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.

Mine (who has just finished her MEng) will be returning to Cambridge this weekend ahead of starting work. It seems that many of her friends will either be doing further studies or working in the area.
Her bike was new when she started; it's been locked up on a public bike rack all summer but her BF checked it was still there when he went to collect their house keys. She reckons there are so many unlocked bikes that a locked one is pretty safe.

Errol I wish it was like that in our local city. Even the locked ones aren't safe. When I ride to work my bike is locked, inside a cage with electronic pass entry, in a locked carpark with 24hour concierge.... I am still amazed it is still there at the end of each day.

Cheap places for bikes - local bike shops second had rails, Freecycle, Re-Cycling groups (most towns have one), Local cycling groups (DD had hers gifted by a cyclist who no longer had room to keep it) and local Facebook groups. Although if it is a too good to be true deal check for registration numbers on the frame, owners details in the seat tube or handlebars. Facebook Marketplace often has stolen bikes.

The college ball has been postponed to spring.

Buying college gowns (C) - where? Approximate cost?

No idea why it's been postponed Unescorted. Big shame.

@cantkeepawayforever

Second hand gowns: college porters' lodge
New gowns: Ryder and Amies

Cost: variable because different colleges have different styles of undergraduate gowns and also for some colleges it's possible to buy them in different fabrics. A new undergraduate gown is anywhere from £30 to £100.

OK - available in two fabrics. Any hints?

(In my day, you could get them in an OK cotton and a really shiny static, slightly sticky out nylon fabric ... trying to avoid this!)

Some examples of undergraduate gowns for different colleges here along with current prices for buying them new.

I'm pretty sure DDs must be the poly cotton as I'm sure it wasn't too expensive. It still looks fine - I've ironed it for her a couple of times but (remarkably for an item which mainly seems to be for eating in) it hasn't needed washing.

errol, haha, that is the impression I get for DS's Cambridge gown! On the other hand, DD's Oxford gown has been worn for dining, collections and exams, some tutorials, trashed, and swimming in the river. I have washed and ironed it on a termly basis and it still looks fine. Pretty sure its polycotton. She also has a scholars gown (which is very similar to DS's Cambridge gown) and so far has only been subjected to dining purposes.

DD is going back tomorrow. While sorting through her stuff she looked sadly at a pair of very muddy pumps, and asked what you're meant to do in Cambridge where one minute you're on a nice path and the next you're in a cow field.

I thought I posted this last week but I was sitting in the garden and the wifi is a bit pants...

DD's gown came from Ryder and Amies. I ordered it and she collected it before matriculation. She has worn it for matriculation, formal dinners and for singing in a different college's choir - evensong services. The gown cost around £40 and she reckons she's worn it over a hundred times. DD2 borrowed it the other night for a murder mystery party. DD1 now needs a graduate gown but she can sort that herself.

I'm taking her to Cambridge next weekend. She has 4 more weeks of internship then she is going to prepare supervisions. There are at least 3 of them in her college who will be supervising 1st years. I know what you mean @chitchattery but they obviously know their stuff and at least they have done it recently so hopefully can empathise with their students.

We currently have a Cambridge Vet student staying with us who is doing some work experience here as there is nothing available in S Wales. She is one of DD's mates so is going into her 5th year. It's interesting to hear about another scientific discipline, but it sounds like really hard work.

DD reckoned supervisions with PhD students who'd recently done the same course could be very good.

A very warm welcome to the new people joining this thread and good luck to your DCs starting at Ox and Cam.

My DS1 (C) - studying English - is going into his second year and DS2 (O) - studying History - also going into his second year. Both have a had a great time so far, somewhat limited by all the Covid restrictions and the second term done entirely from home - but nevertheless, have joined in lots of extracurricular things and have been happily busy with these plus academic work. DS2 is extremely busy at present helping to prepare for Freshers and Fresher's Events.

Regarding college gowns, DS2 (O) had plenty of use from his for Formal Halls, Matric and photos, choir practices a few times a week etc. He also needed a formal suit on many occasions.

DS1 (C) had no opportunity to wear his suit or gown at all (although a much nicer gown) as at his college, there was no formal Matriculation, no Formal Hall opportunities, no Matric photo and nothing 'traditional or formal' going on at his college. In fact, his experience was somewhat worlds apart from DS2. I think this shows there's a huge contrast between colleges rather than between Ox and Cam.

I'm hoping that second years won't be forgotten and can have some special events run just for them, especially for DS1 (C) who hasn't had the chance to meet most of his college cohort at all yet. Hopefully the college will finally think about opening the college bar and allowqing people to eat meals in the hall rather than taking all food away on plastic trays to their own rooms.

