Oxford and Cambridge current students

[sandybayley]

Nearly filled up the old one...

Thank you for starting the new thread @sandybayley

DS is starting to think about what courses he wants to take next year. At the moment it looks as though Chemistry might not make the cut; I wonder if the decision is influenced by the fact that he hasn't yet been in a university Chemistry lab...

Well done Sandy!

He is currently leaning towards Physics (has an aptitude for it) or Materials (finds it interesting). If I've understood him correctly, he can take 1.5 full subjects next year.

(I didn't mean to imply that he doesn't find Physics interesting or that he doesn't have any aptitude for Materials. To be honest I don't think there's much margin between them.)

Thanks for starting the new thread, Sandybayley. Well done!

Ironoaks, good luck with your DS's choices for next year. How awful for him that he's not even been in a University Chemistry lab yet. Poor him. It's amazing to think that they're already starting to think about next year. This one is going by so quickly in some ways.

Thanks @sandybayley for the new thread. @Ironoaks DD did one of the Chemistry courses plus Materials, then specialised in Materials in years 3 & 4. However, she was able to spend time in a lab back in 2017/18. If you want me to ask her opinion of Physics etc, PM me

Thanks for starting the new thread Sandy :)

Can hardly believe DD1 is now in her final week of Hilary term (Oxford) - it's absolutely flown by. She hasn't been back to Oxford since coming home in early December, but we're hopeful that she'll be allowed to return for the start of Trinity term - she studies geography, and they've been told they will have fieldwork teaching in-person in the first week or two of Trinity, rather than attempting to do it virtually, although all other teaching will still be online. She's put herself forward for a role within the JCR and has found the JCR Zoom meetings and "hustings" much more formal than she expected, and therefore quite stressful!

Delighted to get us going again. Looking forward to picking DS1 up on Sunday from Oxford 😊

It's his 19th birthday tomorrow and it's the first time I won't have seen him on his birthday. I've arranged for a cupcake delivery to the porters lodge. I ordered a dozen. Probably too many given how many people are around. He has his last tutorial of the term tomorrow and says he and the other chemists will find a suitable spot outside to have a celebratory drink. #livingthedream

Picking up a couple of things from the last thread:
@OhYouBadBadKitten, DD said that Cambridge had said something very similar about one trip between 8th March and 29 April but it says travel is permitted on one occasion. Well if I pick her up, does that mean she can't go back? Maybe a full teaching day followed by 3 Zoom birthday parties for my dad today has finally sent me over the edge but I am none the wiser. I will get DD to follow it up.

She wants her summer clothes and needs her notes from last term for her exams. We do have a plan B which means me making an essential journey to drop them off for her. Her personal tutor has been quite sympathetic which is always helpful and she has accrued some brownie points for stepping in to help out with events this term so I hope she can come back. The main issue for me is finding the time to go & get her. It'll probably be a revolving door in that I collect DD1, she will stay for a week then I'll drop her off and head straight to collect DD2 who gets a much longer Easter break. My mind is already boggled!

Thank you so much @Sandybayley! It's DS's birthday on Thursday and I was feeling vaguely guilty that I hadn't arranged anything. 12 cupcakes now on their way to college. Much obliged.

No problem @SnapSnapDragon - do you think that when all these cupcakes arrive they'll figure out that we've been conferring 😂

@Malbecfan - I'm fairly confident they're allowed a trip home and then a return to university. That's how I've interpreted it. DS1 will be at home until he goes back for the start of term.

Malbec It's definitely there & back. I had to post a box of stuff to DD last week containing some summer clothes, strappy heels & sports kit. Luckily it was still intact when it arrived, as I padded it out with a large cuddly shark to fill the box.

Sandy DD rasily managed to dispose of a 12 portion cake on her birthday in college. Your DS is always welcome to pop over with any spare cupcakes to DD's college though, as the sugar rush will probably help with her last couple of essays this week.

Rasily = easily

@sandybayley - we're going to be in Oxford on Sunday too, collecting DS after what seems to have been a happy term for him on the whole despite the restrictions. Of course, he has to get a negative lateral flow test first, which hopefully will happen on Saturday...

His 19th birthday was a few weeks ago, and some homemade edibles made to his pigeon-hole. We've promised a take-away to celebrate once he returns home.

Checking in, thanks Sandy
Happy Birthday to your DS and really please he can come home for the Easter break (and Mothers Day!)

Thanks for the new thread Sandy!

Can't believe it's 8th week. D1 (Ox History joint) has found it hard going and already has seven essays to do over the vac.

Happy Birthday to your DS Sandy!

Seven essays!!!!

Happy Birthday to your DS Sandybayley and I hope he has a good one, despite all the restrictions.

JulesJules, seven essays is appalling! DS2 (O) only has one to do for History across the vac and so far DS1 (C) has nothing except reading.

Dadx3 I'm glad your DS had a good term in college and that he can now come home too.

Thanks for the new thread Sandy

Well that term flew by. I am not sure much is going to change here - DD has 2 large pieces of work to do. She is also doing challenge of a piece a day. I thought that was a lot until I saw the 7 essays that MiniJules has.

Birthday wishes to your kids Sandy and snap - hope they enjoy all the cupcakes.

DD has decided that she is going back next term because she needs the studio space. Her tutors are worried that she has yet to use her assigned studio space so there is pressure there to return. I will miss her but I am glad she is going to go.

Checking in and sending birthday greetings 🎂!

DS has been offered a covid vaccine from his Oxford GP (he has asthma) so I am very excited to have a trip to Oxford on Saturday. It means I get to have an outside coffee with a friend who lives in Oxford too!

He has done well being at home this term, but I am really hoping that everyone will be allowed back next term. It seems that his college have been particularly difficult and reluctant to let students but this term even when they have had good reason to request it. They have been "spoken to" by the university students' union, but are s far unrepentant! It sounds as if both sides are digging their heals in with legal action being mentioned by the SU. I am hoping things will be better next term.

Stop press! DS1 (C) has finally just got back his last unmarked essay from last term - from Week 6 I think so written and handed in somewhere in November. This has got to be a record? Fortunately, he's just happy to get it back before the end of the second term and all essays he's done this term have been marked within 24 hours.

Pepermintea, good luck to your DS with his Covid vaccine. Does anyone know whether, in general, students who've had to register with a GP in their uni town will be vaccinated there or back in their home towns, when their time comes?

I believe they should get a text from their GP telling them that they are eligible, but then they can call a national number to book their test at a mass testing centre. In some cases though, it may be more practical to do a day trip, especially as vaccine 2 should be given at the same site.

DS1 has decided to go back at the start of the Easter holiday if college allow this. He has had his vaccine and I think it will be good for him to get back having missed so much.

If they've no underlying health conditions then at the moment they would be done under the national system - so they could book as soon as their age group comes up on the national site. I think that could be May-June ish looking at how rapidly they are getting through the groups.

There's a real danger that they will be offered around exam times. dd has already decided that she's not going to have it within a week of Finals which seems fair enough to me.

If I were the planners though I'd be considering offering vaccines via the universities as they go back next term, because it would be a good way to make sure a good part of a very mobile tranche population were captured. I'm not sure how they could ensure they have their 12 week 2nd dose, but this would be an excellent use of the Johnson and Johnson one shot vaccine.