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.

D1 (Oxford) has only just got her College parents - they advised her to sign up to Facebook, which she did, reluctantly (has always hated the idea, never used it) and promptly got a lifeban without having posted a single thing .

Her college says they will be able to sign up for an arrival slot 'soon' - and I'm on tenterhooks as we need Saturday afternoon (distance, hotel booked etc) and am worried she won't see the email in time.

She's sorted out a student bank account today which should have been easy as she's already got accounts with Nationwide, but of course wasn't. Done now though. And she's had the information about her bursary and travel allowance which are more generous than she was expecting so she's feeling happier about managing her finances.

The rumour is that all self catering kitchens will be closed so am making a list of things she can keep in her room that can be eaten cold or only require water from the kettle...

Your DS is not the only one @Coleoptera. My DS doesn't have college parents either. At this point I might be wondering whether they are in the same college, but I'm pretty sure his doesn't have gardens large enough to have a garden open day. DS is constantly asking me questions about what to pack etc. etc. and I tell him to ask his parents. Maybe they've forgotten him. He'll be an orphan at this rate!
I keep waiting for the axe to fall, but as far as I know the pre-season rugby is still happening, albeit I expect it will be different to normal / socially distanced. Really not long to go for us.

DS hopes to find out about room allocation, tutor and college parents by the end of this week.

Jules we are doing the same with regards to food in case they need to self isolate in their rooms.

So far consists of wraps with chocolate spread, couscous and making pasta in a thermos. Plus a lot of noodles.

DS1 (Oxford) has his parents and his room allocation. I've even been able to google a pic of his accommodation - pretty college owned house just over the road from college and 10 mins walk to labs. Household of 10 so a good workable bubble.

His college had an all freshers zoom call today to run through a few bits and pieces, mainly rules. Plus we have drop off date. No time slot but we're not far away so no worries.

Jules how on earth did she manage to get a life ban without even trying. Did she accudentallynput her name in as Hitler Adolf in a bizarre auto correct?

@JulesJules - DS1 informed me this afternoon that you can make rice in a kettle. Oh dear, I thought I'd done a good job in training him. Rice in a kettle? Next cup of coffee would be rank!

No parents and no drop off slot for DS either although emails are now trickling through. A bit alarmed that self catering kitchens might be closed as DS is determined to self cater .

No idea how she managed to get banned on Facebook, it came through as soon as she signed up. She's furious - 'They've got my data!'
I don't like the idea of rice in a kettle either! I wondered about getting her a small microwave for her room, but apparently they are a fire risk and not allowed. She can take a mini fridge, I'm hoping ours still works as it's been in the garage for a while. I don't see why sharing a kitchen is riskier than sharing a bathroom with the same people.

It will be fine Huashan, he can cook rice in a kettle.

I don't see why sharing a kitchen is riskier than sharing a bathroom with the same people.

Except you share the space in a shared bathroom sequentially, not contemporaneously - so yes, a possible risk of touching contaminated surfaces, but not of failing to distance properly whilst breathing the same air, so to speak?

One of mine cooked pasta in a kettle too. To be fair to him, he did have a second kettle for boiling water for drinks.

DS hasn’t been given a moving in date/time yet - just notice that it will be one of two days. Hope we hear soon as it’s all getting rather close now. He’s been given 3 college mums - clearly he needs lots of mothering!

I ordered a mattress topper this morning from John Lewis. The app told me that lots of other people were viewing at the same time!

Wondering if DS1 needs two kettles, a rice and a coffee kettle 😂

DD had her room allocated last week and can see a photo of it online which is a new one on me - the other first year rooms were all surprises. She says her two hour moving in window hasn't given limits on family/ friend helpers. Have other Oxford DC been given a limit?

DD's mattress topper is enormously high - never seen one like it. She'll need a ladder to climb into bed.

@JulesJules is that just at her college? DD’s oxford college is encouraging the use of the self catering kitchens to reduce capacity at the dining halls.

@goodbyestranger yes my DD is only allowed one person to help her move in.

@cinammonbuns Yes, all the info is college specific I think, they all seem to have their own approaches. If they can't cook for themselves (and not allowed microwaves in rooms) then they will all have to eat in hall which has its own set of issues.

We only have our moving in day but not our time. Nothing on number of helpers but as DS1's house is on a side street I think we'll be OK to drive up and drop the stuff at the front door. Maybe we won't get a time as it's not actually within the college.

@goodbyestranger - most of DS1's college rooms have pictures on line via the JCR website. There is also access to former occupants feedback on each room. It's quite insightful.

Some of the Oxford colleges haven’t sent out the letters from parents yet. My daughter (2nd year small central college) wrote hers in July and their JCR told them they were going out last Friday but the college had delayed them until yesterday evening. Remind your kids that they need to do the contacting as college parents don’t know the identities of their allocated kids.

Re families: DD got an email link to a survey. Choices re your personality/favourite ways to spend a night off so they can match you with parents with similar vibe. Good idea? So shy board game types aren't matched with clubbers and vice versa?

DS’s college match parents by subject first and then interests. With only two second years reading DS’s subject it shouldn’t take long to match parent with child!
Can’t fault DS’s Cambridge college on prearrival info. Feel fortunate to be allowed two helpers for two hours.
Info slowly trickling through for Oxford too. DD (third year) is allowed one helper for 20 mins drop off. Scouts will clean common areas but not bedrooms. DD won’t be allowed in Hall on main site for lunch or in the college library other than to collect books. An alternative kitchen and dining hall is being installed at the South Oxford site for everyone living off main site. DD has been asked to pack lightly this term.

@ofteninaspin Pack lightly? Not happening.

Haha FingerNailNibbler! DD has exams in week 1 so she's taking the absolute minimum to start with and I will bring anything extra at a later date. She won't need subfusc (exams are online) or much in the way of cocktail dresses/shoes for formals/other events this term.