Oxford and Cambridge current students discussion thread

[sandybayley]

Starting a new one as we filled it up!

Can't believe DS1 will be home in 2 weeks. Must remember to adjust the Ocado shop for when he's back. I suspect we may end up with a few days of his favourite meals 😊

Collections done with minimal stress. All 5 of us are busy with work so no interrupting each other.

Tonight appears to be college dog night. DDog has disappeared upstairs with DS1 (highly illegal - never allowed upstairs) to be introduced to the other college dogs. No cats allowed.

DDog1 used to be allowed upstairs until DDog2 came on the scene and woke me one morning with a kiss, having just been sick on the carpet. Not good. Neither have been upstairs since.

Is DDog1 the accepted "abbreviation" for Dog1 on MN?

or GGg?

I think it's pretty universal that no colleges are winning awards for mental health awareness with this whole situation, which is very sad .
We were in the opposite situation with dd and she was treated equally poorly. She really couldn't cope with the isolation last term and wanted to come home and work from home instead . She practically had to beg , wait at every stage for communication from the relevant bodies and get a letter from her GP.
This term she was told pre going back that if she didn't want to return she would need another GP letter , which she paid for , to then find they didn't want them back after all !
I'm so sorry for those of you whose offspring are being refused return . They don't seem to be treating them like adults at all.
Dd just applied for a masters at a London uni as it has really put her off staying, sad as we are a Cambridge family through and through and I wanted her to love her time there.

Cherwell published an article on 15 January which includes some more detail about the current plan for which courses and year groups and when.

cherwell.org/2021/01/15/university-announces-courses-allowed-to-return-for-start-of-hilary/

I can't find the information on the Oxford website that the article refers to but it seems likely to be authentic.

sandybayley DD read out an email from her college about a week ago which was that exact list. I especially remember it saying chemists for week 5.

But I'm more confused about any faux pas committed by typing DDog. I'll assume I'm sheltered in some way :)

I thought it might be some sort of Crime Against Mathematics initially, conscious of DadDadDad's fondness of the subject, then my mind went in another direction which I shut down quickly....

Has your DS not had that list sent by his college too sandybayley?

@goodbyestranger

But I'm more confused about any faux pas committed by typing DDog. I'll assume I'm sheltered in some way :)

No faux pas. While "DD" is a two-letter abbreviation to avoid typing the 8 letters of "daughter", I'm bemused at people who type DDog (4 letters) in place of "dog".

@goodbyestranger -DS1's college is lovely but small and a bit crap at admin. At other times that would be part of its charm. So he hasn't seen that list.

I'm very happy with DDog as a term!

@sandybayley - but the point is that the dogs are dear/darling. G wouldn't work a he is definitely rarely 'good'.

Now I've tagged myself when I meant to tag @DadDadDad - duh

Simarlarly, both of my two Ddogs would have to be VVBdogs if I was to characterise them accurately, so I think that's your answer on the issue of economy DadDadDad.

Also DadDadDad - glasshouses!!!

Anyhow, delighted that that small life puzzle has been solved.

My own DS1 was at the same college sandybayley. It's a beauty.

Anyhow, your DS might like to know that the list is definitely a thing and is doing the circles elsewhere. The article makes clear that Merton students have had it and DD is elsewhere, so that's two colleges at least.

@sandybayley, thank you for posting link to list. DD hasn’t received it from her college either.

It's puzzling to read about the inconsistencies between colleges. I'm sorry to hear of people who are disappointed or hurt by their college response. DS has had the opposite experience.

He has really lucked out with his choice of college (O). He is one of approx 20-25% of freshers who have been allowed back. I have to say the college's communication has been spot on throughout, they have made a real effort to optimise the experience of the students, e.g. by combining erstwhile bubbles to give more opportunities to meet others; the library is open (not true of some other colleges); best of all, the Junior Dean very kindly suggested and then arranged for an ergo machine and free weights to be put into an empty room for DS to use. He's very lucky and he knows it.

Hmm, just reflecting on my post..

This time last year I, along with many others on this thread, was celebrating the good news of an offer. If i'd been asked to imagine what issues might be arising a year from then, I guess I might have wondered whether DS was enjoying the course, whether he had been selected for a particular rugby team, whether he had a girlfriend. I never would have imagined I'd be writing a post expressing my gratitude that he was permitted to socialise with ten other people, go to the library and use some free weights..

@SnapSnapDragon - I know what you mean. How much can change in a year,

One of the things I was worried about a year ago (and way before that) was how DS1 would cope socially at university (Oxford or any other). As it turns out he has met a really nice bunch of people in his first term and seems really happy in their company (online or in person).

I thought a GF would be a long way off but he has found someone he really likes in college. He is really missing her. In a way I'm quite pleased that he is missing a GF as I just didn't think he'd have one.

Snap it has been an extraordinary year. I am just hoping that it become less so soon.

I hope it becomes a less extraordinary year too asap.
Term is full swing ahead here; meetings, supervisions, lectures.

DS has done his mock exams and had his first supervision of term today. Lectures start on Thursday. He left his printer at college but is able to use our family printer to print lecture notes and scan work to hand in.

One of the societies he belongs to is able to continue meeting online, so he is getting some interaction with his peers.

I asked him what he misses most about college. In no particular order:

• the choice of meals in hall
• being able to focus on his studies without noise or distractions
• the freedom of living independently

First crits, essay in, workshops and tutorial here. There was a request for her to come back to Oxf b/c the ones that have gone back are missing her. She is touched but not tempted.

@SnapSnapDragon your DS's O college sounds like my DD's C one: good honest communications and a willingness to engage and help where possible. I really wish it was the same for everyone.

DD is alone on one floor of her block with a friend on the floor below. DD's bf is in a completely different part of the college but the only person on his staircase. The college has allowed the 3 of them to form a support bubble. They are all 4th years. They are all being Covid tested tomorrow with results due on Thursday and then all being well, DD will be able to at least visit her department to collect a laptop with the modelling software she needs for her project.

I hope everyone else and their DC are ok. I spent a straight 8 hours in front of a laptop today so am square-eyed. Now planning a little birthday party for a lovely boy in my y5/6 bubble who turns 10 tomorrow but his mum is in hospital and unlikely to be home for it. Lemonade and Tesco cupcakes are apparently the way to go.