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.

Another thank you for HappyThursdays! Great to read a positive perspective from someone who was there.

Thank you @HappyThursdays - DS1 has been a bit flat over the last week but Saturday gave him a little taste of what the future might look like. Life has to go on and maybe next year the 1st and 2nd years will do something together....

For anyone worrying about their daughter or son who is isolating in college, this is one way of getting food to them. (You may need to scroll down to see the last picture on the page. It is Trinity, C)

What do you mean, @Brashopper ?

The last picture shows a student leaning out of a second floor window holding a rope, which has a bag attached to it.

A second student, (probably coincidentally dressed in Christmas red and green) is standing on the ground outside the college. It looks as if she has put something into the bag which the first student is pulling up.

You need to click on the picture to see the detail.

Sorry that I can’t find a way to link just to that picture. It’s October 2020 25/25.

@Greektome, sorry, it wasn’t a completely serious post.

Your son/daughter would have to have access to a room which faces outside college for this method to work.

@Brashopper
The photos on that page are stunning.

@ironoaks, yes, his standard is excellent. I follow A Cambridge Diary on Facebook. There’s a new picture every day. Or, you can just go to his website.

@HappyThursdays another thanks from me! DS has not had much opportunity to doing anything yet at Oxford but on Saturday he did go to the Ratcliffe Camera with his housemates and said it felt at last like he was an Oxford student. He said although it was busy, most were in their households. Really appreciate you taking the time to post!

Another recommend for A Cambridge Diary on Facebook if you're that way inclined. Martin Bond is a genuinely talented photographer and it's nice to see images that aren't all pretty colleges (although plenty of that too if that's what you want)

DS has been keen to provide a swab for the asymptomatic testing programme and this week he was finally selected (third time lucky!). His household has tested negative so far.

The university-wide orchestra he wanted to join is not rehearsing this term, but he has joined a college choir (just a casual choir, not the chapel choir). It's a small group, which makes distanced rehearsals feasible. I'm glad he has found an activity where they can meet in person.

The choir sounds good @Ironoaks. DS has also been asked for a swab for the first time this week. His household is negative so far.
DS has been playing tennis a couple of times a week so he is regularly meeting people from outside his household. He seems pretty happy with everything as we approach three weeks today!

Hope he enjoys the choir @Ironoaks.

DS in temporary isolation while one of his bubble is tested for Covid. So no choir for him this week. I am sending cake.

Is anyone planning to visit their DC this term (lockdown restrictions permitting)?

I suggested it to DS and he told me he could be free for two hours on a Tuesday . If they are so busy cramming everything into 8-week terms, maybe it would be a stress to try to fit in lunch with family.

What do you think?

@dolphinpose - we've booked to stay a night next week near Oxford and will see DS during that time. I'm not necessarily expecting to spend hours with him - I know he's busy with study - but we can treat him to lunch or similar.

We'll be social distancing and we won't be able to go into his accommodation, but it will be nice to see him in person even if for a short while. Also, it's our first break away for a long time (AirBnB house a few miles from Oxford).

@DadDadDad - I think that's the way to do it. We'll come up for the day with his brother but look around on our own and meet up with him for lunch.

DS doesn't have any teaching on Sundays so we're hoping to meet him for afternoon tea at Fitzbillies one weekend. No visitors allowed in his college at the moment, understandably.

That sounds fun @Ironoaks. DS has two essays due on Mondays so the weekends are out.

Dolphinpose we’re not visiting over half term. We live in tier 3 so not going anywhere . DH’s work is finally picking up after a scarily quiet few months so nothing is being turned away!

Sorry about that @Bollard 🙁.
DS’s (C) college have asked parents not to visit this term. However, we have accommodation booked “just in case” DS decides he wants a visit mid term.
I still plan to visit DD (O) for coffee or lunch in Oxford. It’s doable in a day and we’re (currently) in the lowest Tier.

That's a shame @Bollard. I can understand colleges not wanting visitors on the premises, but a lunch with the parents might be an uplift for freshers who have been self-isolating. Good to hear his work is picking up.

@ofteninaspin - are the college literally asking parents not to set foot in Cambridge, say to meet up in a park, or for a suitably distanced lunch? That seems a bit much - I wonder if other colleges are saying the same?

We were asked - in a pre-arrival Zoom call with master, bursar etc - to “stay away“ this term. Obviously, they can’t prevent parents from visiting Cambridge and meeting up outside of college but the impression given was to avoid doing so this term. DS’s first year accommodation has had no positive cases - yet. There are Covid rules but choir, Hall and f2f teaching is all happening so it’s not overly restrictive. Would hate to jeopardise any of that so we’ll see how DS is doing as term progresses.

“are all happening” 🙄

I can't keep up with the different tiers and rules. If I thought DS (O) needed a visit I would go, but luckily he is very happy and I'm sure would much rather be left to get on with things. He is really enjoying the course and is particularly enthusiastic about the in-person labs and tutorials.

Apparently half of the fresher households in his college are self-isolating in bubbles and some other individuals are isolating in their rooms pending results of tests, but with the rest of the bubble still free to come and go. I think maybe the bubble isolation is for positive tests or symptoms in the bubble and the individual isolation is because that person came into contact with a positive person but doesn't have symptoms. Does anyone know the exact rules? I am really hoping that everyone will just have to do one stint of SI, but am a bit worried they might finally be set free only to be sent back to the slammer because they come into contact with a positive case. We could end up with a situation where everyone is in their rooms!