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.

Hello all - I will be joining you next year as my DS has been accepted to Cambridge. His is a central oldish college. He currently wears t shirts and jogging bottoms only. I know he will need a gown, but what else does he realistically need? A black tie suit? A blazer? A normal suit? Some shoes that are not trainers? Any help welcomed please. I seem to remember that quite a few occasions are quite formal and will need more than scruffy trainers and t shirts!

Hi @ClarasZoo it depends on the college some are more traditional than
others. May best to check with college parents when they get in touch shortly. Congrats to your DS.

Ah ok - thank you - yes I will ask him to do that. It looks quite traditional from the outside!

Congratulations to your ds Clara!
Apart from the gown and any formal wear required, I'd make sure anything he takes can survive tumble drying.
If he's a christmas jumper sort of lad, then I think some of them might wear one at Bridgemas (25th Nov).
Definitely a wind proof coat and warm stuff. But also, hot weather stuff too. I've got an inkling we might be going into a fairly warm autumn and sometimes their rooms can be boiling. dd did have one that was truly freezing though.

Just in case you are an overpacker, they don't need a full tool kit Turns out the works people fix everything.

Thank you - we are not over packers. Very much under packers I fear, hence my question about what he needs. He seems to have drilled down all personal possessions to very very bare minimum. His room looks like a prison cell!

His life will be so much easier at the beginning and end of term then in terms of packing.

Welcome to the family, @ClarasZoo, and congratulations to your DS! Hopefully, this thread will attract a few more of the new intake as we start to look ahead to the next term (still some way off...)

Hi everyone. I'm joining too if that's ok. DD starting at Cambridge for History. She's also at a central old college. She hasn't had a lot of information yet about what she needs to bring etc but is getting very excited about going!

Welcome and congratulations, @Chilldonaldchill .

I did share the link a couple of days ago. I think DD goes back on 2 or 3 Oct in time for Freshers to start.

Hi Chill and Clara - well done to your kids.

DD took far too much stuff and not enough stuff. She did not need kitchen things (no kitchen) but could have done with a clothes horse. She bought her sub fusc down there from H&M / Primark and a gown shop. She spent no more than £50 for the whole outfit.

Hellooo! Another one with a DD starting at Oxford in Oct. Will be keeping a note of all your tips about what/what not to take.
I saw this bit of info about teaching next year. Sounds like tutorials will be in person but suitably vague about anything else. Anyone have any further intel?

And being a newbie, I'm not exactly sure how much teaching comes from lectures/classes. DD studying History (AMH) so imagine 1 or 2 tutorials a week but what else?

So ... Just had to google sub-fusc 😳.
Is that just for graduation?
Is it worth going for the day beforehand (we're pretty close) to get the gown or when she arrives?
She also doesn't really have kitchens I don't think although there seem to be some microwaves. I hadn't considered a clothes horse so thank you!

Sub-fusc at Oxford is for matriculation, exams and formal dinners. Not sure about Cambridge!

This is what DS needed last year in Cambridge (bearing in mind that there were significant restrictions due to Covid:

• dark lounge suit, white shirt, tie, smart shoes (worn once for matriculation dinner, but he hopes to attend more formal events this year).

• warm layers, waterproof coat, hat, gloves (for walking to labs)

• normal everyday clothes (in his case, his 'uniform' of jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, trainers)

Sporty students (of which he is not one) would also need their sportswear.

To buy when they get there:

• College undergraduate gown (£30ish) to wear to formal dinner etc.

• 'Stash': college-branded hoody, puffer jacket etc.

These were DS's weekly contact hours in first year:

12 hours of lectures (online)
4 hours of supervisions (half f2f but will hopefully all be f2f this year)
10-12 hours of practicals (half f2f but will hopefully all be f2f this year)

Then he did about the same number of hours again each week on independent learning.

DD found that the lectures were probably the least important part of her first year, so she is planning to stick with the recordings to catch up on them out of term time. She had 3 or 4 modules each term, each with a weekly tutorial and either a weekly essay or worksheet for each one.