He also hasn't been told anything about his accommodation for his second year, although promised that it'll be in college. Usually his college promises all three years of college accommodation but they're asking some 3rd and 4th years to consider renting in town as they're still so overfull. He hopes to stay in college for all of his three years however.

DS2 knows his exact college room for next year and when we recently visited Oxford, he was allowed to go round the grounds with DS1 and I and point out his room windows. Once again, by contrast, I've still not yet been allowed to go round DS1's college grounds and only been briefly into his first year room on the first day he started. I don't even know what the rest of his college looks like! He's hoping to sneak DS2 and I round the grounds before the end of the vacation, if possible. Other colleges seem to allow visitors at least to the college grounds and my niece (who'll be applying to C for 2022) was recently allowed to look around her prospective college grounds.

Errol, DS1's best supervisor last year was a recently qualified postdoc. He actually marked essays on time, within about 48 hrs of receipt rather than not until the following term!

@mutterphore I have read some others of your posts and been feeling anxious that your dc1 college might be dd's college! I hope not (or at least that they widen experiences this year, for his sake as well as hers).
DD has had an email about arrival times and so far there is no mention of parents not being allowed in on moving in day. I'm hoping that that's a positive sign but we weren't allowed in, even into the grounds, when we visited a few weeks ago.
They've been asked to send their vaccine status and I'm hoping that most people are double jabbed as DD is and that will help the college feel more confident.
I don't know if I want to know if it's the same college though!

I honestly think it varies massively by college as you say @mutterphore and @Chilldonaldchill. We were allowed into DD's room in July (and last September, December, January, April and June - all the times I visited, dropped off or collected). In March, she had all her stuff at the bottom of the staircase for me to take to the car. We were also welcomed into the college grounds on graduation day both before the ceremony and for the socially-distanced picnic afterwards. I know that there were fewer students about, but there were lots of members of the academic staff and plenty of parents, photographers and catering staff. Perhaps academic dress, smart clothes or uniforms offer some sort of Covid protection...!

Chill I wouldn't worry too much as I think last year's experience for Freshers was quite uniquely different generally, each student's experience will also be unique even at the same college and i think it was and is just the stark contrast between DS2's experience at O and DS1's at C that highlighted these differences, which shows in my posts.

Overall - and especially if I don't compare DS1's experience with DS2's - DS1 did have a very good time in his first year and is looking forward to his second. Hopefully if there are fewer restrictions, there'll be many more opportunities to have positive experiences in college and outside as well.

I also suspect that many students will proactively enjoy the less traditional feel of some colleges as it can be less daunting.

Congratulations to malbec fan, chitchattery and Errol and all the family. Such an achievement to graduate from Oxbridge and it's so great they all seem to find most of their degrees a brilliant experience.
My DD tells me most students love it and she certainly does.

Good luck to all fresher mums. These threads are helpful. Definitely a little hand holding needed Year one. And a little knowledge about the system makes you able to gently support.

Another question as I've spent the morning dusting my dd's room whilst she's away - completely grim! - do most colleges have cleaners for their rooms or do they clean their own?
Even 30+ years ago at my uni we had cleaners come in to our rooms once a week to hoover and clean the sink (we had shared bathrooms between 12-15) but I don't know what's normal at uni these days and particularly at Cambridge. Will she need to take cleaning stuff (that she won't use)?

I think it's one of those things that depends on the college.
DS's (C) college supplies toilet paper, bin bags, tissues, hand soap and hand sanitiser.
There's a bedder who empties his bin, vacuums his room and cleans his (v.small) ensuite bathroom and the (also v.small) shared mini kitchen.

DD is at O. They all seem to have cleaners providing toilet rolls etc. However, I would make sure she has an emergency box of stuff to keep in her room in case of emergency (ie self isolation) - washing up liquid, painkillers, tampons etc.

Thanks all. They have not yet confirmed accommodation but have sent a list of the contents of all rooms (single bed, wastepaper bin etc) so hopefully they'll give a bit more detail when room is confirmed. If someone hoovers once a week that's promising though!

I don't think DD (C) had a cleaner for her own room, but this may have been due to covid. Communal areas were cleaned.

Don't bank on getting higher band accommodation even if you've ordered it. Your DD may end up sharing facilities. So send her with wipes for the toilet in case it has not been left clean.

Thanks. She's actually applied for the cheapest accommodation and more worried about being given higher band! She will struggle if she has to pay the highest rents.

@Chilldonaldchill

Also no candles allowed in most/all (C) accommodation so a diffuser is a nice idea. Non PAT tested electricals will be removed from communal areas if you leave them there, so egg cookers etc will be confiscated if found.

DD may need earplugs and all the students have noise cancelling headphones. The accommodation can be as noisy and unsociable as any university, despite the massive workload.

Also floating duckfood pellets if she has a college with access to the backs