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 😊

I hope they can clear up the rent situation, it seems very difficult if students have to stay and pay.

DD (C) says that some people have come back already. She thinks everyone is meant to come back after the Easter holidays and like Malbecfan's daughter, has also been told to stay over Easter. There's also some talk of a May Ball, which is the thing she was most looking forward to as a Cambridge student. Here's hoping all your DC get good news in the next few days.

There is no way they can ask for extra rent.

Well they can ask....

Rent is indeed a tricky one. Are all the Cambridge students in Cambridge owned accommodation? This means they could waive/reduce/ask for a voluntary contribution perhaps?

It will be different for Oxford students, as a lot of them are in private rented accommodation, so it would be very difficult to expect them to stay over Easter and pay their own rent.

I'll be very interested to see what happens.

Some Oxford colleges are trialling formals before Easter.

DD is in college and if she's required to stay over the vac, as opposed to wanting to stay, then she won't be paying for the privilege of being banged up (that said, I don't expect she'd mind staying - she needed to go back in Jan and was lucky to get the green light - but expecting rent is completely inappropriate).

Evening. Just wanted to share the experience of a friend’s son at Oxford in his second year. He wrote a pleading letter about his issues with home WiFi (nothing more than needing to compete with other family members) and entirely to no one’s surprise got nowhere - they sent him a dongle. So he and a group of friends have rented an Air B&B house in central Oxford on a cheap rate and are sharing it quite happily, using libraries and having fun living together. Might be something for some of your children to consider exploring?

Will May week be in July?

It will be different for Oxford students, as a lot of them are in private rented accommodation, so it would be very difficult to expect them to stay over Easter and pay their own rent.

If they're in private rented accommodation they're surely paying rent over the vac anyway, whether they're there or not. That's the norm for students everywhere else.

DS seems pretty happy about the prospect of staying in Oxford over the holidays. He has swapped rooms with a friend who is unluckily stuck at home, so now he has a much nicer room in a sociable bubble. It will be interested to know whether people do stay throughout the holidays: if some decide to risk it and go home then college will get quieter and quieter and there will be less incentive for others to stay. I shall remain on standby to get him.

The prospect of them not being allowed back after Easter is too depressing and infuriating for words. If that does happen then Dailyhandtowel's suggestion is a very good one. Though it may not help those freshers who have not had the chance to make friends.

...yes, of course, you're right @ErrolTheDragon. I forgot you have to pay the landlord over the holidays when you're not there. (My parents took care of it decades ago and I just gave the landlord a cheque for each term in advance).

DD1 (C) has just told me that although they are having to stay over Easter, they are still having to pay rent.

Yes but your DD goes to a particularly unhelpful college CJB.

I wouldn't expect DD's much more student friendly Oxford college to ask for rent but if it did, I shall be telling it in no uncertain terms where to go. Food yes, rent not on your nelly.

These are not struggling institutions, the rooms are not otherwise lettable, the colleges had no reasonable expectation of rental income from them over the vac and the students are not there voluntarily. Very happy to see the bursar in court, if it comes to it :)

I read the information from Oxford quite differently - that you don't have to fulfill full term residency requirements, but we expect everyone back for Trinity, the amount of f2f and date this starts may vary and will be communicated by depts when they have more information.

I took this to mean D1 could return in 0 week but that f2f may not start straight away, perhaps I was being overly optimistic? It's the end of April - her sister in y11 is doing 2 days in school next week before ft from March 8th.

Charging rent is outrageous, particularly for those who have been there all term and now have no choice but to stay there. It's a lot of money for students to have to magic up.
I guess it's a sign of how some colleges get very very rich.

JulesJules I hope that you are right and that everyone who wants to return to Oxford for Trinity can, whether or not there is any f2f. I kind of feel as if DS doesn't go back he will almost feel as if he hasn't been to Oxford at all and October for 2nd year is a very long way off.

Sorry about the stress too for those who are there and may have to stay for Easter

JulesJules I haven't yet spoken to DD about this - I just fancied going for pre-emptive outrage on the rent charging front :)

Quite right too goodbyestranger on the rent front. They can't justify not allowing students to leave (how would they stop them) and then charging them rent for rooms they could not otherwise let.

Pepermintea I totally agree with what you wrote: I kind of feel as if DS doesn't go back he will almost feel as if he hasn't been to Oxford at all and October for 2nd year is a very long way off

I'm increasingly concerned, as this term starts to reach the end and there's no certainty at all about whether or not our DCs are allowed to return to Ox and Cam. DS2 is really struggling now with the sense that life is slipping by and he's getting left behind, hasn't been able to consolidate friendships (he doesn't really like social media/ online connecting), is just 'marking time' and that Oxford was just a dream. I don't know how to help make it OK for him and DS1 if they have to stay at home right through until October.

I know so many others will be feeling the same with their DCs at home and no sign of any certain change but I also keep reading about students back at uni., enjoying themselves (to a degree and where possible), establishing and consolidating friendships, having fun with peers, bonding with people, even starting relationships. I feel so sad for DS1 and DS2 who - although they have each other and have me - have otherwise no contact with any peers, except occasional messages online.

It's like 'groundhog day' for them, getting through the work (which thankfully is occupying them rather than stressing them), going for the same walks/ cycle rides from home - nothing new or different and only boring old me for company.

We've been watching 'Morse' and every so often DS2 will comment that he's been to this or that place in Oxford but it feels so long ago now and for so short a time - really only 6 weeks because of being in isolation. How will there be any fairness in room ballots for next year when so many of our DCs aren't even there and haven't even established friendship groups? I wish Ox and Cam could push to 'making ' it work for their students and let them all return.

...Just had to off load a bit. I also feels sorry too for those who are being told they're not allowed to return home for Easter of course.

Hi all! I'm a long time lurker here, but the current situation is making we want to comment - or vent at least! So much of what PPs have said resonates - and it's so lovely to see a genuinely supportive threat on MN! My DD is 1st at C. Despite the restrictions, had a fabulous first term, but is now stuck at home. She's working hard, and loves the work, which is a blessing, and she's doing her best everyday to stay positive. But she's struggling and if they don't get back after Easter I really don't know how she will cope. She was so ready to fly the nest and is now trapped back home feeling that what should be some of the best years of her life are slipping by. I'm so angry that the Govt can give a date for pubs opening but not for students returning.

Welcome blimpyy :)

This uncertainty for students is quite cruel. I really feel for everyone's dc.

My DD is 1st at C. Despite the restrictions, had a fabulous first term, but is now stuck at home. She's working hard, and loves the work, which is a blessing, and she's doing her best everyday to stay positive. But she's struggling and if they don't get back after Easter I really don't know how she will cope. She was so ready to fly the nest and is now trapped back home feeling that what should be some of the best years of her life are slipping by.

@blimppy I could have written this about DS. Thank you for expressing it so well.

@blimppy, I feel this too for first year DS but especially for finalist DD and her friends. Their second year ended abruptly at Easter last year when everyone had to stay home and complete the year online. It’s so hard for them doing another term online. DD misses library study space and her friends.

Hi ofteninaspin (sorry - no idea how to link properly!!) I hear what you are saying. I often think it's worse for those in years 2 and 3 as they have had serious disruption to 2 out of 3 years, and there is still hope that this year's freshers will get a decent time in years 2 and 3. I really feel for this generation!