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 It's a good point - we did check before she started as we would have taken ours when we took her down to Oxford. Mini fridges were allowed, but we couldn't fit it in the car. Also allowed a kettle (has to be on a tray).

Fairy lights are forbidden in theory - but when D1 checked with her college mother she said that everyone has them anyway, and no one seems to mind. We went fairy light shopping in JL Christmas dept and I had to resist the decs (Bowl of sushi bauble etc)

The crazy, illogical thing is that some days ago, another person in their household was in contact with someone who tested positive but as that person had no symptoms themselves nor did a Covid test, then no one in the household was locked down!

If you mean that they were in close contact, within the relevant 'window', with someone from outside their household, who tested positive, then only they, the actual contact (not the rest of the household, unless they also had contact with that person), are required to self isolate. But they need to self isolate for the full 14 days from the last contact with that person, even if they get symptoms and are therefore tested, but are negative.

The self isolation of a whole household is only required if a member of that household has symptoms, but doesn't manage to get a test or, has symptoms and has a positive test (or has had a test which was carried out as part of a random / mass screening process, which was positive).

Near miss here too - the most socially active person in DD's college came back a -ve. The whole college were on threat of lockdown.

It is odd how different the colleges are approaching this - DD's is very relaxed, they have set out a marquee for them to sit in. Her Boyf's is fining / suspending people for not complying with the rules they have laid out.

Sorry to hear about all those on isolation. DS (O) is also isolating as someone in his household of 4 had symptoms and her test came back positive today!
He did enjoy his zoom tutorial today though, so that's good!

White shirt and black trousers needed for matriculation tomorrow. Guess whose DS waited to go to M&S in Oxford an hour before closing tonight to get these items and discovered that it can be painfully expensive when it's not your mother cannily shopping online or in the sales...? He phoned me in the shop to talk him through collar sizes - at least it meant the whole family got to have a chat with him.

DS (O) matriculating tomorrow too. Is it the whole university or do they stagger over a few days? I said I presumed it would be online but he said no, all dressed up and photos etc. I'm v pleased for them (those are not isolating anyway )

DD's matriculation is cancelled as there are approximately 20% of the students in the college who have either tested positive or are SI like DD. They're getting a daily email updating the stats. She asked if she could have an exercise slot as she had tested negative, but was refused. A 3 course dinner is bring delivered each evening, so I imagine she will need to double her activity levels upon release, especially as she raided Tesco for snacks & treats as soon as cases started to rise.

DD4 is quite clear that matriculation for her college is not happening in the Sheldonian as usual but that they're getting an online welcome video to watch with their household and then photos. I don't see how some colleges would be allowed to do the ceremony as usual but not others.

I think everyone is having the welcome video, but sub fuscing (is there such a verb?) is postponed until happier times or the spring.

Hoghgyni I was wondering about the proper ceremony. It sounds as though some people are having photos in sub fusc. But when posters say their DC is having a formal matriculation I'm assuming that there's just some confusion, and that the ceremony isn't happening in the Sheldonian. I would assume that legally they all matriculate tomorrow, so I doubt they'll do the ceremony again in the Spring?

Her college is just planning to do the dressing up, photos & champagne brunch at a later date when everyone can enjoy it. I think everyone is watching the formal welcome speech at the Sheldonian by video link tomorrow. Presumably some of the colleges can still enjoy the party atmisphere in barquees or outside.

"New students will be matriculated in absentia during 0th Week of Michaelmas term 2020, and a remote University welcome will be held, due to the ongoing pandemic. The Formal Welcome to the University by the Vice-Chancellor will take place on the date originally planned for the face-to-face ceremony - Saturday 17 October (end of 1st Week). Hosted online, it will see the Vice-Chancellor addressing all new students (whether matriculated or not) – incorporating traditional elements of previous matriculation ceremonies, while acknowledging the extraordinary circumstances brought about by the pandemic. Decisions about whether to substitute in-person matriculation ceremonies throughout the remainder of the 2020/21 academic year with matriculation in absentia will be taken at a later date."

OK, that's clear now, thank you hog and goodbye. DS seems sure he's sub-fuscing, but I think that's just for photos and I suspect may even be informal ones and not organised by college. Sorry to raise a false alarm!

Yes, I should have made clear - the sub-fusc is just for the photos. DS was very insistent that we should buy a copy of his matriculation photo (so I assume that means a professional photographer doing a group photo of his college). I sense there may be some wandering around and drinking in their outfits too...

In other news, the general public is being advised to avoid Oxford city centre on Saturday.

I hadn't read that piece Hoghgyni just got from DD that the Sheldonian proper wasn't happening.

Her college seems to be a photo college so I hope she's bought some subfusc!

I've only bought one matriculation photo and that was because I had serious doubts that that particular DC (DS2) would manage to graduate....

(I have a few others of DDs with chipped nail polish, hair in disarray etc - they're not up my landing with the graduation pics needless to say :)).

@SnapSnapDragon - you've just made sense of a photo DS sent me a few minutes ago without explanation - full sub fusc with white tie and mortar board. I stupidly asked if this was for formal hall or choir. I thought they'd matriculated days ago in their rooms! Must be the informal matriculation photo. They do look happy.

Just got a similar photo from DS1 @monkeyonthetable - white tie looks very smart. Informal photo in front of his quirky front door. No idea what's happening but at least I have the long awaited photo!

Hmph, I don't have a photo! DS wants to talk through a particular maths topic with me. I've just texted him: no photo, no maths.

We have had a sub fusc photo this morning. I am not entirely sure the skirt is regulation length, but she looks happy.

Sole message on WhatApp this morning from DS: "Photos are coming".

Although, @SnapSnapDragon, I don't really understand - I'd much rather discuss maths than look at photo. Got a little taste last night when DS2 tried to teach differentiation from first principles to DW - we have a whiteboard in the kitchen so that took me back to my teaching days...

I secretly agree @DadDadDad, I do want to talk through the maths (I mean, second-order non-homogenous differential equations, what's not to love?). I just want a photo as well
Love the idea of a whiteboard in the kitchen!

Ooh, differential equations, yum, yum. I still remember meeting Green's functions in my first year, but sadly I've forgotten how they work.

Whiteboards are great - we use it for writing up reminders and shopping lists. Both DSs have whiteboards in their rooms which are magnetic and so they are great for to-do list and pinning up important bits of paper. Not massively expensive and fairly easy to put up.

@SnapSnapDragon.