Second year Oxbridge (2019)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I guess our dc would be known as Sophomores in the States Slightly scary eh?

This is a place to chat about the slightly strange and somewhat intense world our dc now inhabit during term time. It follows on from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/3381401-Oxbridge-Freshers-2018

If parents of prospective oxbridge dc have any questions, we are happy to try our best to answer from our limited experience and perspective :)

[Sunndowne]

poor bevelino DD! it is hard going to uni but to Oxbridge, expectations seem higher- feel it can be a bit more fearful! Ask her to talk to her tutor asap. If she can get herself down to dinner etc, it will help.
Keep us posted.

[bevelino]

Dd4 has had a better day and has been chatting to other students on her staircase. College activities have kept her busy all day and she has managed to sort out her room. I have mentioned to her that lots of students have a wobble at the beginning.

[Bakeandyarn]

That’s good to hear bevelino, my DS found it really hard to begin with and freshers week didn’t really suit him, he needed to be getting his teeth into work really. One year on, he’s full of advice for his college children about “getting out and about, because I didn’t do it enough and it made things harder”! One thing that helped him through was a bit of “Mum Mail” now and again, I used to send him little parcels of treats just to keep him going!

[ofteninaspin]

Good advice from Bake's DS re getting out and about. DD auditioned for the dance squad right at the start of last year and she really valued having something to look forward to a couple of times a week that was entirely separate from college. It also widened her social circle beyond that of her relatively small college. And got her cycling around Oxford like a pro as each class/rehearsal seemed to be at a different college.
"Mum mail" is good too!

[Sunndowne]

Am very excited, have booked a small spa hotel just outside city so I can spend a bit of time with DD in a week or so before seeing friends further up country. Got bargain price too.

[HesMyLobster]

Ahh sun that sounds really lovely

I'm on half term this week so will be popping down one day to visit DD.

Seems very strange that it's already half term for DD2 and I, but DD1's term hasn't even started yet!

[ofteninaspin]

Sounds great sunndowne. Much to be excited about!

Enjoy half term Lobster; it's a week later for us. DS will be preparing for the TSA!

DD's term started last week (collections and a tutorial essay completed) so I guess this differs by subject or sciences v humanities?

[HesMyLobster]

Often I suppose it must - Unless your DS is at Cambridge?
DD at Oxford had collections last week and at least one tutorial, but term definitely officially starts today.

[HesMyLobster]

Often sorry - your DD, and I do know your DD is at Oxford too!
Didn't read properly and got mixed up with mention of your DS! Hope his preparations are going well - what subject is he applying for?

[Sunndowne]

Bit tougher this year, 3 essays in 9 days and some other tasks!! She's got to rearrange one date to give her tiny bit more time. Think she'll be studying in our room/hotel lounge!!
Exciting, another getting ready for uni often. Enjoy half term visit lobster. I have a week to go then I get 10 days. Yay!!

[Bakeandyarn]

Term has most definitely started, DS has completed a book review, one essay and has another due in tomorrow. He’s a humanities student so no collections but a fair few of his friends had collections last week.

Can’t believe some of you have half term already, you lucky things, we don’t break up until 25th October. I can’t ever remember it being so late and the little ones at our school are exhausted!

[HesMyLobster]

Ah you say that Bake but I'd have preferred ours to be a week later . . I am not looking forward to week 9!! of the next half term with a class of 5 year olds!

Lovely visit today, granny came along at the last minute and the weather ended up being glorious, so we took her to the castle, which is a part of the city DD has never been to.
Fantastic views from the top of the mound.

She had to pop into college to hand in her first 2 essays of the week, another due in on Thursday.
We were lucky to get her for a whole afternoon, tuesday is her only weekday with no tutorials or language classes so she was free after her morning lecture.
By next week when the work starts flooding in I doubt she'd have squeezed us in for more than a quick lunch.

[Bakeandyarn]

That’s true lobster and we’ll have the nativity to practise!

DS is stressing a bit this week already. He’s had a day less to get two essays done because of when his tutors set them and he’s had to do them the wrong way round. It will be good when he’s back in his normal routine!

[Sunndowne]

Cambridge is lovely- enjoying being here. My DD just got really good feedback from her new supervisor. Her room is really nice. Win. Win. Win. For a change!

[HesMyLobster]

Super news Sun, well done to your DD.
Hope the rest of your visit is as lovely.

DD's college daughter has rusticated struggling with mh by the sounds of it. DD is sad not to have been able to help her through it (she did try) but I think it's probably for the best.

Her housemate's bike was stolen this week overnight from right outside DD's window which has shaken her up a bit. Their house is set back from the road on quite a long drive so I think it feels like their safe space has been violated a bit.
Cut right through a brand new D lock. 2 other bikes there including DD's but it doesn't look like they attempted to take them. Now of course they're all worried they'll come back for them.

[Sunndowne]

Oh no lobster. Unnerving for her.

[ofteninaspin]

Hope Bake's DS's workload is settling into some sort of routine? DD is a bit thrown by the randomness of her current essay schedule (science subject).
A great start to the year for you and your DD Sunndowne .
Well done to your DD Lobster for supporting her college daughter and sorry about the outcome. DD's college father and husband both rusticated in the first term last year and DD was sad that it hadn't worked out for them. Unsettling re the bike theft too. Really don't know what more you can do to secure a bike left outside if they are prepared to cut through a D lock .

[Bakeandyarn]

They all seem quite settled now I have is fantastic, one of DS’s friends, in the flat above, had his bike stole from outside their accommodation. They weren’t deterred by the cctv! It’s not very nice for them at all.

It’s a shame to hear of students rusticating so early on, the whole Oxbridge experience can be a bit of a shock for them, it’s so full on from day one.

DS is already thinking about his next papers and what he should choose, time is flying and it won’t be long before they are halfway!

[Bakeandyarn]

Hope all the DC’s are ok. DS is feeling the pressure at the moment, he will have completed half the term’s work by next week so it’s been relentless and he’s really tired. He’s worrying that the time pressures mean he isn’t able to write to his usual standard and he doesn’t like compromising. By the end of third week he will be able to breathe a big sigh of relief but it’s been a full on start to term so far and I will be relieved when he’s through this bit!

[Sunndowne]

It's tough bake. I think my DD will really feel the pressure mid term. She's working and playing hard at moment and seems in good form. My DD feels the stress at times though so I'm waiting for that moment!!!

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Hey all, you dropped off TIO! I've got a lot of catching up to do.

We too had a visit this weekend. dds room is really suiting her. Nice and quiet, but easy to get to the things she enjoys. The work load is manageable, if somewhat uneven in terms of supervisions. She's happy :)

[Sunndowne]

oh glad to hear Little Kitten is doing well! Good on her! Brillaint how they all mange so much there! My DD is packing her time full!

[swimmer4]

Hi everyone,
Don’t always contribute but love reading everyone’s comments as it helps to hear people’s advice.
My DS has returned to college accommodation this term to find he has company in his room ......of the rodent variety 😬 🐭
Pest control have visited but only left a devise in DS’s room. A second mouse was spotted in the kitchen 5 days later.
Have any of your DC had to deal with this and do any of you know how effective the ‘box’ is?
Thanks

[Foxforduni]

This is actually something l worried about on the open day tour with the buildings being so ancient. Is this a general college problem? Because if it is this would rule it out for us. DD has a major major phobia.

[Sunndowne]

Oooh. Horrid. Haven't heard of that at all. DD in old building two years running - just fine. Ask for a bit more support with this .