Oxbridge 2020 (thread 10) - the path to the first term (just one slight hurdle to clear first)

[DadDadDad]

For better or worse, there is a bit of a bond of mutual experience between parents whose DC go through the Oxbridge application process. Thank you for your companionship so far - and thank you to others who started the earlier threads in this series.

This thread should take us to the start of the first term (whatever form that takes). All welcome here, but for many of us hopefully this will be the place for practical support as we help prepare these peculiar* young adults to spread their wings.

But the first item on the agenda appears to be the small matter of judgement...

*or for those who chose Oxford, very peculiar.

Oh and yeah, I think even the most lax colleges would be confiscating electric airers due to fire regs. At ours we're technically not even allowed to use extension leads!

Ah thanks ofteninaspin. We will take a trip to M&S. Wonder if they will trade in the suit we bought a couple of years ago that has been worn precisely once?!
When do boys stop growing? I grew an inch in my first year at Oxford!

Good points bakedpotato. Thank you.

Apologies Portus, reference to suits for gangly lads was intended for PantTwizzler.

Anybody aware of any sport other than tennis that is planning to go ahead this term?

Rowing has started again here in London but I don’t know about Oxford. Football is going ahead in Cambridge at least at university level.

DS1 finally relented today and let me do some shopping for him. We had a moment in John Lewis when choosing towels. He decided to try them on for size to ensure they are suitable for a bathroom / bedroom dash. He has thoughtfully selected bath sheets rather than bath towels to ensure everyone avoids embarrassment. 😉

He chose black ones which have a touch of Hugh Hefner about them. Each to their own.

Interestingly DMIL got an alumni email from her Oxford college today (not a wealthy holiday be) seeking a donation to help cover COVID costs. One of the costs they are anticipating is extra academic support for Freshers as they are concerned anyone who lost a lot of teaching time (most people) will struggle and potentially become demotivated. They are also having to source a number of rooms from external landlords and want to subsidise the cost so no Fresher pays more than if they were in College accommodation.

As a parent of DD about to go into year 2 at an Oxford College - accommodation now all up in the air. Older years being asked to volunteer to live out and those with rooms allocated already in the ballot being told - 'you will be moved' - but no details on where. Combination of over-admitting and needing to reduce numbers on a corridor to more acceptable levels for household bubbles. DD's college is working hard so that all freshers in college.

Because it's really easy to find a decent house to rent privately in Oxford in late Aug ....

No wonder some of the colleges are slow to be in touch with info! Mind you, DS has so much info from college that it’s overwhelming.

sandy, I am surprised that a loss of teaching time for Oxbridge offer holders is an issue. Most of the A level content would have been almost finished around the time schools closed and anyone with a confirmed place is presumably sufficiently motivated/capable of finishing the syllabus or revising the content of anything relevant to their degree subject? There was ample time during lockdown for relevant reading too. I didn't go to Oxbridge (or any top university) but I would hope that Oxbridge level students are pretty good at self study.

Iswym @ofteninaspin, but self study ( which in DDs subject ,History, is essentially reading) isnt the same as writing an essay , which she hasnt done since March! They’re bound to be rusty.

@ofteninaspin - I think the circumstances this year are pretty unique. DS1 was very fortunate and got continued extension and project work from his school up to the beginning of June but many won't have had anything since March. Even the most self motivated students will have floundered a bit in the void of the last few months.

I totally agree sandy. Like most people they had their whole world turned upside down and even the most motivated of students will have struggled. Never mind those who have been perhaps trying to share a small space with parents and siblings with a family laptop or similar. Reading material is expensive too without the use of libraries.

All good points, thank you.
DS actually wrote revision notes, did several timed essays and fourteen past papers up until two weeks before results day to “keep his hand in” in case he needed to sit Autumn exams. He is now having a complete rest from academic work!

Going back into a formal learning environment is going to be a huge shock to the system since being unceremoniously dumped by her 6th form in April. She is making headway with some books on the reading list.

She's not remotely bothered about the lack of formals & different eating arrangements, she just wants to get on with it & move in. It all sounds far better than what every other uni is offering and as long as any tents don't blow down & she's housed on site, she'll be happy.

DS is the same Hoghgyni just keen to get started. His college doesn't seem big on formals anyway and he has a provisional freshers timetable with quizzes and pub trips. He doesn't seem phased by the work he had been set but he has done some Maths every day since lockdown so its perhaps not a shock. I must say I'm hugely impressed with tgecwsy Oxford has tackled noth the A level fiasco and Covid planning.

Agreed Huashan. There was something in an email yesterday about students being responsible for sanitizing the space they have used in tutorials, which makes sense. Perhaps I should be adding Zoflora and a spray bottle to the essential purchase list!

I've bought dd some packs of clinell wipes to wipe down her gyp and any communal surfaces. I felt very guilty when the package arrived and I realised how much would be going into the bin.

@Hoghgyni

Agreed Huashan. There was something in an email yesterday about students being responsible for sanitizing the space they have used in tutorials, which makes sense. Perhaps I should be adding Zoflora and a spray bottle to the essential purchase list!

That's funny. In the letter from DS's college it says that rooms will be cleaned before and after tutorials but no mention of students doing it. The luxury option then.

Presumably they mean students can do exactly what anyone hot desking does at work, with a quick squirt or disinfectant wipe for their own peace of mind. I don't imagine for a moment they're expecting students to turn up with a mop, bucket & rubber gloves.

@PantTwizzler

Rowing has started again here in London but I don’t know about Oxford. Football is going ahead in Cambridge at least at university level.

There was a boat out on the Cam the other day when we walked past, plus a Uni minibus outside one of the boat sheds (and the door was open), so that's a good sign that things are happening

DS1 is sad there is unlikely to be rugby for the foreseeable future and has resigned himself to low level football and student politics.

DS also resigned about rugby. He's assuming that cycling and golf will be happening. I'd quite like him to confirm this before we lug huge amounts of kit across the country.

Actually, I wondered if anyone has experience with DC and cycling. DS has a half decent road bike and there's no way he should be leaving it in a bike shed. But his college says no bikes in rooms. Anyone know how to get round this problem?

Actually @SnapSnapDragon all hope may not be list for rugby. RFU have announced next stage of lifting of restrictions tonight. Not quite there yet but closer than it was.

www.englandrugby.com/news/article/limited-contact-training-approved-for-community-clubs