Oxford and Cambridge current students - discussion thread for anyone with daughters, sons etc there for Michaelmas 2020 (and not just freshers!)

[DadDadDad]

A continuation thread for those attending Oxbridge for the first time this term, but it makes sense to throw it open to anyone with a DC there (or other family member, or maybe you're a student yourself or teach / work there - all welcome!) Share your thoughts and questions on college life, courses, etc. A certain virus has made it a bit different for everyone this year...

I have a DS who is a fresher at a small Oxford college in a small subject. We will be taking him there in just over a week.

@PantTwizzler, really sorry to hear that both your DD and DS are struggling in their own ways - it must be extra difficult to have both of them to worry about...

DD has settled in nicely. Having the time of her life. Signed up for a dozen clubs, mostly sport, as it seems the most "on". She'll try them all then whittle down to a manageable number of distractions.
Her household has gelled and having great fun together at punting and dinners. Haven't heard enough news or had many pics, but happy she's so ecstatic.
Teaching seems half in person half online. Another plus is the college has no event hire, so the students are able to study in rooms they usually don't even see. It may be a "Cambridge lite" experience in some ways, but a nice gentle start in others.
No news about her covid tests, so fingers crossed.

That's so interesting @Coleoptera, sounds like a very big contrast indeed. I wonder how reflective it is of Oxford v Cambridge and how much it's down to the individual colleges?

I haven't asked DS (O) whether people are interested in their subjects but I do think his college sounds more similar to your DT2 (O).

DS is very happy because he's been released from isolation. One of his bubble mates developed symptoms and had a test yesterday, which has just come back negative.

@Coleoptera, I hope your DT1's experience of C improves. He will meet like-minded souls at some point. No doubt about it. Maybe even the ones who are trying so hard to seem cool abotu not reading the reading list and wear nothing but trackies. (Even my DS1 who lives in suits and tweeds promised me he'd wear 'real boy' clothes of chinos and polo shirts in the first week so he didn't come across as a nascent Rees-Mogg.

Both my DC are enjoying uni life. DS1 (O) has discovered his sport is suspended for now as there's nowhere to practise due to Covid restrictions but he's so busy with joint honours, choir and a very lively bubble on his corridor that he sounded almost relieved not disappointed.

I’ve PM’d you @Coleoptera

DS had an actual face-to-face practical today (Materials Science). It was a good opportunity to meet some students from other colleges. He has also joined an orchestra which has members from across the university - hopefully they will be able to rehearse together soon. His first supervision is on Monday.

So DD having been back since late Thursday went to her pidge today. Jury summons for 26 October - 2 weeks out of an 8 week term is quite a time...

Of course is dated late August so has been there some time...

Nothing can be done until Monday but does seem to be one thing after another at the moment.

Finally heard from uncommunicative DS today - he phoned for a chat. He seems settled and has had a full week drinking socialising (he implied that students aren't being that strict about mixing across the college / university). He sounded happy, and has his first essay to do for Thursday.

I think he has one superpower (or anti-superpower) - he always manages to get punctures on his bike. I even bought an expensive replacement tyre for his back wheel that I was told is puncture-proof (kevlar-lined, I think), and after one week, guess what...

It's a five minute walk from the first-year accommodation to the college refectory but he's already grumbling about having to do that for every meal.

She can defer the jury service Ellie.

Ellie that is the third jury summons I've heard of for students over the last few days. I think the random generator has hone into overdrive. Your DD needs to be very clear when she is available and request a defer.

I think many of his cohort went to schools where, to 'survive' you had to hide your intellect and fit in and they're still thinking they need to do the same here. At least that's my own theory.

Really Coleoptera? You do seem to be making a lot of assumptions about the majority of Oxbridge students who didn't go to academically selective schools. Perhaps they just comfortable with their own ability and don't feel they have to show it all the time in a bid to keep up with their peers.

We've chatted to DD and she will speak to college and request a deferral on Monday. Only concern is that it's been in her pidge for weeks so outside the 7 day period stated on it. Having said that both the college and the courts service could have been a bit more on the ball...

Reminded me of my own service which was called for the first day of my first job after uni... Managed to move that!