She bought her gown, cap & ribbon on a post results trip last year which all made it seem a bit more real. The shops won't run out, but it was nice to buy it for her. She has a school shirt, short black skirt, thick black tights & black shoes all from Primark or similar. In the end she only needed her gown until the summer, as she was SI for the official matriculation and her college moved the festivities to June.

DD (Oxford, going into fourth year) has worn a white school blouse and short black skirt under her gown for sub fusc for matriculation and all her exams for the last three years. She took it with her, along with a couple of dresses for formal events to take the pressure off her first week. She really didn't need much in the way of kitchen stuff for first year. Pantries can be tiny! She has acquired a significant collection of college and sports squad puffer jackets, hoodies, joggers etc in three years!

DS (Cambridge, going into second year) wore the same for matriculation as described by @Ironoaks above. He also took black tie. Required virtually no kitchen stuff.

DD experienced quite a lot of snow in Oxford during Michelmas of first year and Cambridge is just cold!!

A really good call to ask college parents. DD has now graduated but will be back in a couple of weeks to start her PhD and may well be teaching other MN's DC (perish the thought!)

DD's college puts all freshers in the same block. There are small kitchens - gyps - on each staircase on each floor. They have a hob, toaster, kettle and microwave as well as a couple of fridges. DD managed 3 years with this set up but in her 3rd year she had a college house with a proper oven and freezer too. A sharp knife, cutlery, crockery, glasses and mugs are needed. DD also took old ice cream tubs and take-away food containers so she could cook a meal then put the leftovers in the fridge in the tub for the next day's lunch or dinner.

In terms of clothes, Cambridge seems less formal than Oxford. You need the college gown for matriculation and for formal dinners. DD wore hers for singing in a different college's choir. We ordered hers for her to collect before matriculation - she now needs the graduate one which is apparently longer... It cost around £40 and she reckons that even with the Covid restrictions, she wore it on average 40 times per year, so got her money's worth. DD2 is borrowing it for a fancy dress party this evening. DD1 wore a nice demure dress from M&S's sale for matriculation, then her old school shirt and a black skirt for graduation. She needed smart shoes for matriculation too.

DD didn't take enough cold weather stuff so at half term, we took hats, scarves and gloves to her. She took an old bike (£8 from our local recycling centre), helmet, gloves, lights and puncture kit as well as a decent bike lock. She doesn't have a clothes airer; she used the driers in the laundry as far as I know.

DD is a scientist so I'm not sure about History. However, I do know that supervisions (tutorials) are planning to be in person next term. I'm not sure about lectures because they don't apply to her any more.

Talking about recycling gowns. dh still had his old one and over the years it was appropriated for dressing up and various book days etc at school. I did offer to unpick the silver stars off it so dd could take it to college.

Sorry posted and ran there. Thanks Often for stepping in there with the sub fusc explanation.

Other clothes - she took loads of party outfits and scruffs. She didn't mention it being cold or snowy, but we live in a part of the country that is snowier than most. She is nesh and never travels without a hot water bottle, puffer jacket and several snuggly blankets.

DD is going to be in the studio more because she doesn't have such a huge room and the light is a bit meh. It is a little way away from her accommodation so she is taking a bike - nothing to do with it being very stylish and matching her knee length yellow boots at all.

She and the people who she is sharing a kitchen with have already decided who is bringing what -Dd has offered to take the spice cupboard, a growing herb box and houseplants. I assume others are taking the things to cook with or they are supplied.

oh yes! I've also remembered, dd needed to buy flats for her formal wear, heels were too dangerous on all the cobbly bits.

Also, would take any fancy dress that they have (particularly Halloween). Pre Covid there seemed to be constant opportunities to dress up!

DDs was able to buy her gown at her college during freshers, they were told to bring cash for that - don't know if that's still the case. I seem to remember it being about £25 though I could be a bit out, one of the plainer Cambridge gowns - some colleges have fancier ones.