Oxford and Cambridge current students

[sandybayley]

Nearly filled up the old one...

In her defense DD's accommodation doesn't have a kitchen. It is just a half height fridge, with a microwave , toaster and kettle stacked on top in a widening of the stairwell. So it is college food, microwaveable or pot noodles. She is looking forward to her 2nd year accommodation which has a fully functioning kitchen.

What a helpful bunch you are! Thank you all so much. So glad I found this thread. I have made a note of all the different approaches and will discuss with DS and DH if he gets his grades to get in!
@SnapSnapDragon "notsolazyboy" 😂

I expect I will be coming back here for more advice on the whole Oxbridge experience over the next few months. I am insanely excited about it but trying to play it cool in case it doesn't work out with grades.

DS has finished the lab report which was his set vacation "homework". He is up to date with everything but intends to do a bit of work to keep his brain ticking over.

That's nice Ironoaks He can enjoy a bit of a break too.

DS has two projects and an essay to do over the vac. He still has supervisions this week so term not quite done yet!

Mine's got 4 essays and coursework. Well done to @Ironoaks son for his efficiency!

dd has 4 supervisions just before Easter. Not sure if that's a 3rd year thing so they can concentrate on revision after Easter, or if it's a blurring of lines because they are doing it all by Teams. It does seem like a slightly harsh way to extend the term to me.

DS has finished now, had a couple of extra supervisions last week. He is full onto revision and has an essay (optional) for a competition. His reasoning is if he works hard for the next couple of weeks whilst stuck at home he might be able to slack off a bit when he's back at college!

dd has 4 supervisions just before Easter. Not sure if that's a 3rd year thing so they can concentrate on revision after Easter, or if it's a blurring of lines because they are doing it all by Teams. It does seem like a slightly harsh way to extend the term to me.

Week 10...?

DD's tutorials are continuing over the vacation - also a third year. She has two major pieces of work to complete by the start of next term before she starts revising for finals.

DDs had some supos and also mock exams outside of the 8 week 'full terms' throughout her 4 years, though I think always within the longer 'term'. She pointed out somewhat acerbically the first time she came home for Xmas that it was 'vacation' as in she had to vacate her college room, not 'holiday' .

@ErrolTheDragon, you are correct. The only proper break my DD gets is the summer one. Every other vacation seems to have a lot of work needing to be completed. Hopefully I can collect her on Saturday but she is only going to be home for a week as she has lots of work to complete. I can drop her back and collect DD2 all in the same trip. DD2 (non Oxbridge) gets a much longer break, which will be nice for me as she is a good little baker.

I just saw that the Coronavirus act in the U.K. has been extended to October. I am shocked and dismayed by this. Does anyone think it makes a return in Trinity term less likely for our DC? I feel so sorry for them.

I don't think it makes it either less likely or more likely, tbh. I think they've just done it so they've got that control if they need it, depending on how the next few months go.

Agreed @JulesJules - the extension of the Act is to keep the powers available to the Government if they need it. It has no bearing on the likelihood of student return.

Thank you both - that makes me feel calmer.

Could someone remind me of the date the government has said it will announce the decision?

No specific date has been mentioned as far as I know. Boris said "end of Easter holidays".

I'd expect it on or after 5 April in advance of the next wave of unlocking on 12 April.

If he had at least given the review date that would help.

Universities UK have put out this press release today.
www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/65855-government-must-not-take-students-resilience-for-granted
Hopefully 5th April. I also hope the press will pick up on it as I've not seen it mentioned in the main stream press

I'm really alarmed that they are also mentioning May as a return date.

I hope everyone’s DC are enjoying their Easter breaks and, it goes without saying, I hope the government will do the right thing and allow students to resume their studies/lives next term.

I’m bothered about free speech, or lack of it, at O and C. Does anyone have any insights into this from their DC? From what I hear, O seems to be a rather intolerant place, where it doesn’t pay to put your head above the parapet. If you argue that transgender women should not compete in women’s sports you are labelled transphobic, if you say that all lives matter then you are racist, if you want to preserve statues you are also racist, if you point out that not all men attack women after dark then you are part of the problem etc. etc. To be clear, DS hasn’t said any of these things (and I’m not suggesting he thinks them); he quite sensibly steers clear of these conversations after witnessing others being shot down. But I am sad it has become dangerous to have debates.

"All lives matter" is actually racist though.

I saw today that Oxford is considering axing sheet music because of its colonial connotations