'd be fine this time, but I'm really not. It definitely hasn't got any easier yet

Maybe by 3rd year?

DD has 3hr exam tomorrow and a 4hr on Friday she's worked/revised hard but has no idea if she's covered the right stuff. You're right - the unknown makes it scary!

It’s so true, I thought going back would be ok but it hasn’t been! DS was really wobbly, very anxious about collections and still feeling imposter syndrome. He’s gone back today and has worked really hard over the holiday but is still worried that it’s not enough. The unknown is so scary!

Fingers crossed for those with exams. Crikey, Oxbridge is intimidating!!!!. But they're cool our DC - they got there!

So we dropped DD of yesterday and found out on arrival we were a day early (my fault) the nice man in the accommodation office was very helpful and managed to get her into her room. On the way home it took us 9 hours (stuck on the M6) DD has at found out when her exams are - she has one tomorrow, two Saturday and one on Tuesday and seemed stressed and anxious on the phone. The unknown is indeed scary!

DS is currently packing to go back. I'm about to pop to Aldi to pick up a few bits for him. Feeling really sad...I have so enjoyed him being home. We go down again in 4 weeks for a parents' and first years' formal hall, so I know when I will see him next. I'm surprised at how bad I actually feel, knowing I coped much better than I thought I would last term...

I was surprised at how sad I felt again too, I thought this would easier second time! DS has been really stressed about collections but has done his now and is feeling better, now he’s stressing about the next term’s workload instead. He said it was a bit like starting all over again this time and it’s taken a couple of days for them to settle back in again. I guess they know what to expect with the workload this time too. I wonder if sending them back ever gets easy!

Glad to have a supportive bunch of folk here to admit I'm sad to. Thanks @bakeandyarn and empathy to all who are feeling sad at dropping of their dc again.

I pulled my shoulder yesterday, not sure if it is a trapped nerve or what, but the pain goes from a mild ache to agony if I twist wrongly. Driving to the supermarket then pushing a trolley round was not a good idea. . About to put my feet up with , no cake though!

I have to to say that I'm not sad about DD going back tomorrow. Do understand we often feel a wrench when our children fly the nest but because my DD is happy- I'm so glad she's off back to get stuck in. Caveat: we spent months and months wondering/worrying would my DD fit in and cope with workload. So huge relief here.
Do hope all your DC have good first weeks and us mums adjust to the quiet and tidiness at home in our case .

Oh yes Sunndowne - I am so glad he is happy and getting on well, I'm very happy for him, but stupidly sad for me. I think it is the transition I find hard, I hope once he has been back a week or two I will have adjusted again.

Same here pandag it was hard because he’d got himself in a bit of a panic about his first collections but can get back to normal now. I’ll happily admit I lwould love him here all the time but, I am being totally selfish there!

I'm not sad for dd, though I know she's a bit anxious about going back. She will hopefully be fine and happy (once her exams are over!). I'm sad for me. I was a bit nervous as to how it would be having her around, because it was very difficult when I went back home from university. But I've loved her company. She's been generally cheerful, helpful and a good person to chat to.

We will see her in a few weeks though.

DD is relieved that collections are done and can now unpack properly. Hope collections have been ok for your DC.

A Higher Ed booklet arrived in post today from DS's school. I'm not sure I'm ready yet to go through the whole process again .

Wobbling here too. She's all unpacked but at the last minute wanted to come back to my hotel with me. Which of course she has. She is worried about feeling lonely and missing home.