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.

That's really bad luck, often.

So sorry to read that, often. Hope you all continue to feel well.

Article with pictures of graduations restarting in Cambridge. The weather is grey but not really raining.

Very sorry @ofteninaspin. This variant seems to be spreading like wildfire.

And sorry for your cancelled plans @ErrolTheDragon.

Fingers crossed for you @Malbecfan.

Well done to everyone's DC for making it successfully through a rubbish year. Let's hope the current upsurge in Covid doesn't last long and next year is easier.

DS has comfortably achieved the 2.i he needed to continue so will be doing his physics masters from September and no graduation dilemmas for us this week. He is also staying in Cambridge over most of the summer for an internship.

One of (O) DD's housemates tested positive today so all three of them are now in SI. DD has a very small window to collect the data for her Master's project (specific plants have to be in flower) and she can't check on the bees in the lab for ten days.

One of DS1's housemates has tested positive so he's had the call from T&T to SI. All his LFTs are negative but he's ordered a PCR. He has no symptoms so the rest of us don't need to SI. Last contact was on Sunday.

He says he felt unwell (headache and temp) in the middle of his exams (2 weeks ago) but put it down to stress and too much sun playing cricket. For a supposedly bright boy he's not very bright sometimes 😬

@HeyBells - congratulations to him, and all the best for Part III

Oh blimey @ofteninaspin. I really hope it's one of those rogue false positives and you can all go to Wimbledon. I need to do a LFT tomorrow morning.

@HeyBells great news and well done to your DS.

I might stop reading this thread - covid seems to be going around it :(

That is great news though Heybells. Congratulations to your ds!

Congratulations to your DS HeyBells!

DS developed a headache and temperature yesterday and PCR came back positive. He had a negative PCR at Cambridge last Thursday so must have contracted COVID during his last 48 hours in college.

Everything crossed that Malbec's graduation plans go smoothly this weekend.

Thinking of all DC awaiting Finals results whilst in SI.

@ofteninaspin - hope he doesn't feel too unwell.

DS plans to come home tomorrow and hopes to get his second vaccine dose at the weekend.

DD was up early helping a couple of her housemates whose graduation is today pin their hoods - apparently this is harder than an MEng.

Ironoaks, I am impressed that your DS will be double vaccinated by the weekend.
DS is feeling pretty rubbish today. At least being at home he doesn't have to fend for himself. Meanwhile, DH and I (both double vaccinated) have booked PCR tests.

errol, the art of pinning of hoods must be tricky to master. I think someone upthread mentioned it required a rehearsal!

Hoods are designed for men to wear.

There’s a loop at the bottom of the V to loop round a shirt button to keep the hood in place. In my experience women either don’t have a suitable blouse button or, if they do, the weight on the hood pulls button and blouse up unflatteringly.

Ah.. well, it was me who mentioned a pinning practice, that was at a women's college so probably they're aware of the issues. Her engineer housemates are male. Maybe shirt buttons aren't what they used to be.

Varsity match has been cancelled. DD was looking forward to that :(

I’m only writing of my experience with hoods, but they are Cambridge ones ; - )

If I had less chest and could tuck in my blouse/shirt like men do the hood might stay put.

I vaguely remember in a Dorothy L Sayers’ book, probably Gaudy Night, when the heroine writes about a twist or something to get the hood to lie properly.

Sorry about the Varsity match, CinnamonJelly, Beans.

@CinnamonJellyBeans -DS1 is also gutted but he couldn't have gone as he is SI in his bedroom. All his friends are as well.

I'm in a good mood though as I just got Centre Court tickets for this Saturday 😊

That's big news about Varsity match. What a shame. Second team match went ahead yesterday in Cambridge. I was there 😀

Oh well, at least she got to go to a lovely formal last week and is still in college, having fun with her friends. I see your tennis and punting and raise you...skydiving!

DD's own varsity match was cancelled half way through the weekend. DD was already infected at that point & had been in her room for 5 days, so hopefully she wasn't a super spreader. Only 2 more days until she's free.

Tickets are still on sale for the rugby. Cambridge have the most awesome lock in the form of James Horwill, former Australian & Harlequins captain.

Maybe match not cancelled then? Did you mean the rugby, @CinnamonJellyBeans or another sport?

I found the second team rugby varsity a bit frustrating to watch because scrums and rolling mauls are banned (another totally logical covid rule). The result was that players were much more spread out across the pitch and usual channels were closed down, so you didn't see so many exciting breaks. It will be same for varsity match. I wondered whether teams would be tempted to drop their props in favour of more mobile players but I was told there was a gentlemen's agreement not to do that.

Athletics cancelled. She trained hard all year. It can't be helped and TBF, she is lucky to have done a lot of activities all year, despite covid. Hopefully it should go ahead next year.