Cambridge and Oxford - ongoing chat for those with a student currently studying there

[DadDadDad]

Some of us have found these threads helpful, so I'm starting a new one to take us through

...end-of-year exams (and parties)

...homecoming for the vacation (and hibernation aestivation for this thread?)

...return in the autumn (and more normal college life?)

Posters old and new welcome to join the discussion. Any tips for finding a summer job?

Oh, and for reference, I have a DS just completing his first year in a small humanity in a tiny college.

A bit out of date, but there are a couple of charts on Twitter which show increasing numbers of Covid cases in Cambridge.

In absolute terms it’s not that many at the moment, though.

That is reassuring! hopefully they can nip this in the bud.

Numbers aren’t great for some colleges though. Son in small central Cambridge college said there were 12 positive cases and something like 70 isolating yesterday. He blames freshers (clearly he isn’t a fresher!) His end of year events are being cancelled.

@ofteninaspin I'm in a right stress now as DD was out on the river on Monday coxing from the same college. She is meant to finally be getting her first jab on Friday. DD2 had hers last Friday but she's already home.

The rational part of me thinks that one of the reasons for lots of cases in the uni age groups is that they are all being tested regularly (as are school kids) whereas I don't know if it's the same for the general population. DH who mainly WFH has done one LFT ever. I do them twice a week as I'm a teacher. If you are testing particular age groups, you are more likely to find cases, many of which may be asymptomatic.

@TheHomeEdit, it’s rubbish for your DS that events are being cancelled.

DS (C) says a lot of freshers in his block have either gone home or are isolating. His household are currently all negative. Hall and the bar remain open and some sport (eg tennis) is still happening so DS is happy to stay until we collect him on Sunday.

DD’s (O) college events thankfully don’t seem to have been disrupted by the delta variant. She has had various formals, a Schools dinner and an OUCD dinner. The Finalists garden party is still happening too.

@Malbecfan, you may well be right re testing. Really hope your DD tests negative this week.
I am hoping DS continues to test negative until we collect him. Too late to cancel the overnight hotel now!!

It is really stressful, let's hope all our dc and their households remain covid and isolation free. dd gets her first jab this weekend and has a couple of more events to go. Looks like her household has survived this weeks round of asymptomatic testing. Feels like some sort of awful gameshow where contestants are randomly deselected for play.

I'm going to collect DD1 on Sunday and am planning to take DD2 as well so we can have a bit of a look round to help her narrow down which college she might apply for. She's got a busy summer coming up (travel restrictions permitting) so it seems like a good idea to do this now... except I've just realised that most colleges might still be closed to visitors.

Does anyone know if colleges are letting prospective candidates in to have a quick look?

I see that the official Open Days are all online this year.

DD is having to self isolate in the middle of exam week. She's awaiting the results of a PCR test, but also the results of a friend which may prolong the agony. My stress levels are going through the roof.

:( Hoghgyni

@pantjog, sorry that I don’t remember. Is your DD1 at O or C?

Apparently King’s Cambridge is open to visitors but, for example, St John’s, Clare, Selwyn and Trinity are closed.

Oh no @Hoghgyni. Poor DD and poor you. Awful.

@Wheelibinsoutinthemorning sorry, I should have said. DD is at O. I suppose we can just wander past the relevant colleges and ask them if we're allowed to have a peep. So different from the buzz of a normal open day.

@Hoghgyni- sorry to hear about your DD

Sorry to hear that @Hoghgyni. Will your daughter be out of isolation in time for her varsity match?

Hog that sucks. If it is any consolation dd and her Boyf used isolation to work without distraction. The pain came for DD when everyone was going out and she was stuck in. Her Boyf is more diligent and will most likely get a 1st.

Hoghyni, I'm so so sorry about your poor DD. That's awful timing at this point in the term. Really good luck for her exams too. It's also just appalling timing for others caught up in further isolation and especially those who were looking forward to celebrating the end of their university years with parties and various events.

DS1(C) is home and without threat of Covid at his college, thankfully! It's lovely to have him back and he's very very tired after yet another late night with his second year friends last night that filtered into this morning. I'll also be picking up DS2 (O) tomorrow who had his final Prelim. this morning and seems happy and relieved.

Best of luck to those still doing exams and to those hoping they don't get stopped from coming home by having to isolate.

Covid really is the gift that keeps on giving. Ugh.

Her test results came back within a few hours and she's positive, along with others in College. She managed to submit something in time for yesterday's exam. One more to go on Friday, but she's alerted the exam office as she did the PCR because she had symptoms. All her LFTs have been negative.

oh no :(

Oh your poor DD, @Hoghgyni - hope she doesn't feel too unwell. I'd really struggle with not being able to see her/look after her if it was me. Keep posting here if it helps to offload - hope you also have some good real-life support.

Oh no @Hoghgyni
So sorry. Hope her symptoms are mild and the time passes quickly. What a nightmare.

She's feeling really grotty and worrying about her last exam tomorrow and how badly she did yesterday, but the college exam team is aware.

I hope her college wasn't planning to let any rooms out at the start of July, as a lot of students are stranded in SI and can't go home as planned, some testing positive and others as they're in households or have had close contact.

Oh the poor love :( I really feel for her. And for you when there isn't much she or you can do. Can she email her tutor and DOS for some kind words?

I think she has. It's tough encouraging her that all is not lost with her prelims if she can do something tomorrow whilst not wanting to add to the pressure. She has a blinding headache and she has a tendency to black out when she's had migraines in the past.

ooof, you must be so worried. Does she have a household who can check on her from a distance?

Oh @Hoghgyni that is such bad luck! I am so sorry this has happened, and especially in the middle of exams. I felt so grim after my second jab, so fuzzy-headed I just couldn't think clearly for work until it passed. But with the actual virus! Feeling for you all.