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

OhYouBadBadKitten

Mine was too (think it was about a week after going back). Sure for them all, it's a combination of the honeymoon period being over (socialising, friendship groups etc) and realisation of normality setting in.

Bit like starting a new job, I told DD...

I also found phone calls brilliant too and thank God they can offload. Please tell your DD there's a LOT of them feeling it (even the ones who look as cool as whatever!). Wishing her the best

xxx

Thank you, It's tough for them isn't it. Lots of pressure. We are visiting her this weekend.

Jaguar thankyou, in a way I'm glad it's not just DD!
She's loads better this morning thankyou - I've just got off FaceTime with her.
Don't know what we'd do without it - I like being able to see her when I speak to her so I know how she really is!
Kitten sorry your DD is feeling down. It's so hard being so far away when they're going through tough times. Good that she's talking on the phone though. Hope you have a lovely visit

I'm glad she's feeling better :)

It's funny how even though they are far away their mood still colours our mood.
dd is much happier today after finally receiving a report from last terms efforts. We hadn't realised how much it was weighing on her. It said good things, so hopefully she can believe in herself more now. I feel happier knowing she is happier.

This SO true Kitten !

Lovely news about your DD and well done her x

:)

Yay! Well Done Little Kitten! (For you to write that it said "good things" I'm guessing it was in fact completely outstanding - I know how modest you and your DD are about her achievements! )
Very glad to hear she's feeling happier x

hesmylobster DS seems to have started essay production at a hundred miles an hour this term too, maybe not quite as fast as your DD though! He has two “hump” weeks where essays overlap so the pressure is on a bit more than usual but he’s learned from last terms experience so is planning his time a lot further in advance which has really helped. He got his collections back which were all good too, such a relief as he’d got so stressed about them and not knowing what to expect. He’s looking forward to Trinity and the optional subject he’s chosen and the opportunity to consolidate his learning ready for prelims. I can’t believe that they are all halfway through their first year, it feels like they are all come such a long way and what a journey!

I am very proud of her :) We are going up tomorrow to see her. I've baked a lemon drizzle cake to take up with us. Hoping to go for a walk along the river if it's not too squelchy.

Is your dd totally on the mend now Lobster?

Well done to your lad Bake! The first exams were a bit scary. I'm not even thinking about how far they are through the year. It seems so recent that they started.

kitten it’s lovely to see them even if it’s not for long isn’t it!

It is!

We had a lovely walk and she seems genuinely happy, so hopefully what ever the storm was, it seems to have passed.

Hope she enjoyed her cake kitten, did you visit Fitzbillies (she types enviously!) too?

Not this time Bake. We did walk out to a tea room in Grantchester. (Makes me giggle that) and that was lovely. It was really wild and windy.
I've also got my tea from the market. There's a really good stall that lets you buy decaf tealeaves by the bucketful.

We did walk out to a tea room in Grantchester. (Makes me giggle that)

To which one has to ask, 'and was there?'
We were in Cambridge for a few days too, sort of for DDs 20th and following the recommendation from this thread did go to fitzbillies for lunch one day, so thanks!

Sounds like we could have had an MN meet up!

Hello all
Catching up. Envious you've all been up/down. We're all too busy and DD is doing really well we think. Went 3 times last term to settle her.
Regarding work, her course seems well organised, the same amount of essays and other assignments as last term so she knows how to organise her time.
New supervisor gives detailed feedback which she enjoys. Busy, busy taking part in lots of low profile extra curric such as mixed netball and she enjoys them all. Proud she is managing so well.
Regarding summer activities, she's on waiting list for one and waiting for others. Although disappointing to not be chosen 1st off, it is good for her - can't go through life always winning but she really wants an abroad opportunity.
What will your DC be doing?

Wondered if you feel like me: doesn't Oxbridge sound fantastic!!!! DD was so daunted when applying and she absolutely loves it.

Lovely to see you back sunndowne :)

dd has applied for some opportunities and it looking for others. So at the moment she has no idea about summer.

Maybe it's good to say that if your dc is a quiet sort who enjoys their work but also needs alone time and isn't one for lots and lots of extra stuff then that's actually fine. I'm beginning to think they may see the busy others and think that's how it should be, even if it's not who they are.

Good to hear positive things from visits to DC. We are back from 24 hours in Cambridge for a parents' formal hall. Was just lovely to see DS happy and with his mates. He is so unselfconscious wearing his gown, he felt a right wally in it when he first tried it on for real (it was DH's, and DS had worn it a few times to be Harry Potter as a child!). We went to his church this morning then took him out for lunch, he had no idea where to go as has only eaten out in Cambridge once, formal hall being meal of choice for birthday treats as only £8 and is byo!

DS is doing a bit of extra curricular - politics society, church stuff, the odd lecture. But Friday night ents and group watching of film or telly series over a cuppa or a pint seems to be a common way of relaxing later in the evening.

He has a paid work placement for 8 weeks in the summer, thankfully a half hour walk or short bus ride from our house. I'm glad we will have him home, but expect he will try to go away with friends in June/early July.

Think it is fine that some take a quieter route kitten. My other DC did. To be honest, there is so much work that they all have quiet alone times quite a lot I imagine.

Paid work placement panda - that sounds good. Have envy you were invited to a formal hall!!

A paid placement is really good!

I pointed out to dd that there are 12k students at Cambridge. They can't all possibly fit into 'spoons.

Not at all sure what DD will do in the summer but I doubt very much that 8 weeks of paid work will be top of her wish list after surviving the work load of this first year!

She’s really enjoying it too, and seems so much more settled than last term, although I’m starting to get the feeling from the tone of her texts that she’s about to hit the half term ‘wall of exhaustion’

Pretty sure the wall of exhaustion has hit with DS too, he has a heavier timetable than last term with a lot of labs, but he is enjoying it. He needs a certain amount of work experience to pass the course, and is pleased he has found some which will count this year - it may also inform module choices and specialisms in the next 3 years too. It will also hopefully fund a new laptop and some driving lessons!