Oxbridge 2021: another 6 months of fretting

[DahliaMacNamara]

Will they make the grades? How will grades be awarded anyway? What the hell are Cambridge up to with that nasty little clause?

On a different subject, can I ask those who have been through this before for some ideas of nice things to get DC for taking along to uni? I’m asking as it is DS’ birthday next month and I’d like to get him a couple of things that he might appreciate having there (thinking of items other than obvious bedding / cooking basics).

@LaundryFairy - I gave Ds a cushion with the dogs' photos on - A cafetière & some coffee - & a couple of very cheap throws to go on the ( very oft ) worn chairs & a desk lamp which he could put put in two directions - one for desk & secondly if he swung it round made the room seem cosier without the overhead lights on ( he has a small room at the time ) . Also I bought him a tray where he could put said coffee & cafetière to easy to clean & some table mats / coasters with whatever would amuse your DS on the front so when friends come round they can laugh - Sorry very rubbish ideas but there you go - ha ha - My DS probably didn't get the best things ever. Also - kitchen roll - two of his friends who had done spillage knocked on his door and said "Basilisk Jnr ) can we borrow your kitchen roll - ha ha

Oh, yes, the cafetière. I bought ds a small cafetière and I knew something was brewing in the romance department when I visited and spotted he had upgraded to a cafetière for two .

A sandwich toaster (very 80s!) was a winner, as often they have no or extremely limited cooking facilities. Also a term’s supply of pants....

Great suggestions @BasiliskStare and @IrmaFayLear - thank you very much!

I’m definitely going to get some coffee and tea makings and I like the idea of a tray. And the sandwich press sounds good too - we regularly make toasties here so that would be appreciated I’m sure. I’ll have to wait until IKEA reopens to look into soft furnishings.

Ultimate Ears Boom speakers were very popular last year. They can be linked together apparently.

If he may not be allowed electrical things but has access to a hob, these seem to work well.
jean-patrique.co.uk/collections/best-sellers/products/jean-patrique-toasted-sandwich-maker#
We got DD one for Christmas and she had a few practice runs with it here before taking it away with her.

@IrmaFayLear I bought DS a four cup cafetière - was I encouraging him in things he should not be encoucaged in - ha ha - excellent sleuthing Irma

@LaundryFairy - 2nd term I bought DS a tiny fridge ( Tesco - online ) not v expensive but he could keep milk and the odd bottle of coke cold. When I was at university ( many many years ago ) we used to hang the milk out of the window to keep it cold - apparently not the done thing where DS had his room) . Over 2 and half years it was worth it but not the sort of thing you can bring back on the train during holidays.

@Hoghgyni a speaker is one thing I’ve already got him - great minds!

@MarchingFrogs: I like the look of that toastie maker - thanks!

@BasiliskStare: I’d like to get him a small fridge (also because he loves to cook) but I think his college requires you to check with the Bursary before getting one. Just out of curiosity, I know that students have to clear out between terms, but does that include something like a mini fridge? Or does it depend on the college?

@LaundryFairy - I wouldn't get a fridge. Most colleges seem to be strict about electrical appliances. DS1 is really not keen on 'stuff' but he did appreciate a mini keg of beer from our local brewery, a cafe Nero card and a Greggs card.

@sandybayley I think the plan is to wait and see if a fridge is needed / allowed before doing anything.

@LaundryFairy - between terms the mini fridge had to come back - ( so DS was not an overseas student to whom the college gave some storage space ) - so yes - when clearing out room between terms / years , needs to be thought of. If you have room in the car - then it works. If DC are clearing out everything and just the train - no probably would not work. DS was allowed a kettle & mini fridge in this room so some electrical things. Bizarrely not fairy lights. But he didn't want them anyway so wasn't a problem

Thanks @BasiliskStare I’ll bear that in mind.

@LaundryFairy - Just checked with DS & he thinks he only had to bring the little fridge back over the summer - otherwise they would find room for it - but you are right - probably the kind of thing to ask when he gets there rather than hopelessly standing around getting back strain with a mini fridge whilst he is getting bedding / books et unpacked. As I recall - he asked & once OK I just ordered it on line and got it sent to the porters lodge.

