Oxford and Cambridge current students

[sandybayley]

Nearly filled up the old one...

@Malbecfan, I think a definite yes for including middle names, if the total number of characters isn't going to be excessive. Those middle names were chosen with love and are part of your DD's identity. I love both my DD1's and DD2's middle names, and it's a shame they seldom seem to get the opportunity to use them. For me, it would only be a dilemma if she was called Emmanuelle Alexandria Josephine Hetherington-Heckmondwike or something, and it wouldn't fit comfortably on the certificate.....

@JulesJules it's Cambridge.

@MiniJellyBeans, what a cracking name!

Her names add up to 23 characters, 26 if you include the spaces. I think you are all correct. She is called after my great grandma, my grandma and my mum, all of whom were much loved but had died before she was born. I hadn't thought of it before but I really really want my mum's name read out at the degree ceremony of a granddaughter she would have been so very proud of - so much so that I'm a bit teary. It must be gin o'clock!

Agreed with the consensus on names. Even with my (once) 36 characters!

Put all the names on. As others have said they were chosen for a reason. All 3 of mine have family names that reflect much loved relatives or ancestors. Two of them actually have proper 'ancestor' names which I'm hoping the DGPs will remember and past on the oil paintings...

Thanks for that number-crunching @SnapSnapDragon. No great surprise there given what we know happened over the application cycle.

It's strange to think that when they were being interviewed in December 2019, Covid-19 was just becoming known in one city in China - a tiny cloud on the horizon. Within three months it had closed UK schools but we still had little idea what a mess it would create for A-levels and meeting offers. Will they get a "normal" university experience from October this year?

Do students in Cambridge need a bike? In a central college? We did but I don’t know if it the norm now...

DD central, cycles nearly every day

Yes would recommend a bike to go to different departments also gym or swimming pool etc

Do students in Cambridge need a bike? In a central college?

A bicycle would be a convenience but not a necessity. DS doesn't cycle due to disabilities. Everything he needs is within walking distance. The furthest thing (some departmental laboratories) is 1.5 miles away; there is a bus but he prefers to walk.

You can manage without, but a bike does expand their horizons.

Thank you all - we are off to look at a second hand one today!

Clara with bike thefts so prevalent don't go wild in isles. It used to be enough to "distress" a decent bike (with gaffa tape, spray paint, & / or stickers) to prevent it going missing. Now thieves know the value of the components. Given that the journeys are fairly short and Cambridge is really flat if it was me I would get a single speed on a tatty frame.

Does anyone know how amenable O is to coming home for a couple of days during term. Both my parents are poorly & we are thinking that we might have to drive down and liberate DD for a weekend if things get worse.

isles = aisles

If her grandparents are ill then no college in its right mind would object and given that your DD is at a sensible one it wouldn't be an issue at all.

Unescorted she should simply have to ask if she can go, take a test before she goes and one when she gets back. Even at peak Covid , it didn't seem to be an issue for family reasons.

Thanks peeps - that sounds straight forward. Hopefully it is not needed, but I am putting a mental list of things to put in order.

DS1 informs me his college is allowing overnight visitors so DD can go after exams.

I'm not sure if DS1 knows that DD thinks the invite extends to her very giggly BF...

dds college isn't allowing any mixing of households still. How they can justify this given the changes tomorrow is beyond me.

Clara we got DD's bike from the local recycling centre. It's a hideous shade of pink & cost £8. It has reasonable tyres and DH has fitted new mudguards as the gaffer tape on one was wearing away. Definitely don't get anything nice and get a metal lock - ours cost more than the bike.

In DD1's 1st lab session, the person taking the lab put a helmet and lights on the front desk and said if you didn't have both, don't use a bike. DD carries hers in with her to lecturers/labs. It's good advice as a lad we know well was knocked off his bike and hurt quite badly. He was in the year above DD but due to issues after the accident has gone back into the year below her.

IN Cambridge, IN a hotel, eating IN a restaurant tonight with a 3 DC for DS 21st . Beside myself.
Bikes with big wooden baskets on the front seem to be everywhere.

Ooh @hobbema enjoy!

Long may it continue hob

@hobbema

IN Cambridge, IN a hotel, eating IN a restaurant tonight with a 3 DC for DS 21st . Beside myself. Bikes with big wooden baskets on the front seem to be everywhere.

Love it! Can't wait to go back for a visit!

How lovely @hobbema, enjoy!

Had a short visit to see DD (Oxford) yesterday. Her finals start (and finish) next week but she is in good spirits. She was delighted to have an in person tute at a different college arranged for today.
In other news, DH starts a new job next month (having been made redundant earlier this year).

@ofteninaspin that's good news about the job.

Lovely to hear about visits, an encouraging sign of things restarting.