DD seems fine. They are settling back into student life so some late nights and she has a problem sheet to do for Tuesday.

Not all Oxbridge students feel the need to talk about their subject all the time. It's great he is mixing with people from all backgrounds @Coleoptera and that's a credit to the College that they have a diverse intake.

I'd be amazed if DS1 started talking about chemistry to people he'd just met. He can talk for hours on it on the right context and he loves his subject but it's not something he'd chat about with a group of new people. The only exception would be his knowledge of explosives and commentary on bomb making techniques. This could get him noticed for the wrong reasons.

Had a video chat with him late morning. He looks pretty rough. His household seem to getting on well and taking it turns to get in beer from the Tesco Metro. I think they have one final session planned tonight (with the mini keg I bought him) before settling down to work on Monday.

These are normal 18 & 19 year olds discussing normal things as they make friends and bond with each other. Similar conversations will be taking place at Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Exeter, Leeds and Manchester. They've all been cooped up at home for the past 6 months & they probably haven't picked up a copy of Brideshead Revisited or Stalingrad recently. I'm sure your DTs will make lots of friends once they get into term, but the activities and conversations you are describing are the way in which people break down barriers.

Ha! I am not sure what your DT1 would make of DD. She is one of the ones from an inner city sixth form, struts about in a porn star coat and a look at me pout, is presently designing tattoos for her new friends and plays her music at top volume. All week she has rolled up to breakfast with a hangover, but come Monday it is head down. What she won't let on is that since March she done the reading list, worked her way through all the on line galleries, worked out what she is going to do for the first term, had work sold, published in a book, and spent time working with other artists. She doesn't feel the need, and her friends have other superpowers.

Coleoptera I think, as much as I can remember, that studying for most of us was just something we all did as we went along. My mind is rusty but the majority of the time we just chatted about the usual life nonsense I think. I am NOT particularly academic by nature and regretted choosing Oxbridge, but definitely had friends who were in exactly the right place and totally relished their degrees; I also knew others who very much hid their lights under a bushel throughout and got perfectly good degrees.

I think both your twins have probably given their Oxbridge courses a lot more thought than most of their comrades, as they’ve had their year off, were able to put an enormous amount of preparation into their applications, and have known for several months they were definitely going there. You’ve given them huge time to spend the year in an academic way and I think that’ll be very rare for others, even those who took a year out. I’d be surprised if many others have planned out two terms’ worth of essays for example - their norm is perhaps more academic than the average! I’m glad DT2 is living the dream though.

Staircase mates are always utterly random and this year they unfortunately mean a lot more than they usually would. I didn’t meet the people I really clicked with until the start of my second year, and they were not in my college, most not doing my subject, and some not in my year. DT1 has clearly been given an incentive to get out there and start that process far earlier than most, so good for him!

Interesting to read all the different experiences - it’s such early days yet and hopefully they’ll all find their friends in time. It doesn’t happen instantly and in many ways I think it best not to rush into it as things change. That said, it’s just a whole lot tougher with Covid hanging over them.

Finally heard from DS - I was itching to text/call...he seems to be having a very good time - gets on well with his household but has also met a group of 6 with his college siblings who he seems to have really gelled with. I think perhaps there’s been an awful lot of outings to the pub and I have a feeling next week’s impending essay / work might well be a rather sharp wake up call after well over a year out of practice! He has been to the (free) laundry so I should think of the positives!

@Unescorted - your DD sounds amazing! (And she would have probably terrified me if I'd met her as an 18-year old introverted mathmo fresher... ).

Please don't get me wrong. DD has tackled books from the reading list too, but didn't dare start until after she knew she was actually going, which meant anything else got pushed to one side. If someone started to discuss books from the reading list casually with her over breakfast, she would splutter toast over them.

Unescorted I saw another thread a couple of days ago complaining about a lack of schools specialising in fine art. I think your DD needs to show them how it's done.

Dad I am biased, but I think she is amazing too. Although she terrifies me in equal measure. I am not entirely sure where she has got her work ethic and bravery from.

Hog in Art it is assessed so she knew that she had the grades when it all went pear shaped for everyone else. It also helped that her 6th form asked if she would do the Oxbridge pep talk next year.