No idea why I’m looking at MN having just spent four hours beside a motorway waiting for my broken car to be towed to a garage, but just to say that DD’s college has bought a brand new fridge and brand new microwave for each room

Gordon Bennett @goodbyestranger - Just told DS that and he reckoned "that's very good" - Ds never knowingly over enthusiastic / overwhelmed but a "that's very good" comes nearly as close as it gets Are you OK goodbye ? , very much hope so ( as does DS ) Basilisk x

Thanks @BasiliskStare and @goodbyestranger . Shlepping a fridge home once a year does sound a l lot more doable but we shall still wait and see what is allowed. I’m pretty sure DS will want one as cooking is a real love of his and helps him to de-stress.

Well @LaundryFairy The one Ds had was not the best but did a job - Tesco online - obviously if your DC sends up at lovely college with fridge and microwave - Aces. to you and DS

I would say that I am slightly more ok than my car Basilisk, but the bar this morning isn't high.

When I forwarded the pics of the sparkling new fridge and microwave to the other DC, their reaction was best collectively summed up by DS3 (contemporary of your DS), also known for being fairly deadpan ('WHAT THE F*?!!!!').

DD's college has a fridge in each room. They don't officially have any other kitchen facilities in College, but this term they've been given access to the ones the overseas students can use when Hall isn't available during the holidays.

Far be it from me to indulge in vicarious one-upmanship, but DD's college has also in the past fortnight re-furbished the staircase kitchen with new Fired Earth type units in a neutral beige, and a whole range of new appliances and new saucepans, cookware etc.

Ds had no facilities at all in his college, and they were very strict on electricals. When I took him in yr 1 there was a long line of students clutching kettles/hairdryers/straighteners waiting to get them pat tested. In the first year there was a fridge per x number of rooms; yrs 2 and 3 it was definitely milk on the windowsill !

Good heavens, goodbyestranger - whatever next?! What happened to roughing it ?! Fired Earth, indeed. Orange lino and brown laminate cupboards are a right of passage!

Oh, yes, the cafetière. I bought ds a small cafetière and I knew something was brewing in the romance department when I visited and spotted he had upgraded to a cafetière for two .

DD has a v60 filter. It makes good coffee, it's really easy to clean and you can make pretty much as much or little as you want.

Faux Fired Earth to be fair Irma!

DD4 (child#8/ handmedowns/ shared bedrooms etc) completely loves not roughing it. No complaints there!

Oh this is making me laugh - so @ErrolTheDragon a v60 filter - does that let him ( or her ) make coffees in an appropriate way - rather than your ( in my case ) mother buying you a 4 cup cafetière - or indeed @IrmaFayLear spotting a larger cafetière - Ha ha .

@goodbyestranger ( my son ) I can imagine he would have said very nicely - well the words and then knowing X college give you a fridge and a microwave in Yr I can imagine he would have expressed himself like your DC3 - Ah I do think that your DC3 and my DC1 knew each other - not going to pretend they were best friends but I think they met and got on - how lovely.

Not sure that my son would know Fired Earth if it came up and hit him with a stick . In 2nd year - huge room - he had to share a shower room with one other Some joker had put a sticker on there which said CCTV is operating in this area. I asked him about it and he just said - - Oh that's just what X from the year above did Mother - do not worry if you need to make use of the facilities

So - cannot pretend his college facilities included Fired Earth but by and large pretty OK - but Goodbye's DD's accommodation sounds just great

So - I would stick with my point . IF DC is not lucky enough to have fridge in room - ask the college certainly in DC's case they said yes

One more thing - because we have a very small house - we could not use the little fridge. DS tried to give it away to a previous year, But - asked too late. I would say for a 1st year or 2nd year who wants a little fridge it is probably worth a shot asking final year students if they have one they can take off their hands ( gratis ) - but ask early - Ds tried to give his away but alas asked too late - it went to recycling )